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The Caine Mutiny (1954)
Today you are full-fledged ensigns.
Three months ago, you assembled here | from all walks of life. - - Field, factory, | office and college. Each of you knew | what the fighting was about. Each of you knew that the American | way of life must be defended. From here on, your education | must continue in the school of war. As an ensign | in the United States Navy. - - You go down to the sea to fight in | the toughest conflict of all time. We Americans are confident that | you will serve the Navy with honour. Good luck and good hunting. Willie, over here! - Darling, I'm so proud of you. | - Congratulations, Willie. I hope the Navy | makes full use of your abilities. Perhaps I could help you | be placed somewhere else. Good luck for now. Mother, I'll have to skip your party | tonight. The fellas are celebrating. But the party's in your honour. Your friends will forgive you. | You can call them from the house. I'll see you at ten. May... - You were wonderful. | - Your mother let you out? I had to be with her. I should | have told you yesterday. I'm sorry. - Get me a drink, then we'll fight. | - Leo, two Scotch and waters. Let's not spoil the night. | I've only got a couple of days left. - I'm leaving Sunday. | - How do you expect me to feel? You left me standing there alone. | Why couldn't I meet your mother? - There's a time for everything. | - I'm sure. To the most important woman | in your life... Mom. - May, stop it. | - I'm sorry, Willie. I didn't mean to ruin your evening. | I just bruise easily. What do we do to celebrate? We can go to the Fairmont... | Or we don't have to go to a club. - Meaning what? | - I've only got 48 hours. - Willie, don't. | - May, I love you. All right. | Will you marry me? If there were more time... I didn't expect you to. I forgot who I was. Just another | nightclub singer for a big weekend. I don't want any more of it. | Not another minute. - Good luck, Mr Keith. | - Thanks, George. Goodbye, Mother. Cable me from Pearl Harbour. | Your ship's been in lots of battles. Do you have enough spending money? | You'd better take this extra $100. - Mother, please don't cry. | - You're all I have left. Promise me you'll be careful. Don't | volunteer or do anything dangerous. I won't. I promise. | Goodbye, sweetheart. Request permission | to come on board. - The Caine's a real beauty. | - The Caine is the inboard ship. This way, Keith. Watch that enthusiasm. | This is the Caine. - I'm sorry, I lost my footing. | - This is Lieutenant Tom Keefer. Your orders. They transform | ex-civilians into men without minds. - I hate to do this to you. | - Gangway, lady with a baby! Meatball, Horrible, | pick up Mr Keith's gear. This is our executive officer, | Steve Maryk. Steve's the guy | who gets things done. Come on, let's meet the captain. - Watch your feet, sir! | - Come on, Keith! It's a mistake scraping this ship. | The rust is keeping the water out. - What do you want? | - He's here, sir. - Bring him in. | - In here, Keith. Captain DeVriess, | this is Ensign Keith. May I see your orders, | or are they a military secret? I'm sorry, sir. Princeton, 1941... Top five percent | in midshipman's school... Pretty good background, | pretty good record. - Disappointed it's a minesweeper? | - To be honest, yes, sir. - You saw yourself on a battleship? | - I had hoped that... I only hope that | you're good enough for the Caine. - I'll try to be worthy of the job. | - The Caine is a beaten-up tub. After 18 months of combat, it takes | 24 hours a day to keep her together. I don't think you understand. | You're in the junkyard navy. Steve, put in with Keefer | in Communications. - - And have Tom show this Princeton | Tiger and the other ensign the ship. And Keith... Don't take it so hard. | War is hell. - Ensign Keith, Ensign Harding. | - My condolences. Let's get with it. | The USS Caine is a minesweeper. These paravanes carry sweep wires | off both sides of the ship. The wire saws the mine in two. We've been in combat a year and a | half, and we've never swept a mine. This ship was designed by geniuses | to be run by idiots. This is the engine room. To operate, | all you need is a monkey. 99 percent of what we do is routine, | one percent requires intelligence. - That does it. Any more questions? | - Where do we go to surrender? - It's not that easy. | - You don't like the Navy. Just one more thing to do. | Climb the mast. What for? A tour is from the keel | to the foretop. That's the foretop. I'm very fond of my wife and kid. | I'll probably never see them again. Well done! - I'm glad he liked it. | - Yeah. Keith, I'm gonna be sick. | I'm sorry. Height bothers me. | Those poor sailors down there. - This is the only hat I've got. | - I have two others. That's darn cordial of you. What's keeping you up there? | Lunch! - Excuse me, sir. | - It's all right. Now that you've studied the Caine | up close, do you like her better? - The tour was very interesting. | - Is the ship too messy for you? The question is, | "Is this mess a ship?" It's decent of you to join us. | I didn't think you had time. Even the greatest of | literary artists gets hungry. Pull up a chair, Tom, and | cast some pearls before the swine. I have to protect these fresh young | faces from the captain's badgering. I'm just conducting | a one-man board of inquiry. I'm trying to find out if | Ensign Keith wants to stay on board. There is no escape from the Caine. | We are all doing penance. Sentenced to an outcast ship, manned | by outcasts, named after an outcast. - Here we go again. | - It's a fact. I've been trying for two years to be | relieved of command without luck. But then... I don't have | Ensign Keith's influence. I don't understand. I received this dispatch from | Admiral Wards about an hour ago. "Will request transfer to my staff | for Ensign Willis Steward Keith." "Understand of course | needs of USS Caine have priority." - I didn't know anything about this. | - Could be coincidence. Or someone pulling strings. What'll it be? The admiral's staff | or the hell of the Caine? - I don't know. | - Do you want to fight a war? - He shouldn't have to decide here. | - A good officer would be able to. - Come on, we haven't got all day. | - Well, sir... - I'll stay on board, sir. | - That takes care of that. You will live to regret this day. Sir, I spotted a Japanese aircraft | off the starboard bow. Angle 20. See him? If you stay ten years, you may learn | to tell an aircraft from a seagull. Man all stations | for minesweeping drill. Launch sweep gear. Port paravanes in the water. - That was a lousy performance. | - Stand by to stream starboard side. Retrieve sweep gear. Snap it up. | The Jones is beating us. - Stop the engines. Get me a line. | - The water's full of sharks. - Stand by the line. | - Yes, sir. This dispatch just arrived. I'll take care of it right away. Haul away! Lead the line | outboard of everything. Report float recovered. The Jones never could beat us. You pooped out! We streamed three | minutes quicker at Guadalcanal. You must love that guy | to do what you did for him. Go dry yourself, Keith. - Is that you, Willie? | - Yeah. Didn't you go to Princeton? Maybe | I'll let you read some of my novel. - Your opinion might be valuable. | - Thanks. Horrible, | pick up those orange peels. Meatball, laugh once more | and you're in trouble. Ensign Keith, report to | the captain's cabin. On the double. These 90-day wonders. They all | think they're five-star admirals. Come in. Three days ago, this ship received a | dispatch addressed to us for action. - Smitty says he gave it to you. | - Yes, sir. I forgot about it. - Did you decode the message? | - No, sir. - It's incredible stupidity... | - I had it done for you. - That'll be all, Smitty. | - Yes, sir. Keith. Do you know how serious misplacing | an action dispatch can be? I don't think you do. This ship might have failed | to carry out a combat assignment. I'd bear the full responsibility | in a court martial. I understand, sir. I've been filling out | officers' fitness reports. - How should this affect yours? | - Anyone can make a mistake. There are mistakes and mistakes. | The margin for error is narrow here. There's too much loss of life | and property damage possible. Here. | Read it. "Ensign Keith seems | a fairly bright young man." "He may become a competent officer | once he overcomes... ...a careless approach | to his duties." - Is it unfair? | - Sir, if I may be permitted... I made a mistake, but I don't think | I should be singled out for it. The Caine's a slack ship. The decks | look like a Singapore junk. You must also | strongly disapprove of me. - Go ahead, man to man. | - I'm in no position to judge. My conception of a captain | is different from yours. I'll take it under advisement. | Since you feel so bitter. - - Perhaps what's in the dispatch | will brighten your day. As you can see, | I'm being relieved of command. Next week | you'll have a new captain. Lieutenant Commander | Philip Francis Queeg. Feel better? - Definitely, sir. | - Good. That'll be all, Keith. In accordance with | Bureau of Naval Personnel. - - Order 01602 1 of November 1943. - - You'll report to and relieve the | commanding officer of the USS Caine. Signed, Louis Whitfield, | Rear Admiral, USN, Chief of Bureau. I relieve you, sir. All standing orders to remain | in force. Dismiss the men. - Good luck, Captain. | - Thank you. Crew dismissed. I could stay aboard a few days | till you get used to things. There's no need for that. We all | have our own ways of running a ship. This one's tired. She ought | to be melted down for razor blades. The crew's tired, too. | But every man is okay. - I understand. | - I hope you do. Yours, Captain. Attention on deck. - Request permission to leave. | - Captain, sir? - What is it, Meatball? | - Nothing, sir. A few of the guys chipped in and... Whose idea was this? - It's against Navy regulations. | - You don't go by regulations. That's my trouble. | I've been aboard the Caine too long. You take an even strain with the | new skipper, and it'll be all right. - I'm leaving the ship, sir. | - Yes, sir. What do you know? Somebody | left his watch lying around. I might as well have a souvenir. | Not a bad-looking watch at that. - What time is it? | - 11:00. Make it 10:30. | I'll keep it a half hour slow - - To remind me | of the fouled-up crew of the Caine. Carry on. What's everybody so choked up for? I still think | that someday you'll make an officer. Captain Queeg requests | a meeting of all officers at 13:00. We'll be shipmates for a long time. | We should get acquainted. I've formed some impressions. | You're probably curious about me. My background is simple. | Just another naval officer. I've had seven years | in the Atlantic. The last two were very interesting. I thought they had it in for me | personally. Let's get down to cases. I'm a book man. I believe everything | in it was put in for a purpose. On this ship, | we do things by the book. Deviate from the book | and you'll get an argument from me. I don't lose arguments on my ship. | That's why it's nice to be captain. Remember, on board my ship | excellent performance is standard. - - Standard performance | is sub-standard and does not exist. Now that I've shot my face off, I'll | give you the chance to do the same. It's been a long time since | this crew did things by the book. There are four ways | of doing things on board my ship: The right way, the wrong way, | the Navy way and my way. Do it my way and we'll get along. Okay? | Anyone else? Come in. Sorry to interrupt. | Official message. Thank you. One moment, messenger. - What's your name and rate? | - Urban, sir. Seaman First. - Very well. You may go. | - Yes, sir. Gentlemen, did you notice anything | peculiar about Seaman Urban? A shirt-tail outside trousers | is the uniform for bus boys. - - Not for a sailor in the US Navy. | We will start noticing these things. - Who's the Morale Officer? | - There is none. - Who's the Junior Ensign? | - Keith, sir. Mr Keith, | you are now the Morale Officer. See to it that every man keeps | his shirt-tail inside his trousers. If I see | another shirt-tail flapping. - - Woe betide the sailor, the OOD and | the Morale Officer. I kid you not. We are to proceed to Area X-ray | at 08:00 tomorrow to tow targets. The Caine is going to be the best | target-towing ship in this navy. That'll be all, gentlemen. I want the men to have their hair | cut and their faces shaven by 24:00. Aye, aye, sir. - Well, he's certainly Navy. | - Yeah, so was Captain Bligh. Attention all hands. Ships will commence firing at 10:00. | Observers lay out to the fantail. Flash. | Short. 200. Over. 100. 250. Hit. Over. | 100. 250. Short. 100. | Over. 150. 200. Ensign Keith, report to the bridge. Have you any explanation | for the appearance of this sailor? You heard my order on shirt-tails. | Tuck your shirt in, now. - The captain won't let me. | - See the rotten job you're doing? - Gwendelyn, this is Tarzan. | - Tarzan, this is Gwendelyn. Cease present exercises | and return to base. Well done. Out. Roger. | Thank you, sir. We're heading back. | Right standard rudder. Now, Mr Keith... | Do you have an explanation for this? I didn't ask for an alibi. My orders | must mean very little to you. - I'm at fault, but I tried my best. | - Yes, a maximum of inefficiency. What's the matter with the old man? | We're steaming in a circle. - Captain... | - Don't interrupt me. One more word, and you're on report. - You were the officer of the deck. | - A man can't be everywhere at once. You are equally as responsible | for your duties as I am for mine. And one thing more. | War is a 24-hour job. There will be no more | novel-writing on the Caine. Mr Keith, Mr Keefer, you will | submit written reports explaining: A, why his shirt-tail was out. | B, why you didn't obey my orders. Meatball, look! We're | cutting back across our tow line. It's impossible. | But it's happening! We're gonna cut our own tow line. | You'd better tell him again. What's happening? | What's going on? What's our target doing out there? What are you doing? | You idiot. All engines stop. - We've steamed over our tow line. | - Who said we did that? - We've cut the target adrift. | - No. We had a faulty cable. We can hardly be held responsible | if we're given faulty cables. Should we recover the target? No. We'll be the last ship back | in Pearl Harbor. No thank you. We don't want a lot of questions | about this. It's not our fault. - Reel in the cable. | - Aye, aye, sir. Mr Keefer, | send the following dispatch. "Defective tow line parted, | south-west corner, X-ray." "Target adrift. | Menace to navigation." "Suggest tug, | recover or destroy." He'll never get away with it. Let's head for the barn. | All engines ahead full. All engines ahead full, sir. Willie, you look worried. A man's shirt's a petty detail, but | big things are made up of details. For want of a nail, a horseshoe | was lost, and then the whole battle. A captain's job is a lonely one. | He's easily misunderstood. Forget that I bawled you out. It | was good for the morale of everyone. Yes, sir. Look what just came in. | We're going back to San Francisco. Thanks to Captain Queeg. | He's in plenty of hot water. - The Navy won't accept his story. | - They're sending us back for that? "Upon arrival, | Commanding Officer USS Caine - - Report immediately | Commander Western Sea Frontier." He's about to be boiled in oil. | And you'll be seeing your girl. Willie! - Willie, darling. | - Mother. - This is a real surprise. | - You didn't expect me to stay away? Mother... I'd like you | to meet a friend of mine. May Wynn. I'm always delighted | to meet Willie's friends. Thank you. Hello, May? | Sure. I'll be right down. Okay. I'm ready to go. | It's just a weekend at Yosemite. - A sailor needs some play time. | - Miss Wynn is going with you? Yes, she is. - You must feel strongly about her. | - I do. I like her a lot. - You have a nice weekend yourself. | - Are you in love with her? I don't know. But I missed her | every minute I was away. She is attractive, but you | don't know anything about her. - You haven't even met her parents. | - I'll have to do that someday. For your own sake, | promise you won't do anything rash. - I promise. | - Do you mean it? Goodbye, Mom. Easy, May. | That's good. - How did you like it? | - Like a new song. Fun but scary. It was nice of your mother | to let you come. - It wasn't up to my mother. | - Well... - War has made a difference. | - Has it? I missed you more than I planned to. Let the fire fall! This is paradise. - Willie, there are people. | - Let them look. You have changed. Sometimes I think | there's almost a chance for us. - Willie, it's getting late. | - It's getting very late. I'll wait, thanks. Good morning. Sorry I'm late. | I'm used to having an alarm clock. - What a day. Have you ordered yet? | - Not yet. - Orange juice and coffee. | - Make it two. I'd love to take a long walk. | Climb to the top of that mountain. - Darling, what's the matter? | - Just thinking. Something's the matter. | I expected you to be happy. Would you spend | the rest of your life with me? - What's this? | - Let's get married. - Is that what you really want? | - Yes. Don't look at me like that. Is it because you feel sorry for me, | and it's the decent thing to do? I love you and I want to marry you. | Yes or no? - No. | - Why not? Your mother won't approve. - Of course she'll approve. | - She won't, and you'll be unhappy. I won't be unhappy. | I love you. Maybe you do... really do. But marriage | has to be by your own approval. That's asking a lot, May. That's right. Have a good cry, Willie. | I know I will. In another 30 seconds | you'd have been AWOL. - I just got the telegram. | - You couldn't leave your girl? - Any news on Queeg? | - Stand by to cast off. Have you been inconvenienced, | Mr Keith? You made a mistake, Tom. | He's still here. My mistake was nothing | compared to the Navy's. As you probably know, we returned | to San Francisco to get a new radar. However, certain misleading reports | were sent to the Force Commander. He doubted the Caine's competence | as to being returned to combat. I told him not to expect me to pull | the Caine into shape overnight. There will be no further mistakes | from the officers and crew. - The smoke went down the wrong way. | - This is an important command. The Navy's waiting for me to make | a mistake, but I won't make it. So much for old business. Gentlemen, I have good news for you. We're on our way to | the greatest invasion of this war. I kid you not. | Let's straighten up and fly right. All hands, put on battle dress. All hands, put on battle dress. We can scare the Japs to death. Cease fire, cease fire. Take stations. | Mr Keith, take the con. That's the group we're to take in. | Jacob Group Four. Come right to course 045. | All engines ahead full. We're gonna run those boats down. | Where's the captain? - He's on the wing. | - Why isn't he handling the ship? All engines stop. Boats ahoy! - What's going on? Who's yelling? | - We were overshooting these boys. - What's the distance to the beach? | - About three miles. Steve, you get us there. | Full speed ahead. We will proceed. | Follow us. Good luck. Left tangent: 006. - Beacon: 084. | - Distance: 5,000. We're too far ahead. | All engines back one third. Left tangent: 350. - Beacon: 116. | - Distance: 4,000. Why are we slowing down? If they | can't keep up, throw a dye marker. We're too close. | You want to run us on the beach? - We still have 1,500 yards to go. | - 1,500 yards? You're crazy. I can read instruments | as well as anyone. We're within 1,000 yards | of the beach right now. Left full rudder. | All engines ahead full. - Throw over a dye marker. | - Fantail, throw over a dye marker. - We can't leave those marines... | - Mr Maryk, I'm relieving you. - What's he doing? Running away? | - Don't look for trouble, Tom. - What do you think of your boy now? | - I don't know. - There must be a reason for this. | - Yeah. There's a reason, all right. I've got those yellowstain blues | those silly yellowstain blues when someone fires a shot | it's always there I am not I've got those yellowstain blues | the old yellowstain blues those yellowstain blues. - We'd better pipe down. | - Don't worry. It's about time you got over being | impressed by parents and captains. - Thanks, Dad. | - More. I've got those yellowstain blues | down from my head to my shoes you should see strong men quail | if he should spy a shirt-tail... - Cut it. | - Steve, I thought you'd be amused. It's the saga of a man with very | little charm and even less courage. It's not funny. | Find someone else to sing about. - Old Yellowstain will be flattered. | - Don't use that name again. - The captain wants a meeting. | - And he kids us not. Don't get up, please. I'm not | feeling well. This won't take long. That'll be all, steward. I know that some of you | are a little afraid of me. I'm not that terrible. | I have a wife and a child and a dog. They're rather fond of me. Even | the dog doesn't think I'm a monster. Certain things happened today. A command is a lonely job. | It isn't easy to make decisions. Sometimes the captain of a ship | needs help... constructive loyalty. A ship is like a family. We all | have ideas of right and wrong. - - But we have to pitch in | for the good of the family. If there was only some way | we could help each other. If there's anything you want to say, | I'll be glad to listen. I've spoken my piece. | I only hope it registered. Don't get up. Painter, have some more aspirin | sent up. My headache's much worse. Yes, sir. This is what is known | in literature as the pregnant pause. Let's write to Walter Winchell. - I almost felt sorry for him. | - Don't be so sentimental, Willie. I thought it was a good speech. It was close to an apology. | We could have backed him up. He turned yellow | the first time we got into action. You knew nothing about DeVriess | and you know even less about Queeg. He's tired. | His nerves are shot. A man can lose his head | after what Queeg has gone through. That's endearing, but it won't hold. Has it ever occurred to you that | our captain might be unbalanced? I know about abnormal behaviour. Captain Queeg has every symptom of | acute paranoia. He'll snap any day. - Step outside. | - I'd like to stay. - Let him. He studied psychology. | - You're fooling with dynamite. The man is a Freudian delight. | He crawls with clues. The rolling balls, the second-hand | phrases, the migraine headaches... Shirt-tails, and tonight's speech: | I turned yellow but my dog likes me. - I think Tom does make sense. | - You stay out of this. So he has migraine headaches | and he rolls steel balls. So what? You used to get up before reveille | and scribble on papers. Everybody's a screwball in some way. You're kidding yourself, Steve. Will you go to the medical officer | with me and repeat what you've said? - Do you agree with my diagnosis? | - Not even if I understood it. I'm not doing it alone. If you | can't see it, they won't believe me. Let's drop it. There'll be no more | talk of the captain being crazy. - It can only blow up in our faces. | - I still insist he's paranoid. See this bible? I swear on this, I'll report | anything further you say about it. There's no more friendship | on this point. Medical log | on Lieutenant Commander X-ray. The possibility appears to exist - - That the commander of this ship | may be mentally disturbed. March 5, 1944. This evening, | as usual, we were showing a Western. Stop the picture! | Will you please stop this picture! Attention on deck! - Why wasn't I told about the movie? | - You don't want to see Westerns. This was calculated disrespect | to your commanding officer. All right. There will be | no more movies for 30 days. May 28, 1944. Morale couldn't | be lower. The crew is resentful. The officers are just going through | the motions of carrying out orders. Today, the captain ordered a general | drill for the safety of the crew. This is the captain speaking. Many | of you aren't wearing battle gear. Those not wearing a helmet or a life | jacket lose three days' liberty. I see you! Knock that off! | Stop putting on that gear! Put that man down there on report. | That one on number one machine gun. You think you're clever. | You're not fooling me! Get that red-headed fellow. I can't tell which one's red-headed. | They're wearing their helmets. This is the captain speaking. Some | of you think you can outsmart me. You're mistaken. The innocent | will be punished with the guilty. There will be no liberty for three | months. I won't be made a fool of. July 30, 1944. Today we received | a gift from the USS Pinkney. A gallon of frozen strawberries. I was checking the watch at 0 1:00 | when I spoke to Ensign Keith. How's it going? The captain's been put away | for the night. - Lay off. | - I was with you at the beginning. - But no ship can go on like this. | - You don't know that. - I'm not blind. | - All right. The captain's in rocky shape, | but he'll come out of it. The captain wants a meeting | of all officers. - At 01:00? What's it about? | - Strawberries. - Are you sure this is a gallon can? | - Yes, sir. It's a lard can. You must be wondering | why I called you here. We had an excellent dessert tonight, | ice cream and frozen strawberries. An hour ago, I sent for another | portion but got only the ice cream. There weren't any more strawberries. I don't believe that the officers | consumed a gallon of strawberries. Mr Maryk, how many portions of ice | cream and strawberries did you have? Two, sir. Dole out a scoop of sand | for each portion. - Mr Keefer, how many for you? | - Three, Captain. - Keith? | - Two, sir. - Harding? | - Two, sir. - Painter? | - Two, sir. - Comedy? Jorgensen...? | - Two, sir. - And the steward's mates had three? | - Yes, one helping each. - Mr Keith said it was okay. | - Yes, I did. And I had four. 24 portions in all. This tureen holds as much sand | as we had strawberries tonight. Mr Maryk, | tell me how much sand is left. Maybe a quart, | or a little less. Have any of you an explanation for | the quart of missing strawberries? Someone else finished them for us. You will all investigate to find out | who's responsible for this theft. - Mr Maryk, you're in charge. | - You mean in the morning? Now, by my watch, does not | mean in the morning, but 01:47. I expect a full report by 08:00. Pipe down. Let's get this done | so we can get some sleep. Send in the stewards. If only the strawberries had been | poisoned, we'd be done with this. We've learned nothing further about | the missing quart of strawberries. - Unsatisfactory. | - Sorry, Captain. We kept the mess boys and the cook | most of the night. It's a dead end. - We went over it all endlessly. | - You accomplished nothing. I've thought the whole thing out. Someone made a duplicate key | to the icebox. - There's no indication... | - Some things we must assume. When I was an ensign on a cruiser, | five pounds of cheese was missing. Everybody forgot about it but me. I found out a chow hound had made | a wax impression of the icebox key. He confessed and I got a letter of | commendation. It's the same here. We can't be sure there's a key... I've got a simple plan. We tag every | key on board with the owner's name. Then we strip all hands | to make sure we have all the keys. Then we test each key | on the icebox padlock. - The one that fits is the thief's. | - We don't know there's such a key. - I say there's a key. | - The thief could toss it overboard. He wouldn't do that after going | to the trouble of making it. - He may hide it, but we'll find it. | - I never thought of that, sir. Get on the ball. It should be fun | doing some detective work. Steve, turn me in if you want to. | But this is over the line. Queeg is a paranoid. | Can't you see what he's doing? He's re-enacting his big triumph, | the cheese investigation. He wants to be as hot as the young | Ensign Queeg. There is no key. - What happened to the strawberries? | - Does it matter? Would anyone but a crazy man care? Steve, are you familiar with | Article 184 of Navy regulations? Vaguely. Listen to this. On the Caine | it's required reading. Article 184: "Unusual circumstances may arise - - In which the relief from duty of | a commanding officer is necessary. Such action shall be subject to the | approval of the Navy Department. - - Except when it is impracticable | because of the delay involved." If I were you, I'd memorise it. I'll take these to the captain. - Great weather for stripping down. | - Great for pneumonia. - Next. | - Meatball, you can get dressed. - Don't you want to x-ray me? | - He swallowed his key. Pipe down. - So long, fellas. | - Are you escaping from the Caine? - My wife is seriously ill. | - I'm sorry. She'll be all right. We'll let you | know about the key investigation. - Good luck, Harding. | - Thank you, sir. If I tell you something, please | don't do anything till I'm ashore. - What is it? | - There is no key. - What? | - How do you know? The mess boys ate the strawberries. | I saw them. I kept my mouth shut because I | didn't want them to get in trouble. But I told the captain. He said he'd | hold up my orders if I told anyone. So please don't say anything. I'm happy to get out | of this madhouse. So long. I'll call all your wives and girls | for you. - Well... | - I've thought about what you said. I've thought about Article 184, | and I have to admit you're right. Admiral Halsey is here | with the fleet. Let's go see him. - Sure. | - You too, Willie. Request permission to come on board. | Admiral Halsey's quarters. Lt. Jones, these gentlemen | would like to see the admiral. Just a minute please, gentlemen. It's a fine time to think of this, | but we're making a big mistake. - What are you talking about? | - Look. This is the real navy, | with real officers, not Queegs. - The Caine's a floating mistake. | - What are you driving at? - They'll never believe us. | - Is the captain crazy or isn't he? - Is this record correct or not? | - Yes, but we can't make it stick. Everything there can be interpreted | as an attempt to enforce discipline. - We know different. | - Because we've lived through it. - Why didn't you tell me before? | - If we do this, we're in trouble. It won't mean as much to us, | but you want to stay in the Navy. This can smash your career. They'll | think you're a mutinous officer. I'll risk it. Are you scared? Scared? I see six sides to every | risk and 12 reasons not to take it. Behind this eloquent exterior, I've | got a yellow streak 15 miles wide. - I'm too smart to be brave. | - Admiral Halsey will see you. - I pass. | - We've decided this isn't the time. Station special C at anchor detail. | Make all preparations for sailing. Make all preparations for heavy | weather. Dismissed from quarters. - Steve, what do we do now? | - Without Tom, I'll get nowhere. I never even heard the word paranoid | before he pulled it on me. - I don't get it. Tom's no coward. | - I don't know what Tom is... now. Hurry back. We received a storm | warning and the fleet's sailing. Turn on the standard lights. - The barometer's still dropping. | - I've seen it. - Are you gonna take on ballast? | - No. - I suggest that we do. | - I won't foul up the fuel lines. We need more knots to outrun it. Bridge to Engine Control. This is | the captain speaking. I want power. Power on the starboard engine. | Emergency power. Close that door. - I've relieved the watch. | - Everyone put on life jackets. It's difficult holding her. We can't keep riding | with our stern to the wind. - Those are fleet orders. | - Put the depth charges on safe. - Mr Keefer told me to set them. | - Why wasn't I told? - I told Mr Keefer... | - Put this man on report. Get another helmsman. - But Stillwell's our best man. | - Pay attention to my orders. Number one switchboard shorted out. | Shifting to number two. We're falling off to starboard. Try backing the starboard engine. - Back the starboard engine! | - Back the starboard engine. Willie, look in the radar shack. | See if there are any ships near us. If we keep our stern to the wind, | we'll roll over. The radars are down. | There's no sign of the fleet. - Swinging very fast. | - Captain, we have to manoeuvre. The fleet didn't order us | to manoeuvre at discretion. We don't know what our orders are. - We're in trouble. | - No, we're not. I can't hold the wheel. Captain, back the starboard engine! Captain! Hold it a hard right! - Ease your rudder to standard. | - Rudder easing to standard. Heading 325. | She's coming around slower. We'll head into the wind. | Steady on 000. - Fleet course is 180. | - Captain, we're in serious trouble. Don't question my decisions again. | Helmsman, come left. Steady as you go. | Willie, note the time. You're a sick man. I'm relieving | you of this ship under Article 184. What are you talking about? | Helmsman, left 180. - Mr Keith, what do I do? | - I told you to come left, and fast. You're not issuing orders anymore. | I've relieved you. - I take full responsibility. | - You're under arrest. Go below. - Left to 180. | - Right standard rudder. Course 000. - What do I do? | - Come north. Maryk's in command. Call your relief. | You're under arrest, too. All officers report to the bridge. - What's up? | - I have just relieved the captain. From now on, I will give all orders. | I take full responsibility. Mr Keith backed you up. | He'll pay the same as you will. If you officers know what's | good for you, tell them to stop. You officers approve? | Do you, Mr Keefer? - It isn't up to him to approve. | - You'll hang for mutiny. Everybody back to their stations. | Hold the course 000. - It's right over there. | - Thank you. Yes? | This is Ensign Keith. New York? | Thank you. Hello? - May? | - I've been phoning you all day. - Are you all right? | - Yes. Ensign Harding called and | told me that you were in trouble. Willie, I'm worried. | Is your mother there with you? - She's with my uncle. He's sick. | - Sorry to hear it. It was wonderful of you to phone. - May... darling. | - Willie, please don't. What an idiot I was. I could have married you in the | most beautiful place in the world. - I'll always regret that I didn't. | - Don't... please. It's over. It's all in the past. I want you to know that I love you, | and I'll never forget you. Goodbye, Willie. | Thank you. Mr Maryk? | My name is Barney Greenwald. Pleased to meet you. | Have a crack-up? - Are you our lawyer? | - I'm a lawyer. - Ensign Keith, Lieutenant Keefer. | - Keith. You're the co-defendant. - And you, Mr Keefer? | - I'm holding his coat. - I'm a friend of the family. | - That's pretty flip. I was on board the Caine, | communications officer. I read the report and frankly, I | think that what you've done stinks. - Then why are you taking the case? | - I didn't say I'd take it. I wanted to talk to Mr Maryk first. - You should get another lawyer. | - Eight lawyers have turned it down. At the moment, you have | an excellent chance of being hanged. We'll answer anything | you want to know. Are you a fool or a mutineer? | There's no third possibility. - Should I have let the ship sink? | - Three ships were lost, you know. And 194 stayed afloat without the | executive officer taking command. - There was no other choice. | - Maybe I'm a fool. I'm no mutineer. He had a paranoid skipper who went | to pieces, and he saved the ship. The Navy has three psychiatrists | who will testify that Queeg is sane. Paranoids walk a thin dividing line | between sanity and lunacy. Are you a psychiatrist? I'm a writer. | I'm a judge of human behaviour. You were the first to notice | the captain's psychotic symptoms? - Yes. | - Did you explain it to Mr Maryk? - I discussed it. | - That's an interesting point. - Would you repeat it in court? | - Why not? Mr Keefer, you ought to take a look | at Article 186 of Navy regulations. "An officer relieving his commanding | officer, or recommending it. - - Together with others | who so counsel. - - Must bear the responsibility for | and must justify such action." That's confusing the issue. | I'm not on trial. You're not an expert on psychiatry, | but you made the diagnosis. Yes. The atmosphere is getting thick | in here. I'll wait in the hall. Tom had nothing to do with it. | Nobody told me what to do. - Sure. | - Will you take the case? I'd much rather prosecute. I guess I can't blame you. - I'll take it. | - How do we plead? - Your case depends on Maryk. | - How do I plead? Not guilty. | You're a great naval hero. Charge: mutiny. Specification: Steven Maryk, | Lieutenant, US Naval Reserve. - - While serving on board the | USS Caine, did on July 31, 1944. - - Wilfully and without authority | relieve Lt. Commander Queeg. Queeg was engaged in the exercise | of his command, the US being at war. Steven Maryk, how say you to the | specification? Guilty or not guilty? - Not guilty. | - How say you to the charge? Not guilty. The prosecution | is prepared to prove - - That the removal of Lt. Commander | Queeg was not justified. - - And consequently, | constituted a mutiny. We will submit psychiatric testimony | establishing without a doubt - - That Lt. Commander Queeg is sane | and should not have been relieved. No statement at this time. The prosecution would like to call | Ensign Willis Stewart Keith. Were you the officer of the deck | on the DMS Caine on July 31? Was the captain relieved of command | by Mr Maryk during that watch? Do you know why Mr Maryk | took the action that he did? The ship was in imminent danger | of foundering. - You've been in a foundering ship? | - No, sir. - When did you join the Navy? | - A little over a year ago. Do you know how long | Lt. Commander Queeg served at sea? - No. | - Queeg has served over eight years. Which of you is better at judging | if a ship is foundering? Myself. When I am in possession of | my faculties and Queeg is not. Describe this loss of faculties. Did | Queeg rave or make insane gestures? No, sir. After being relieved, | did he go crazy? He was never wild or raving. There | are other forms of mental illness. Thank you for your expert opinion. Queeg has been found rational | by three psychiatrists. They weren't there during the storm. - Did you like the captain? | - At first I did. I thought he was incompetent and | unfair. He rode the men too hard. - Yourself included? | - Yes, sir. - You ended up hating Captain Queeg? | - Yes, sir. Let's come to | the morning of 31 July. Did you obey Mr Maryk because | you thought the captain was crazy. - - Or because you hated him? Mr Keith, it's contempt of court | to refuse to answer questions. Mr Maryk did the right thing. No further questions. Mr Keith, have you ever heard | the expression "Old Yellowstain"? - Repeat that, please. | - Old Yellowstain. Yes, sir. | It was a nickname for Captain Queeg. - What did it imply? | - Cowardice. I object. That was an unnecessary | attack on the honour of an officer. The career of an officer with a long | unblemished record is involved here. I warn you, you bear full | responsibility for your conduct. The court will hold in abeyance | to the prosecution's motion. Did that nickname have | anything to do with the typhoon? - No, sir. | - That's all. - No further questions. | - The court has no questions. You may only discuss your testimony | with the parties to the trial. You're excused. You're excused. The ship was rolling bad. Queeg said | to come left, Maryk said right. - Which did you do? | - I obeyed Mr Maryk. - Mr Keith said he'd taken command. | - Did the captain act crazy? - Did Mr Maryk? | - No, sir. Was the captain scared? | Mr Maryk? Was anyone? Just me. | I was plenty scared. - Did you like Captain Queeg? | - I liked him, but not a lot. - He acted strange. | - Because he cleaned up the Caine? Because he made you get haircuts | and was strict about regulations? These were attempts to make good | sailors out of his crew. That's all. - What do those stars represent? | - Well... This silver star is the Coral Sea, | Midway, Guadalcanal... - That's all. | - Call Lt. Thomas Keefer. When did you learn | about Queeg's relief? Mr Maryk called us to the bridge | and told us he had assumed command. Did Captain Queeg look sick? In a typhoon nobody looks very well. Didn't you realise - - The seriousness of Queeg's | warning about collusion in mutiny? - Yes, I did. | - Then why didn't you take action? I wasn't there when he was relieved. I don't know what he did | to convince Mr Maryk he was sick. For the safety of the ship | I obeyed Mr Maryk's order. - - Until higher authority either | endorsed or overruled his action. When Captain Queeg | was in command of the Caine. - - Did you ever observe | any evidence of insanity in him? I can't answer that. | I'm not a psychiatrist. Did you have any reason | to think Queeg might be insane? Prior to 31 July, did Maryk | suspect Queeg of being mentally ill? Yes, sir. Maryk showed me a log | he had written on Queeg's behaviour. Did you believe that log justified | the relief of Captain Queeg? - Well, sir... | - Yes or no? No, sir. Maryk persuaded Mr Keith and me to | go with him to see Admiral Halsey. On board the flagship I told him the | log didn't justify such action. - - And that we'd be charged | with mutiny. Were you surprised | when Maryk relieved the captain? I was flabbergasted. - Were you pleased? | - Maryk was a close friend. I anticipated that he would | be involved in great difficulty. - No further questions. | - No questions. - Will you recall the witness? | - No, sir. - No cross-examination? | - No, sir. - He's lying. | - He'll get you into more trouble. Forget it. | I want one hero, not two mutineers. Call Dr Dixon. Dr Dixon, please. - How did it go, Tom? | - You know. You've tried it. Sure, but you're the old word-king. | You knew what you were doing. Yeah, I knew what I was doing. Doctor, can a sane man possibly | perform offensive or foolish acts? It happens every day. Assuming that the captain's conduct | often showed bad judgement. - - Would that be inconsistent | with your diagnosis of him? No, my colleagues and I didn't find | Captain Queeg a perfect officer. - But we found no mental illness. | - Then he was relieved unjustly? From a psychiatric standpoint, yes. Your witness. My background is legal, not medical. | My questions might be elementary. You said that Lt. Commander Queeg | had problems which he handled well. - Could you describe the problems? | - I object. Queeg is not on trial. The question is irrelevant. Evidence regarding Queeg's mental | make-up is of great importance here. Objection overruled. The doctor may answer. | Repeat the question. You said that Lt. Commander Queeg | had problems which he handled well. Could you describe the problems? The main problem concerns | childhood inferiority feelings. - - Aggravated by adult experiences. - What were those adult experiences? | - He'd undergone a lot of strain. Long, arduous combat duty. | That's all I can say. - Would he easily admit mistakes? | - None of us do. - Would he be a perfectionist? | - Yes. Inclined to hound subordinates | about small details? - Would he find people hostile? | - That's part of the picture. If criticised, | would he feel unjustly persecuted? It all stems from the premise | that he must try to be perfect. You have testified that these | symptoms exist in Queeg's behaviour: Rigidity of personality, | feelings of persecution. - - And a neurotic certainty | he is always right. Isn't there one psychiatric term | for this illness? - I never mentioned any illness. | - Thank you for the correction. What would you call a personality | with all these symptoms? A paranoid personality. | But that is not a disabling illness. - What kind of personality? | - Paranoid. I would like to protest | the counsel's twisting of words. There's a difference between mental | illness and mental disturbance. Could Captain Queeg have been | disabled by the strain of command? - That's absurdly hypothetical. | - Is it? - Have you ever had any sea duty? | - No. Have you ever been at sea? | How long have you been in the Navy? Five months. - Have you ever dealt with captains? | - No. You're no authority on this matter, | and you may be wrong about Queeg. - Your witness. | - One minute, Doctor. The defence | has an interesting point. Did you ever have patients who dealt | with complicated command decisions? - Plant managers, industrialists... | - Quite a few. Including flyers, who deal with | life and death every day. I've written a book on the subject. Could you detect where a neurosis | might damage decision-making? - Absolutely. | - You examined Lt. Commander Queeg. - And you found no such damage? | - That's right. Thank you, Doctor. | That'll be all. - Smart guy. | - He's sure gonna bear down on me. That's the way I saw it. | It was my duty as a naval officer. Captain Queeg was mentally ill | and I had to take over. If I had to do it again, | I'd do it. Thank you, Mr Maryk. | Your witness. Just a few questions. Were | your grades in high school average? - Lower than average. | - And in college? - Are you trained in psychiatry? | - No. Where did you get the idea | that Queeg was mentally ill? Out of books... | I can't remember the titles. - Define schizophrenia. | - I can't. - What's a manic-depressive? | - I don't know. What's the difference between | "paranoid" and "paranoia"? In truth, you don't know | anything about mental illness. - I didn't say I did. | - You knew enough to commit mutiny. - I wanted to save the ship. | - But doctors have found Queeg sane. - They weren't in the ship. | - Isn't the reverse possible? Under pressure, you became erratic | and couldn't understand the captain. Who is presumed by the Navy to have | the best judgement in ship handling? - The captain. | - One last question. If the diagnosis of expert doctors | is correct, then you're guilty? I guess maybe so. - No more questions. | - No further questions. You may step down, Mr Maryk. This is just the first act. | The finale's still to come. Good afternoon, gentlemen. I assumed command of a badly-handled | ship. I tried to bring in into line. Lt. Maryk opposed me | from the first. Maybe he thought I was crazy | to keep trying. Was your ship on the verge of | foundering when you were relieved? A typhoon is an extreme hazard, | but the ship was riding well. Lt. Maryk went into a panic. He believed | only he could save the ship. Ensign Keith, a disloyal officer, | combined with him against me. It was bad luck for them. I bear | them no malice. I'm sorry for them. - No more questions. | - A word of caution, Mr Greenwald. The defence will try to challenge | the competence of Captain Queeg. Nevertheless, all the requirements | of military respect remain in force. During a period | when the Caine was towing targets. - - Did you ever | steam over your own tow line? Objection. The defence outrages | the dignity of this proceeding. The prosecution believes the report | of the psychiatrist closes the case. But it is up to you naval officers | to judge the captain's performance. And I must review that performance. - Objection overruled. | - Did you steam over your tow line? I'm happy to dispose | of this particular slander. When we were towing the target, | I saw some anti-aircraft bursts. - I turned to avoid them. | - You turned in a full circle. My unreliable helmsman | failed to warn me about that. But I saw it and reversed course. | We didn't steam over the tow line. - Did nothing else distract you? | - Not that I recall. Weren't you reprimanding a seaman | for having his shirt-tail out. - - While the ship turned 360 degrees? That only took two seconds. The morning the Caine escorted | attack boats to the beach. - - Did your orders include | dropping a dye marker? - I don't recall. | - Did you drop a dye marker? I don't recall. Didn't you steam ahead of the | attack boats, drop a dye marker - - And retire, leaving the boats | to make the beach on their own? - The question is abusive. | - Cowardice is a serious charge. Sir, may I make one thing clear? It is not the defence's contention | that Commander Queeg is a coward. We assume that no commander of a US | naval ship can possibly be a coward. If he commits questionable acts, | the explanation must be elsewhere. - You may resume your examination. | - Were all your officers disloyal? I didn't say that. | Only some were disloyal. - Mr Keith and Mr Maryk? | - Yes. You wrote this report on Mr Maryk | one month before he relieved you. - Do you recognise it? | - Yes, I do. Please read | your comments on Mr Maryk. The court can't hear you. "This officer | has improved in performance." "He's consistently loyal, | courageous and efficient." "He's recommended | for transfer to the regular navy." Did you turn your ship upside down | searching for a phantom key? I don't know what lies have been | sworn to here, but a key did exist. The witness is understandably | agitated. I request a recess. I don't want a recess. - Did you conduct such a search? | - Yes. My disloyal officers failed me, | and the key couldn't be found. Wasn't this whole fuss | over a quart of strawberries? The pilfering of food is a very | serious occurrence on board a ship. You were told that the mess boys | ate the berries. There was no key. The key was not imaginary. I don't | know anything about the mess boys. Have you no recollection of | a conversation with Ensign Harding? Didn't he tell you that | the mess boys ate the strawberries? I remember he was grateful | for his transfer. His wife was ill. Do you know | where Ensign Harding is now? He's in San Diego. He can be flown | up here in three hours if necessary. - Shall we have him testify? | - No, I... I don't see any need of that. Now that I recall, he might have | said something about mess boys. I questioned many men, and Harding | was not the most reliable officer. The defence has no other recourse | than to produce Ensign Harding. There's no need for that. | He'll only tell you lies. All the officers were disloyal. | They were always fighting me. If the crew wanted their | shirt-tails out, they'd let them. Take the tow line... | defective equipment. But they began spreading wild | rumours about steaming in circles. - - And then "Old Yellowstain". I was | to blame for Maryk's incompetence. Maryk was the perfect officer, | but not Queeg. But the strawberries, | that's where I had them. I proved with geometric logic that a | duplicate key to the icebox existed. I could have produced that key. They | were protecting some officer... Naturally, I can only cover | these things from memory. If I've left anything out, | just ask me specific questions - - And I'll be glad to answer them | one by one. - No further questions, sir. | - The court is closed. For he's a jolly good fellow | for he's a jolly good fellow for he's a jolly good fellow | that nobody can deny. No, baby, there are no girls here. | Just the officers of the Caine. What, darling? | Steve, make them pipe down. - Knock it off, fellas. | - Hi, Tom. Hi, fellas. - Steve. | - Hello, Tom. - I didn't think you dared show up. | - I didn't dare not to. Steve. Thank you for not telling the fellas | about what happened. - I'm delighted about the outcome. | - It's over and done with. You can fly in tonight. We'll | have plenty of time to get married. We'll tell my mother afterwards. | Please, May. I love you, darling. | Goodbye, sweetheart. Steve, Tom, that was May. | We're... Well, well, well. The officers | of the Caine in happy celebration. - You're kind of tight. | - I've got a guilty conscience. I thought the wrong man was on | trial, so I torpedoed Queeg for you. I had to torpedo him. | And I feel sick about it. Take it easy. When I was studying law, and | Mr Keefer was writing his stories. - - And Willie was tearing up | the playing fields of Princeton. - - Who was standing guard | over this country of ours? Not us. We knew you couldn't | make any money in the service. Who did the dirty work for us? | Queeg did, and a lot of other guys. Tough guys | who didn't crack up like Queeg. Queeg endangered | the lives of the men. He didn't endanger any lives. | You did. A fine bunch of officers. - You said yourself he cracked. | - That's a very pretty point. I left out one detail in court. | It wouldn't have helped our case. At one point, Queeg came to you | for help, and you turned him down. Yes, we did. He wasn't worthy of your loyalty. So you turned on him. | You made up songs about him. If you'd been loyal to Queeg, do you | think all this would have come up? I'm asking you, Steve. Would it | have been necessary to take over? It probably | wouldn't have been necessary. - If that's true, we were guilty. | - You're learning. You don't work with the captain | because of his hairstyle. - - But because he's got the job, | or you're no good. The case is over. | You're all safe. It was like | shooting fish in a barrel. Now we come to the man | who should have stood trial. The Shakespeare whose testimony | nearly sunk us all. - Tell them, Keefer. | - You're telling it better. You should read his testimony. | He never even heard of Queeg. - Let's forget it. | - Queeg was sick. But you're real healthy. You didn't | have one tenth the guts he had. - Except I never fooled myself. | - I want to drink a toast to you. You always hated the Navy. | Then you thought up this idea. You managed to keep your skirts nice | and clean even in the court martial. Maryk will be remembered | as a mutineer... You'll publish your novel, make a | million bucks, marry a movie star. - - And live with your conscience. | If you have any. Here's to the real author of | "The Caine Mutiny". Here's to you. I'll be outside. I'm drunker than | you are, so it'll be a fair fight. - Goodbye, darling. | - Goodbye, Willie. Attention on deck. - Keith. | - Yes, sir. - Take her out. | - Aye, aye, sir. Single up all lines! Stand by to cast off! |
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