The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
The late great William Friedkin has associated himself for the last time with this week’s extremely well done version of “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial”, produced by Showtime and Paramount+, which for someone who brought to us The Exorcist and The French Connection may appear slight at the outset, but is however in reality a very clever work, and a reminder of the elegant, ineluctable talents of its author. Yes, everything takes place in one room, so it has an inherently theatrical look, but Friedkin could always be able to ‘open out’ stage works for the screen without diminishing the aspects which made them successful on stage witness ‘Bug’ for example. Here, his hold on the action is barely visible but competent in making these points with his camera, his cuts, and placing a strong cast to the direction’s advantage. However, it is possible for a viewer of this fit Zorn’s supine Helenscreened story of the Mongol invasion to step back and consider what relocation Friedkin’s version does and also interject a deep appreciation of what it was that we shall progress beyond that particular something.
The screen adaptation of “The Caine Mutiny Court Martial” ‘soveisbterror’ as well, that of the illustrious Lance Reddick who most fittingly brings to life Captain Luther Blakley, the presiding officer in Charge of the trial against Lieutenant Stephen Maryk (Jake Lacy) for mutiny. So, we positioned Reddick as Blakley and that really establishes the tone of the entire event. His importance to the production cannot be over emphasized. One can almost feel this going over God’s ears.
The court martial of Lieutenant Maryk is for the rather infamous mutiny aboard the Caine, a vessel that found itself in a cyclone which went through the Strait of Hormuz. In the course of the struggle to safely navigate the ship and its occupants out of this natural disaster, Maryk and the rest of the allies literally took over the ship and ousted Captain Phillip Queeg (Kiefer Sutherland) from his authority. So while it is Maryk who stands trial, Defense Attorney Lieutenant Barney Greenwald (Jason Clarke) knows that the one who will take the stand as the accused shall be Queeg. And if they can show that Queeg was so nuts that he couldn’t be the ship’s captain, they would be vindicating Maryk.
The character of lead prosecutor is filled by actress Monica Raymund, instead of Lee Margo Thomas Keefer is depicted by Lewis Pullman who is Maryk’s friend on the tragic day, while further witnesses to Queeg and Maryk’s condition are further suffered witnesses in the form of Tom Riley and Jay Duplass.
Most of the action in “The Caine Mutiny Court Martial” happens after the hearing. We do not go back in time to the Caine it is up to the audience to decide based on the actions and words of the other main characters. From the outset, we see a unique perspective with which Friedkin, Michael Grady and Darrin Navarro edited the film. It is interesting to note the first three testimonies. Mr Queeg is often seen as a partially and relatively close shot of poor framing standing out almost filling the frame as a captain who potentially misused his authority. The person who came to present the evidence next after Keefer, the second witness, has a somewhat distant camera setup by which Commander Challee played by Raymund shares the frame with. This cut also echoes the relative rank of Commader Challee who is in the frame but less of a figure as compared with Queeg. And then there is a Mr Urban an assistant the frame is such that all the occupants of the room are visible and thus the witness appears very small and almost insignificant. These subtle choices impact what we think of these characters Friedkin chose to make those decisions at all rather than trying too hard to bring those traits of the directing out like in the case of many less talented directors.
And while he does not go in for the interpretations of a film focusing on a man who by nature is a non leader in situations of sudden exigency, especially in light of the more recent cases of deficiency in leadership in other parts of the globe, it does seem right that Friedkin is making this film at this point in time. There is a weaker version of this that makes it political overtly, although it seems to me that Friedkin is not reluctant to accept that interpretation in the least, particularly in the closing sequences that seem to indicate decline in leadership has something to do with the lower quality of the men led.
Friedkin, quite wonderfully, was also a director of performance, and he handles Sutherland in perhaps one of the peaks of his career. True, Sutherland’s screen time is mainly in two instances, the prosecution witness and another defence witness, however, he alliques a peculiar fire to Queeg the great. Such a character as this has often been a capacious government power grossly behaved, however Sutherland has introduced him almost yet another suffering post traumatic disease assertiveness over evacuation and torture. Macy and Pullman are definitely strong contenders too although Clarke especially portrays Greenwald’s proverbial reluctance in bringing down the last samurai as well as the dreadful last scene better than Sutherland.
The Caine Mutiny Court Martial’s final remarks, however without ruining the mood, are made to elicit a forceful response from the audience and it is a fact that Friedkin was a provocative figure. It is only right that in his last film such an incredibly controversial epilogue should take place. This is a sequence that perhaps distorts the very purpose of the trial that preceded it, exposing the pantomime that everything is of the tools of a dispossessed society. It is a notion that fits well and comfortably with a director who pulled apart the facades of religion, authority, and even insanity. And it is a reminder of what we have lost as a result of his exit.
For More Movies Visit Putlocker.