The Caine Mutiny

And so today you are full-fledged ensigns.

Three short months ago you assembled here from all walks of life:

field, factory, office and college campus.

You knew what the fighting was about, or you wouldn't have volunteered.

Each of you knew that the American way of life...

must be defended by life itself.

From here on...

your education must continue in the more demanding school of actual war.

Wearing the gold stripe of ensign in the United States Navy...

you go down to the sea to fight...

in the toughest conflict of all time.

Your fellow Americans share my confidence...

that you'll serve the navy and the country...

with honor and distinction.

Good luck, and good hunting.

Willie! Over here!

- Darling, I'm so proud of you! - Thanks, Mother.

- Congratulations. - Thank you, Uncle Lloyd.

Your mother will tell me if the navy doesn't make use of your abilities.

With the proper approach, I could help you be placed somewhere else.

- Good luck in the meantime. - Thank you.

I'm afraid I'll have to skip your party tonight.

Some of the fellows are having a celebration...

But the party's in your honor.

- Besides, we have so few days left... - But Mother.

Your friends will forgive you. You can call them from the house.

I'll see you at 10:00.

Your eyes of blue,

Your kisses too,

I never knew...

what they could do,

I can't believe that you're in love with me.

You're telling everyone I know,

I'm on your mind each place you go,

They can't believe that you're in love with me.

I have always placed you...

far above me,

I just can't imagine...

that you love me,

And after all is said and done,

To think that I'm the lucky one,

I can't believe that you're in love...

with me.

May!

You were wonderful.

Thanks. I'm surprised your mother let you out.

I had to be with her. I should have told you yesterday I couldn't make it.

- I'm sorry. - Order me a drink, and then we'll fight.

Leo, two Scotch and waters, please.

Let's not spoil the night. I've only a couple days left.

I'm leaving Sunday.

How do you expect me to feel...

leaving me standing there all alone?

Why didn't you introduce me to your mother?

I wanted you to meet her, but there's a time for everything.

I'm sure.

Thank you.

To the most important woman in your life: Mom.

Stop it!

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin your big evening.

Guess I just bruise easily.

How should we celebrate?

We can go to the Fairmont, Top Of The Mark... anything you say.

Or we don't have to go to a club.

- Meaning what? - I've only got 48 hours.

Willie, don't.

I love you.

All right. Will you marry me?

- If there were more time... - Don't look so embarrassed.

I didn't expect you to.

I guess I forgot how I was.

- I didn't mean it like that. - Just another nightclub singer...

for a big weekend.

Well, I don't want anymore of it.

- Not another minute! - May!

Good luck, Mr. Keith.

Thanks, George.

Good-bye, Mother.

- Cable when you get to Pearl Harbor. - If I can.

I'm worried. That ship you're assigned to has been in lots of battles.

- Don't worry. - Do you have enough spending money?

- More than enough. - Take this extra $100, dear.

- Please don't cry. - I can't help it.

You're all I have left.

Promise me to be careful.

Don't do anything foolish or dangerous.

I won't.

I promise.

Good-bye, sweetheart.

- Request permission to come on board. - Permission granted.

- Sir, the Caine's a real beauty. - The Caine is the inboard ship.

Crossing over. This way, Keith.

This way, Keith.

Watch that enthusiasm. Nobody's left that way about the Caine before.

- I'm sorry, sir. I lost my footing. - This is Lieutenant Keefer.

- How about logging him in, Tom? - Your orders.

Those monstrous papers that 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 in the whaleboat.

Aye, sir.

This is our executive officer, Steve Maryk.

- Glad to have you. - Thank you, sir.

Steve's the guy that gets things done. There's one on every ship.

Very funny. Come on, Keith. Let's meet the captain.

- Watch your feet, sir! - Come on, Keith.

They're making a mistake scraping this ship.

The only thing that's keeping the water out is the rust.

What do you want?

- He's here, sir. - Okay. Bring him in.

In here.

Captain DeVriess, this is Ensign Keith.

May I see your orders and qualifications jacket...

or are they a military secret?

I'm sorry.

"Princeton, '41."'

"Top five percent in midshipman's school."

Pretty good background. Pretty good record.

Disappointed they assigned you to a minesweeper?

Well, sir, to be honest... yes, sir.

You saw yourself on a carrier or battleship, no doubt?

Yes. I had hoped...

Well, I only hope that you're good enough for the Caine.

I'll try to be worthy of this assignment.

She's not a battleship or carrier. She's a beaten-up tub.

After 18 months of combat, it takes 24 hours a day to keep her in once piece.

- I understand. - I don't think you do.

But whether you like it or not, you're in the junkyard navy.

Steve, put him with Keefer in communications, and tell Tom...

to show this Princeton tiger and our other new ensign around the ship.

Yes, sir.

And Keith...

don't take it so hard.

War is hell.

- Ensign Keith, Ensign Harding. - My condolences.

- Thanks. - All right. Let's get with it.

The U.S.S. Caine is a minesweeper. These are paravanes used for mine sweeping.

They carry sweep wires out both sides of the ship.

The wire contacts a mooring cable of a mine and saws it in two.

We've been in combat a year and a half and never been asked to sweep a mine.

The first thing to learn about this ship...

is that she was designed by geniuses to be run by idiots.

This is the engine room. To operate, all you need are well-trained monkeys.

Ninety-nine percent of everything we do is strict routine.

Only one percent requires creative intelligence.

Well, that about does it.

- Any more questions? - Yes, sir.

- Where do we go to surrender? - It's not that easy.

- You don't like the navy? - Who called the Caine the navy?

Gentlemen, just one more thing to do: Climb the mast.

What for? A mast is a mast.

When the captain orders the tour, he means from the keel to the foretop.

That's the foretop.

I have a wife and a kid. I'm very fond of them.

I'll probably never see them again.

Well done!

I'm glad he liked it.

Yeah. Keith? I regret to tell you I'm gonna be sick.

I'm sorry. Height bothers me.

Those poor sailors down there!

I could use my hat, but it's the only one I've got.

I have two others.

- That's darn cordial of you. - Perfectly welcome.

Hey! What's keeping you guys up there? Lunch!

Excuse me, sir.

It's all right.

Tell me. Now that you've had a chance to study the Caine more closely...

do you like her any better?

The tour was very interesting.

The ship too messy for you?

- That's a difficult question. - It's a ridiculous question.

The question is, is this mess a ship?

Very decent of you to join us for lunch, Tom.

I didn't think you could spare the time.

My novel will suffer, but even great literary artists get hungry.

Pull up a chair, and cast some pearls before the swine.

- Or whatever it is you say you do. - I will.

Somebody has to protect these fresh faces from the captain's badgering.

I'm not badgering anyone.

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, save death.

We are all doing penance. Sentenced to an outcast ship...

manned by outcasts and named after the greatest outcast of them all.

Here we go again.

- I'm merely stating fact. - He's right.

I've been sweating it out myself for over two years...

waiting to be relieved of command, and there's no sign of it yet.

But then I don't have Ensign Keith's influence.

Sir, I don't understand.

I received this dispatch from Admiral Walsh about an hour ago.

"With your approval, will request transfer to my staff...

for Ensign Willis Seward Keith.

Understand needs of U.S.S. 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, as Tom puts it...

the hell of the Caine?

I don't know.

It's a simple choice. Do you want to fight a war?