The Caine Mutiny

Captain DeVriess: Disappointed they assigned you to a minesweeper, Keith? Ensign Keith: Well, sir, to be honest, yes, sir. Captain DeVriess: You saw yourself on a carrier, or a battleship, no doubt. Ensign Keith: Yes, sir, I had hoped... Captain DeVriess: Well, I only "hope" that you're good enough for the Caine. Ensign Keith: I shall try to be worthy of this assignment, sir. Captain DeVriess: She's not a battleship or a carrier; the Caine is a beaten-up tub. After 18 months of combat it takes 24 hours a day just to keep her in one piece.

The Caine Mutiny (1954 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Captain Queeg: Anyone notice anything peculiar about Seaman First Class Urban? A shirt-tail hanging out of trousers is, I believe, regulation uniform for a bus boy, not, however, for a sailor in the United States Navy. These are some of the things we're going to start noticing again. Mr. Maryk, who is the morale officer? Lt. Maryk: We don't have one, sir. Captain Queeg: Who, then, is the Junior Ensign? Lt. Maryk: Keith, sir. Captain Queeg: Mr. Keith, you are now appointed the morale officer. In addition to your other duties, you are to see that shirttails are tucked inside trousers. Ensign Keith: Aye, aye, sir. Captain Queeg: If I see one more shirttail flapping while I'm captain of this ship - woe betide the sailor; woe betide the OOD; and woe betide the morale officer. I kid you not.

The Caine Mutiny (1954 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Lt. Greenwald: Doctor. You have testified that the following symptoms exist in Lieutenant-Commander Queeg's behavior. Rigidity of personality, feelings of persecution, unreasonable suspicion, a mania for perfection, and a neurotic certainty that he is always in the right. Doctor isn't there one psychiatric term for this illness? Doctor Dickson: I never said there was any illness.

The Caine Mutiny (1954 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Capt. Blakely: Mr. Greenwald, there can be no more serious charge against an officer than cowardice under fire. Lt. Greenwald: Sir, may I make one thing clear? It is not the defense's contention that Lieutenant Commander Queeg is a coward. Quite the contrary. The defense assumes that no man who rises to command a United States naval ship can possibly be a coward and that, therefore, if he commits questionable acts under fire, the explanation must be elsewhere.

The Caine Mutiny (1954 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Lt. Greenwald: Well, well, well! The officers of the Caine in happy celebration! Lt. Maryk: What are you, Barney, kind of tight? Lt. Greenwald: Sure. I got a guilty conscience. I defended you, Steve, because I found the wrong man was on trial. [pours himself a glass of wine] So, I torpedoed Queeg for you. I had to torpedo him. And I feel sick about it. Lt. Maryk: Okay, Barney, take it easy. Lt. Greenwald: You know something... When I was studying law, and Mr. Keefer here was writing his stories, and you, Willie, were tearing up the playing fields of dear old Princeton, who was standing guard over this fat, dumb, happy country of ours, eh? Not us. Oh, no, we knew you couldn't make any money in the service. So who did the dirty work for us? Queeg did! And a lot of other guys. Tough, sharp guys who didn't crack up like Queeg. Ensign Keith: But no matter what, Captain Queeg endangered the ship and the lives of the men. Lt. Greenwald: He didn't endanger anybody's life, you did, all of you!

The Caine Mutiny (1954 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Captain DeVriess: [heavy with authority] Keith. Lt. Keith: Yes sir? Captain DeVriess: Take her out. Lt. Keith: Aye, aye, sir! Single up all lines! Crewman: Single up all lines! Lt. Keith: Stand by to cast off! Crewman: Stand by to cast off!

The Caine Mutiny (1954 film), CC BY-SA 4.0