The Caine Mutiny (1954)
By the 1950s, Columbia was trying to capture the energy of artistically ambitious independent producers like Stanley Kramer. He and studio head Harry Cohn clashed repeatedly, but before he left, he gave the studio one of the biggest hits of 1954 with this searing adaptation of Herman Wouk’s best-seller. Humphrey Bogart, who had also found a home at Columbia in the 1950s, stars as Lt. Cmdr. Queeg, a stern naval officer whose mental issues lead junior officers Van Johnson and Fred MacMurray to stage a mutiny for fear he’s about to capsize their ship. It was one of Bogart’s best performances, earning him his third Oscar nomination. His appearance on the witness stand during the junior officers’ court martial is a highlight of his career.
d. Edward Dmytryk, 125m, DCP