Introduction

A made-for-television film, directed by Robert Altman.

Also known as The Officers Revenge (Netherlands, video box title) and Herman Wouk’s The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (UK and US complete title).

Refer to The Caine Mutiny (1954) and The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023).

Outline

A full-length adaptation, originally staged as a play, of the court-martial segment from the novel “The Caine Mutiny“.

Cast

• Jeff Daniels Jeff Daniels … Lieutenant Stephen Maryk
• Brad Davis … Lieutenant Commander Phillip Francis Queeg
• Peter Gallagher … Lieutenant Commander John Challee
• Michael Murphy … Captain Blakely
• Kevin J. O’Connor … Lieutenant Thomas Keefer
• Daniel Jenkins … Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Willis Seward Keith
• Danny Darst … Captain Randolph Southard

Trivia

• Keith Carradine was offered the role of Queeg, and it would have reunited him with director Robert Altman for the first time since Nashville (1975).
  • Carradine turned it down due to a conflict with another movie staring Glenn Close.
  • Carradine later regretted it, and Altman never reached out to him again for another role.
• Viewers interested in the authenticity of military uniforms in film may be inclined to point out that Lieutenant Greenwald wears his Air Medal above his Purple Heart in order of precedence on his ribbon rack.
  • While it is true as of 2023 that the Purple Heart is of higher precedence than the Air Medal this was not the case in 1944.
  • In 1985 the US Senate approved an amendment to the 1985 Defence Authorisation Bill that included raising the Purple Heart in order of precedence to immediately above the Meritorious Service Medal.
  • Prior to 1985 the Purple Heart ranked just above the Good Conduct Medal, which significantly lower in precedence.
  • Since the story of this film takes place in 1944, Lieutenant Greenwald’s ribbons are correct.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Robert Altman
• Producer(s):
  • Robert Altman … producer
  • Scott Bushnell … supervising producer
  • John Flaxman … producer
  • Edd Griles … co-executive producer
  • Valerie Ross … associate producer
  • Matthew Seig … associate producer
  • Ray Volpe … executive producer
  • Joseph Wouk … executive producer
• Writer(s):
  • Herman Wouk … (written by)
  • Herman Wouk … (play) (uncredited)
• Music:
• Cinematography:
  • Jacek Laskus … director of photography
• Editor(s):
  • Dorian Harris
• Production:
  • The Maltese Companies (The Maltese Companies, Inc.)
  • Wouk / Ware Productions (in association with)
  • Sandcastle 5 Productions (in association with)
  • Columbia Pictures Television
• Distributor(s):
  • CBS (United States, 1988)(original airing, TV)
  • Sony Pictures Television International (World-wide, 1988)(TV)
  • Sony Pictures Television (United States, 1988)(TV)
  • Vidmark Entertainment (United States, 1992)(laserdisc, video)
  • Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (World-wide, 2002)(DVD)
  • CNR Film & Video (Netherlands)(VHS)
  • Filmpac Home Video (Australia, 1989)(video)
  • Malofilm Home Video (Canada, 1992)(VHS)
  • Vidmark Entertainment (United States)(VHS)
• Release Date: 08 May 1988 (US).
• Running Time: 100 minutes.
• Rating: PG.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

Video Link(s)