Category: 1980s

“The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial” (1988 & 2023)

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The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (1988) starring Eric Bogosian, Jeff Daniels, & Brad Davis

This TV movie is an adaptation (originally staged as a play) of the court-martial segment from the novel The Caine Mutiny. The play premiered at the Plymouth Theatre in NYC on January 20, 1954. The original cast included Henry Fonda (Barney Greenwald), John Hodiak (Lt. Maryk) and Lloyd Nolan (Lt. Cdr. Queeg). James Garner appeared as a member of the court; he was the understudy to Hodiak. The play ran for 415 performances, closing on January 22, 1955. I know what some of y’all are thinking: there used to be smart movies on TV!? The script is V literate and gives most of us (civilians) insight into Naval protocol, attitudes, traditions, and conflicts btwn. personalities. As one viewer commented: “we see the usual [Robert] Altman technique of a lot of side conversations that are barely heard and added noises to make the film seem more naturalistic.”

Lt. Greenwald (Eric Bogosian- a theater actor/police capt. on L&O: CI) as the defense attorney sustains ambivalence; he does a good job, exuding caged-in intensity. As the defendant, Lt. Steven Maryk (Jeff Daniels) must decide whether his lawyer is capable or unreliable. The prosecutor, Lt. Cmdr. John Challee, is played by Peter Gallagher (a theater actor; D.A. on L&O: SVU). Lt. Cmdr. Queeg (Brad Davis) may be mentally ill; I hadn’t seen Davis before (he died at age 41 in 1991). Unlike in the remake (below), ethnicity/religion is mentioned (Greenwald is Jewish).

[1] Each “author” of the Caine mutiny is a plausible bad guy who lends slightly different emphases to instigators who escape blame for what they goad others into doing.

Davis’s Queeg raises the intriguing possibility that an officer might be flat-out nutty in a way difficult for psychiatrists to detect but easy for an attorney to expose. […] I agree that the caricature of the psychiatrist is hokey.

[2] …it is taught and claustrophobic for most of the story – being set in the court-martial room (a bit of the end of the play is at the post-trial acquittal party). The results is a different telling of the story, and one relying on the audience’s own evaluation of the truth or lies of the different witnesses.

…Queeg is first taken down a peg by Greenwald (Eric Bogosian) not on issues of fitness of command, but on his honesty.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023) starring Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Clarke, & Jake Lacy

Some of y’all (cinephiles) may’ve heard re: this one, as it was the last film directed by William Friedkin (who passed away at age 86 in AUG 2023). Lance Riddick (Capt. Luther Blakely) also passed away before the movie’s release; he’s a strong screen presence and gives a fine performance. For insurance purposes, Guillermo del Toro was the back-up director. Friedkin completed filming in 14 days (wow); he was given just 15 days by the studio! This movie (which was released on VOD) has well-known faces, as well as some newcomers; I saw it 1st on a flight last Thanksgiving.

Queeg (Kiefer Sutherland) here is much older (unlike in the original play by Herman Wouk); he has a constrained way of speaking here. The defense counsel, Greenwald (Jason Clarke- a prolific Aussie character actor), hasn’t practiced law much; he is the most fleshed out character. The no-nonsense prosecutor, Challee, is played by a young/Latina woman (Monica Raymund). Maryk is played by boy-next-door actor Jake Lacy (w/ big eyes/open face); he has lately done more on streaming shows than movies. I was a BIT disappointed, as I wanted to know more re: Keefer (Lewis Pullman- son of Bill Pullman; recently seen in Top Gun: Maverick). Keefer ended up writing a novel (based on this incident); it’s revealed that he influenced Maryk’s decisions.

[1] The original Caine Mutiny was a Humphrey Bogart led movie from 1954, one that I love and sticks in my memory very well. This takes notes form that movie, but is not really a remake, just an intensified treatise on the ending with the court martial hearing drug out and the final denouncement of the young opportunist shown his comeuppance. Anyone familiar with the source material, movie or book it was based on would know this. […]

The underlying theme of The Caine Mutiny story is not “wow that guy went crazy” – it’s that well, even the best among us can crack. There is no villain, it is all perspective, and even though a wrong decision was made by Caine himself the question is were there ulterior motives involved by other people.

[2] Yes, the ending could have been lengthened and strengthened a bit to really let the viewer know, but then again, here we have a Captain that does some outlandish things, but was that enough to justify a mutiny? You have to really decide the verdict. […]

Some people may have problems with the way the Navy is portrayed in this film, in that they don’t understand that as the captain of a US Navy vessel, one is completely and ultimately responsible for every little thing that happens on or to that boat, good or bad, and that as a result, discipline, rank, and orders must be maintained…

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Dune” (1984) starring Kyle MacLachlan, Francesca Annis, Patrick Stewart, Sean Young, Sting, & Dean Stockwell

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A world beyond your experience, beyond your imagination. -Tagline

A Duke’s son leads desert warriors against the galactic emperor and his father’s evil nemesis to free their desert world from the emperor’s rule. -Synopsis

I know what some of you MAY be thinking: Can I watch this movie sober? LOL… I sure did! It was an unique experience- to keep it brief/spoiler free. I’m NOT a fan of director David Lynch’s style, BUT I decided to give this a look (since a LOT of ppl were discussing Frank Herbert’s sci-fi universe in 2023). Though Paul Atreides is supposed to be an older teen, Kyle MacLachlan (looking good- no doubt) is a grown-ass man (at age 25)! Yup, back in the ’80s, aging was different (I was there). Lady Jessica is played by Francesca Annis (who was NOT yet 40); she’s a tall/elegant/theatrically-trained British actress. The other two women in the movie (Virginia Madsen and Sean Young) get V little character development. I got a big kick out of seeing (another theater actor) Patrick Stewart before ST: TNG fame; he plays the experienced warrior/mentor to Paul, Gurney Halleck. Dean Stockwell (best known to my gen for Quantum Leap and BSG) plays Dr. Yueh, a man w/ a tragic past who has a big secret. Sting (the rock star- in a bit of stunt casting) plays gleeful/young warrior/villain Feyd Rautha; he appears shirtless (or wearing V tight costumes), though his role is small.

Paul: I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will let it pass over me and through me. And when it has passed I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where it has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

In today’s media landscape, this would’ve become a limited series on streaming w/ high production values, instead of SO much plot/many characters packed into 2 hrs. 17 mins. Some of you may’ve seen the Sci-Fi channel miniseries from 2001- Dune and Children of Dune (where I 1st saw Scottish actor James McAvoy). Yup, this was a few yrs before McAvoy won the 1st BAFTA Rising Star award (2006). Lynch’s vision strongly clashed w/ what the studio had in mind, which is NOT hard to imagine. As one viewer (who saw the 3 hr. version on TV) noted: “It seems more a DeLaurentis film than a Lynch film.” The Young’uns may be put off by a repetitive soundtrack and heavy use of voice-over. Some of the acting (esp. by the villains) is laughably over-the-top. Many viewers appreciated the costumes, sets, and visual effects (which are a different category from SFX).

“Mutiny on the Bounty” (1935) & “The Bounty” (1984)

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Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

Y’all probably know this (classic) story: while sailing from England to Jamaica (West Indies), 1st mate Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable) leads a revolt against his sadistic commander, Captain Bligh (Charles Laughton); this is based on a real-life 1789 mutiny. This is the only film to receive 3 Oscar noms for Best Actor: Gable, Laughton, and Franchot Tone (who plays midshipman/linguist Lt. Roger Byam). After this occurred, the MPA introduced a Best Supporting Actor Oscar to ensure this situation wouldn’t be repeated. These actors all lost to Victor McLaglen for The Informer (1935). Check this movie out (free on streaming) IF you’re a fan of B&W films &/or Gable. No, he doesn’t use an English accent here (as he’s playing a version of himself– a dashing Hollywood star). For the more natural performance, see Tone’s portrayal as a newbie sailor.

[1] “Mutiny On the Bounty” is a well-made movie, with one of the best musical scores I have heard. […] Strong performances, great camera work, a well-written script, and an astounding musical score. All in all, this is a movie worth seeing!

[2] Gable always carried with him a touch of the theatre where he cut his teeth, and proves himself a powerful counterpoint to the blustering Charles Laughton. With his barrel chest, wavy hair and easygoing swagger he does have the makings of a swashbuckling hero, and this is the role Fletcher Christian takes in this adventuresome adaptation. […]

Charles Laughton’s performance as Captain Bligh is integral to the movie. You realise here that Laughton was rather a short man, and he plays on this, making Bligh a jumped-up, Napoleon-complexed bully: all sharp, jabbing motions, an arrogant stance and a face like a dead fish.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

The Bounty (1984)

The cast here is headed by Anthony Hopkins (as the experienced naval officer- Bligh) and rising star Mel Gibson (as his young friend turned adversary- Christian); it also incl. future stars Daniel Day-Lewis (a cautious officer- Fryer) and Liam Neeson (as , hot-headed sailor- Churchill). Gibson brought on fellow Aussie, Roger Donaldson, as the director. A replica of the H.M.S. Bounty was built for the movie (w/ steel hull). It was originally set to be filmed in 1975 w/ David Lean as director. The production values are high and the settings are gorgeous. Hey, who wouldn’t be impressed w/ sunsets, Gibson (w/ shirt open), and DDL’s steely glare? So what went wrong w/ this movie!? The two leads shared their thoughts below.

I think the main problem with that film was that it tried to be a fresh look at the dynamic of the mutiny situation, but didn’t go far enough. In the old version, Captain Bligh was the bad guy and Fletcher Christian was the good guy. But really Fletcher Christian was a social climber and an opportunist. They should have made him the bad guy, which indeed he was. He ended up setting all these people adrift to die, without any real justification. Maybe he’d gone island crazy. They should have painted it that way. But they wanted to exonerate Captain Bligh while still having the dynamic where the guy was mutinying for the good of the crew. It didn’t quite work. -Mel Gibson

It was such a sad mess of a film, such a botched job. Yet I’d put so much time and effort into the role. So right then and there I decided: Never again. I will no longer invest so much effort in something over which I have no control. It’s too frustrating. That film was a sort of turning point for me. For years I’d been trying to cultivate a don’t-give-a-damn attitude. After watching “The Bounty” I knew I had it. -Anthony Hopkins

Though the film was made on time and w/in budget, the production was troubled. Hopkins and Donaldson clashed over how Bligh should be characterized. Gibson was getting drunk after the shooting day ended; one night, he was injured in a bar fight- yikes! I think his acting is fine; his English accent is believable. Hopkins (who had quit alcohol many yrs ago) is giving it 100%, as we’d expect, so that Bligh becomes less of a “bad guy.” Neeson gets a few good scenes; he made the best of his experience, I’m sure. DDL doesn’t have much to do until the last act; he has a strong screen presence. I expected there to be more of a build-up to the mutiny. The Tahiti scenes go on too long, as many critics/viewers have noted. A LOT of folks seem to have complaints re: the soundtrack, BUT it didn’t bother me.

“Moonstruck” (1987) starring Cher, Nicolas Cage, Olympia Dukakis, & Danny Aiello

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Ronny Cammareri: I’m in love with you.

Loretta Castorini: [slaps him twice] Snap out of it!

No sooner does Italian-American widowed bookkeeper, Loretta Castorini (Cher), accept a marriage proposal from her dull bf, Johnny Cammareri (Danny Aiello), she finds herself falling for his younger/hot-headed brother, Ronny (Nicolas Cage- at only 23 y.o.) She tries to resist, BUT Ronny (who lost a hand in an accident) still blames on his brother; he has no scruples about pursuing Loretta while Johnny is in Italy. Loretta (whose conventional life is shaken up) falls deeply in love; she also learns that she’s NOT the only one in her family w/ a secret romance. There is tension in their (spacious Brooklyn) house btwn Loretta’s father/plumber, Cosmo (Vincent Gardino), and homemaker mother, Rose (Olympia Dukakis).

Ronny Cammareri: Loretta, I love you. Not like they told you love is, and I didn’t know this either, but love don’t make things nice – it ruins everything. It breaks your heart. It makes things a mess. We aren’t here to make things perfect. The snowflakes are perfect. The stars are perfect. Not us. Not us! We are here to ruin ourselves and to break our hearts and love the wrong people and die. The storybooks are bullshit. Now I want you to come upstairs with me and get in my bed!

They don’t make movies like this anymore! You can watch it w/ your family (w/o cringing), the older characters are developed, and there is terrific dialogue. Though it is grounded in a specific NYC neighborhood and family, there is a soaring romance at the center. John Patrick Shanley said he was “starving” and “struggling to pay rent” (in NYC) when he wrote the screenplay. He’d worked mainly as a playwright before, BUT it didn’t bring in much money. Moonstruck (based on Shanley’s real-life experience of growing up w/ Italian-American friends/neighbors) is one of the few rom coms that earned a Best Picture Oscar. Its director, Norman Jewison (who passed away last week at age 97), noted how rare that was (in a 2006 doc about the film). Jewison worked on a LOT of great movies in his (long/successful) career, incl. In the Heat of the Night (1967), Fiddler on the Roof (1971), A Soldier’s Story (1984), and The Hurricane (1999).

Cher won Best Actress, Dukakis won Best Supporting Actress, and Shanley won Best Original Screenplay- wow! The studio didn’t think Cage was right, BUT Cher stood up for him, even saying she’d quit if he wasn’t hired. Julie Bovasso (who also plays Loretta’s aunt Rita Cappomaggi) helped some actors w/ their (Italian/Brooklyn) accents. This was Aiello’s 1st time working in comedy. The cast had considerable time to rehearse; this is rare for Hollywood movies nowadays. My fave scene is the one where Rose goes out to dinner and makes an unexpected connection w/ a prof, Perry (John Mahoney) who usually dates younger women. Of course, we discover that Rose wouldn’t get involved w/ him; she is too grounded in her values and still loves her husband.

“Tequila Sunrise” (1988) starring Mel Gibson, Michelle Pfeiffer, & Kurt Russell

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A dangerous mix. -Tagline

A former L.A. drug dealer tries to go straight but his past and his underworld connections bring him into the focus of the DEA, the Mexican feds and the Mexican drug cartels. -Synopsis

This is a neo noir (written/directed by Robert Towne) set in LA; it’s streaming on Max (formerly HBO Max). It was also shown on TCM’s Noir Alley. I must’ve seen it MANY yrs ago (maybe as a teen) b/c I recalled V little about it (aside from the hot/famous cast). It’s trying to be edgy, as the good guy is an ex-drug dealer and the cops/feds are baddies. There is a love triangle of 2 men (friends since HS) and one woman; this is unusual for mainstream Hollywood. Critics are mixed re: this movie; some enjoyed it, while others noticed the (many) flaws.

Jo Ann: I’m sorry. I was just joking. I didn’t mean to hurt you.

Mac: Aw, come on. It didn’t hurt that bad. Just looking at you hurts more.

What’s up w/ the odd title? When the DEA agent, Maguire (J.T. Walsh), is listening to surveillance tapes of restaurant owner, Jo Ann Vallenari (Michelle Pfeiffer), she’s heard offering Dale “Mac” McKussic (Mel Gibson) a cocktail (Tequila Sunrise). FYI: The drink consists of tequila, orange juice, and grenadine syrup. The producers wanted Harrison Ford and Jeff Bridges for the male co-leads; that could’ve been a better movie. Gibson was V popular then; he’d recently been in Lethal Weapon; Mac is more nuanced than Det. Riggs (trying to be a good father). Russell (acting since childhood) was known for his likeability and work in the action genre; Lt. Nick Frescia is NOT so nice though. Pat Riley (coach of the LA Lakers) provided the inspo for Nick’s look (suits and slicked-back hair).

Jo Ann: Mr. McKussic, it seems, has been engaged in his business for purely romantic reasons, whilst you have been engaged in romance for purely business reasons.
Nick: I’m not sure I understand.
Jo Ann: A little vague for you?
Nick: A little.
Jo Ann: Well, then, let me spell it out for you: you want to f**k your friend, then f**k him, not me!

Did these (mostly male) writers and producers have any (female) friends!? Mac’s ex-wife is depicted as vain/money-obsessed; she gets V little screen time. As some viewers noted, neither Nick not Mac is good enough for Jo Ann! Pfeiffer (in mostly cream-colored outfits) is doing her best w/ Jo Ann’s (shallow/contradictory) characterization. She didn’t get along w/ Towne; he called her “the most difficult actress I have ever worked with.” The actress was going through a divorce at this time. There is a (infamous) love scene; the hot tub was NOT built properly/chlorinated. Pfeiffer, her body double, and Gibson got skin rashes and splinters from the wood- ouch! Production shut down for a few days while they recovered.

Carlos [to Mac]: You son of a bitch! How could you do this? Friendship is the only choice in life you can make that’s yours! You can’t choose your family, God damn it – I’ve had to face that! And no man should be judged for whatever direction his d**k goes – that’s like blaming a compass for pointing north, for Christ’s sake! Friendship is all we have! We chose each other. How could you f**k it up? How could you make us look so bad?

The dialogue can be good (at times), BUT also quite cheesy/predictable. The plot and editing are often confusing; Roget Ebert commented: “It feels like there are chunks of the movie cut out.” The filmmakers could’ve made better (more nuanced) choices. I expected Mac to die at the end of the film; that would’ve made more sense! Towne wanted that ending also, BUT producers said Gibson had to be alive. Is there anything fun re: this movie? Well, Gibson is shirtless in several scenes (in FAB shape). The kid playing Mac’s son (Cody) does a good job in his small role. When the main villain, Carlos (Raul Julia), appears- he steals the movie! Julia (a trained singer) sings some; he does the best he can w/ what he has been given. A young Matt LeBlanc (Friends) appears on the TV; this was a real commercial for Heinz ketchup.