“But they encouraged the crew to go around scoffing at me and spreading wild rumors about steaming in circles and – and then “Old Yellowstain” – I was to blame for Lieutenant Maryk’s incompetence and poor seamanship. Lieutenant Maryk was the perfect officer, but not Captain Queeg. Ah, but the strawberries! That’s where I had them. I proved with…geometric logic that a duplicate key to the wardroom icebox did exist, and I’d have produced that key if they hadn’t pulled the Caine out of action. I-I-I know now that they were only trying to protect some fellow officers.”
For those who may be interested, the court-martial of Queeg and particularly the cross-examination, is taken from reality.
In June 1944, Admiral Halsey took the fleet into a typhoon for the second time. Typhoon Cobra in December is the typhoon in the movie that sparks the "mutiny." Several ships were in fact lost when their crews didn't do what Masaryk did and head into the wind.
Embarrassed by doing it a second time, Halsey looked for a scapegoat. Admiral J.J. Clark, his most aggressive task group commander, had disobeyed the rules and given orders to change course that saved his ships. Halsey charged him with disobedience of a direct order in wartime (a very serious charge!). Clark took a court martial, and it was held on Guam in July.
Clark was defended by his flag lieutenent, a New York defense attorney named Barney Rosenberg. He cross-examined Admiral Halsey over a day, destroying the Admiral as Queeg was destroyed. Admiral Nimitz saved Halsey - America's most famous admiral of the war - and sent him back to his fleet, but he knew his nemesis, Admiral Sprague, had orders to replace him. The war ended before that could happen and the incident was forgotten. (Clark gives the only account of it in his autobiography, "Carrier Admiral.")
The day of the cross-examination, every officer who could get in the courtroom did so. Among them was a young Lt(j.g.) who aspired to be a novelist. Herman Wouk.
The court-martial of Queeg is actually the cross-examination of Halsey.
That is fascinating back story, TC. Thank you. I really enjoyed that book (along with The Winds of War and War and Remembrance.) I had no clue to either the history of the trial or the fact that a young Lt. (j.g.) named Wouk was watching that.
I only found out b y going to the local library used book sale and finding "Carrier Admiral" there - Clark makes a mention of later meeting Wouk after the novel came out and Wouk telling him that.
Queeg was suffering the effects of PTSD, but what’s trump’s excuse? Queeg was at least somewhat sympathetic a character, but trump has no redeeming qualities whatsoever…
All Trump's favorites rolled into one precise little ball.. Scoffing, spreading wild rumors, blaming, "poor seamanship," lame excuses, and even a reference to his genius. Tom, you're a marvel!
You nailed it! I can't wait to read the great screenplay that must be in the throes of being born about the quantum chaos of "Old Shit Stain's" narcissistic denial of reality. What a blockbuster! MAGA MORON MUTINY!
Could this be where tfg learned how to speak word salad? I don't like to give him credit for being the "best" of anything, but in word salad speak, he (tfg) gets an A.
One of his best performances, and a bonus for me was they used the USS Thompson , a Benson-Gleaves class destroyer, to represent the USS Caine - my favorite class of early-war destroyer.....
For those who may be interested, the court-martial of Queeg and particularly the cross-examination, is taken from reality.
In June 1944, Admiral Halsey took the fleet into a typhoon for the second time. Typhoon Cobra in December is the typhoon in the movie that sparks the "mutiny." Several ships were in fact lost when their crews didn't do what Masaryk did and head into the wind.
Embarrassed by doing it a second time, Halsey looked for a scapegoat. Admiral J.J. Clark, his most aggressive task group commander, had disobeyed the rules and given orders to change course that saved his ships. Halsey charged him with disobedience of a direct order in wartime (a very serious charge!). Clark took a court martial, and it was held on Guam in July.
Clark was defended by his flag lieutenent, a New York defense attorney named Barney Rosenberg. He cross-examined Admiral Halsey over a day, destroying the Admiral as Queeg was destroyed. Admiral Nimitz saved Halsey - America's most famous admiral of the war - and sent him back to his fleet, but he knew his nemesis, Admiral Sprague, had orders to replace him. The war ended before that could happen and the incident was forgotten. (Clark gives the only account of it in his autobiography, "Carrier Admiral.")
The day of the cross-examination, every officer who could get in the courtroom did so. Among them was a young Lt(j.g.) who aspired to be a novelist. Herman Wouk.
The court-martial of Queeg is actually the cross-examination of Halsey.
That is fascinating back story, TC. Thank you. I really enjoyed that book (along with The Winds of War and War and Remembrance.) I had no clue to either the history of the trial or the fact that a young Lt. (j.g.) named Wouk was watching that.
I only found out b y going to the local library used book sale and finding "Carrier Admiral" there - Clark makes a mention of later meeting Wouk after the novel came out and Wouk telling him that.
Queeg was suffering the effects of PTSD, but what’s trump’s excuse? Queeg was at least somewhat sympathetic a character, but trump has no redeeming qualities whatsoever…
None!
Maybe DJT was dropped on his head too many times as a child?
Perfect TC, absolutely perfect!😂
All Trump's favorites rolled into one precise little ball.. Scoffing, spreading wild rumors, blaming, "poor seamanship," lame excuses, and even a reference to his genius. Tom, you're a marvel!
Not to mention those ball bearings in hand.
'Ah, but the strawberries!' with cream!
You nailed it! I can't wait to read the great screenplay that must be in the throes of being born about the quantum chaos of "Old Shit Stain's" narcissistic denial of reality. What a blockbuster! MAGA MORON MUTINY!
Oh, so very good, Tom!
So funny.
(Damn that was a good performance, wasn’t it?)
There's those who say it was Bogart's best. He wanted to do Queeg so badly he even accepted Harry Cohn's lowball offer.
It was definitely a challenge. But Rick Blaine in Casablanca remains my sentimental favorite.
Me too. His three best (and I won't rank them) are in "Casablanca," "Caine Mutiny" and "African Queen."
Could this be where tfg learned how to speak word salad? I don't like to give him credit for being the "best" of anything, but in word salad speak, he (tfg) gets an A.
One of his best performances, and a bonus for me was they used the USS Thompson , a Benson-Gleaves class destroyer, to represent the USS Caine - my favorite class of early-war destroyer.....
Perfect!
Oh Tom, this is too easy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw6gwGawbXA
Excellent!
OMG I need this clip! Excellent!
Choice.
Perfect!