William Friedkin’s final film is a stark retelling of the famous Herman Wouk story and play.  Rather than opening it up, to make it more cinematic (perhaps in the fashion of the similarly-themed drama A Few Good Men), the director chose to keep the film confined to just three rooms, or to be more precise, two rooms and a hallway.  Friedkin, who adapted the script himself, did make a couple of gender changes for lawyers, and he moved the time setting for the drama from World War II to 2022, resetting the Naval action being discussed into the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.  Those changes help make the story more modern and relevant.

William Friedkin’s film begins in court, as Lt. Steve Maryk (Jake Lacy) is being court-martialed for mutiny.  Representing him, reluctantly, is Lt. Barney Greenwald (Jason Clarke), who focuses his defense on the inferred incompetence of Captain Queen (Kiefer Sutherland).  The trial turns into a battle over Queeg’s character rather than Maryk’s actions, and it is Queeg himself whose testimony settles the case in the mind of Colonel Blakely (Lance Reddick), the ruling officer.  Then, at a party given after the case is over, Greenwald lets loose and tells Lt. Keefer (Lewis Pullman), the officer who really was the cause of the whole affair, what he thinks of him.

I’ve read Herman Wouk’s book (though not the play), I love the 1954 movie, and I’ve not seen the 1988 made-for-TV version of the court-martial (directed by Robert Altman!), so I’m pretty familiar with the material.  This is a good, solid, sharply-written version that benefits from strong actors (Clarke, Reddick, Lacy, Monica Raymond) in strong roles.  I’m not as sold on Keifer Sutherland as Queeg, the showiest role, but he’s decent.  He just seems so young and insecure.  I guess he’s not, but he seems that way to me.  But that’s not my biggest quibble with this well-produced courtroom drama.

Mr. Wouk wrote his story with the intent of using Lt. Maryk as the fall guy for Mr. Keefer’s dislike of the Navy.  It works pretty well in the book and in the 1954 film, but I’ve never really liked Mr. Greenwald’s attack on Keefer in any version, and it rubs me the wrong way in this version.  Greenwald is undoubtedly justified for hating Keefer’s manipulation of Maryk and his hatred of Queeg and the Naval system that Queeg represents — and yet Queeg was a terrible captain and absolutely should be ushered out of the service for his petty tyrannies, his lack of leadership skill and his utter incompetence in pressure situations.  Maryk is right for taking command and should not be penalized for saving the ship.  I think Greenwald’s fury and disgust is misplaced; Queeg needed to be removed.  Pity is understandable but let’s not overdo it.  ☆ ☆ ☆.  5 February 2024.