A Tale of Two Losers

Herman Wouk spun a poignant tale when he wrote The Caine Mutiny … a story of a put-upon captain of a WWII supply ship in the South Pacific.

In the movie version, Humphrey Bogart played the abrasive, paranoid, despotic Captain Quegg of the Caine, the supply ship. He was so despised by his crew that they eventually mutinied … leading to a general court marshal trial.

The above video shows Bogart coming apart on the witness stand … which led to the collapse of the prosecutor’s mutiny case.

But this was not the climax of the novel. Wouk then points out that Captain Quegg was the real hero for performing his boring supply-chain duty and doing it competently … all the while being ridiculed and harassed by his disloyal crew.

Pilgrim, do you comprehend the analogy? If not, perhaps you should read the book or see the movie. It is sobering.

Afterward: In real life, I wonder if Bill Barr would see himself as the lead mutineer?

STAND UP FOR CAPTAIN QUEGG!