I've always been curious if there would have been any consequences from Dodge making Pascal walk the plank. Any Navy folks who can clear this up?
1) Did Marty really commit an attempted mutiny given the circumstances?
2) Can a Navy captain make someone walk the plank if he decides it truly was an attempt at mutiny?
3) Would Dodge get in trouble for making Marty think he was about to be executed but dumping him on a civilian boat instead?
I've aaid before, the the mark of a great comedy like this is how it portrays real tactics but in a comedic way, an exaggerated caracature of real life.
Like the "Deceptive lighting" used to foil the Orlando into thinking theyre a boatload of beer'ed up fishermen.
But some things are just pure unrealistic comedy. Period. Full stop.
Such is the case on what you're asking about.
No a captain cannot make someone "walk the plank".
Yes, he would be in trouble pulling such a stunt.
I joined the Navy to see the world, only to discover the world is 2/3 water!
He did get in trouble. (Kind of) Bruce Dern's character reported him for making Pascal walk the plank. The Admiral (Rip Torn) was enjoying the situation too much to care.
share
I was never in the navy, so this is pure supposition, but would Dodge have been in trouble if this happened in real life and not in a movie comedy? Essentially, he put Pascal off the boat unharmed. I guess the argument is whether doing it by faking a walking-the-plank (where the person is bound and thrown into the water to drown) would get Dodge in trouble, particularly since Pascal tried to mutiny.
In actuality Pascal did not mutiny. A lower officer can ask or relive a superior of duty if they are incompetent, irrational or disobeying orders. But it rarely happens because of possible repercussions.
shareSeeing as how it's a silly comedy, I'm not going to worry about its documentary accuracy.
share