 FACT: At the end, Charlie and Rose are married by the captain of a  ship that rescued them. However, while this is an entertaining plot  device and provides a splendidly happy ending, they wouldnt  actually be legally married. The captain of a ship has no particular  power to perform weddings, as was established in a 1898 case, Norman  v Norman. Regulations in the US, British and Soviet navies, as well  as those of other nations, specifically prohibit a commanding  officer from performing marriage ceremonies. The belief that the  captain has such authority is probably based on the almost total  power he exercises while at sea.