The Men (1950)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Fred Zinnemann

Writers:

Carl Foreman (story)
Carl Foreman (screenplay)

Release Date:

September 1950 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A completely new experience between men and women.

Plot:

Paralized war vet tries to adjust to the world without the use of his limbs.

Plot Keywords:

Hospital | Physical Therapy | Narration | Veteran | Paraplegic

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Marlon Brando	...	Ken
Teresa Wright	...	Ellen
Everett Sloane	...	Dr. Brock
Jack Webb	...	Norm
Richard Erdman	...	Leo
Arthur Jurado	...	Angel
Virginia Farmer	...	Nurse Robbins
Dorothy Tree	...	Ellen's Mother
Howard St. John	...	Ellen's Father
Nita Hunter	...	Dolores
Patricia Joiner	...	Laverne
John 'Skins' Miller	...	Mr. Doolin (as John Miller)
Cliff Clark	...	Dr. Kameran
Ray Teal	...	Man at Bar
Marguerite Martin	...	Angel's Mother

Also Known As:

Battle Stripe (USA) (reissue title)
The Courage of Man (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

West Germany:16 | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #14228)

Filming Locations:

Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Stanley Kramer Productions

Trivia:

In the early part of the film, inside the hospital ward, a paraplegic solider is reading Superman comic book, #62. #62: Black Magic on Mars (January/February 1950) involves a plot line with Orson Welles and his famous radio broadcast, "War of the Worlds" about Martian invasion of America. Welles may have been promoting his new film, Black Magic (1949). Harry W. Gerstad, Gustaf Norin, Jean Speak, and Clem Beauchamp, production staff for many of Kramer's films, would later work for the 1950s television series, "Adventures of Superman" (1952).

Goofs:

Continuity: In Dr. Brock's room, when Ken begins to talk to him, Brock's right hand changes between shots.

Quotes:

Ellen's father: If he loves you as much you love him, he'll make you go.
Ellen: You've been so clever, so logical, I've never knew that you handled words so well.
Ellen's father: That's not an answer, Elly.
Ellen: You weren't quite so logical a few years ago when we needed some boys to ground and get killed or paralyzed.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Brando (2007) (TV)

A film with guts

Marlon Brando's first film, "The Men" is conspicuous for many things

including how little he got paid for it, the method acting that went

into it, and the time Brando spent living like a patient in a veteran's

paraplegic hospital. One story I heard was that one night when Brando

was at a public place with the other (real) patients, a Bible thumper

started ranting about the power of faith. Brando gestured the man over

and asked him, "Let me ask you something, mister. If my faith is

strong enough, will I be able to walk again?" The religious ranter

paused and then said, "Yes, son. If it is God's will, you will even

be able to walk again." So Brando responded with mock sincerity,

"Well, by God, I am going to try right now." With that, he made a

few straining, unsuccessful attempts to raise out of his wheelchair.

But then he gave it his all, stood up completely, and went tap dancing

out of the establishment, much to the shock of the Bible thumper, and

much to the boisterous laughter of the other men in wheelchairs.

I choose to believe this story is true and that it, in effect,

created the scene when drunk Ray Teal comes over and starts patronizing

the characters played by Brando and Richard Erdman. Brando asks Ray

Teal, "Let me ask you something, mister. Could I marry your daughter?"

A sarcastic banter ensues and eventually Brando punches out Teal who

seemed to be discovering his type casting mold as an obnoxious

character who gets punched out ("Best Years of Our Lives") and a

bartender in Brando films ("The Wild One" and "One Eyed Jacks")

I'd like to ad a personal note to authenticate the serious message

of "The Men." Over ten years ago I taught a Japanese secondary

student whose English ability was extremely low. But her desire, her

drive, and her determination to learn were extremely high. After about

a year of struggle with words and sentences, she wrote her first

authentic essay for me. I had assigned an essay about someone she

admired. She wrote about her father who had lost his legs in an

industrial accident, but whose desire, drive, and determination to

become independent were extremely high. She concluded with, "My

father has learned to do many things. But the most difficult thing he

has learned is how to accept help for those things he really can't do."