The Men (1950)

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 | World War Two Veteran | Swimming Pool | Lead Actor's First Film

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 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
Forty Five of The Men of Birmingham Veterans Administration Hospital	...	Themselves (as And .... Forty Five of The Men of Birmingham Veterans Administration Hospital)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ted Anderson	...	PVA Board (uncredited)
Marshall Ball	...	Romano (uncredited)
Polly Bergen	...	Nightclub singer (uncredited) (singing voice)
Ralph Brooks	...	Therapist (uncredited)
Virginia Christine	...	Patient's Wife at Lecture (uncredited)
Tom Coleman	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Rhoda Cormeny	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Sayre Dearing	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Tom Gillick	...	Fine (uncredited)
Sam Gilman	...	(uncredited)
Pat Grissom	...	PVA Board (uncredited)
Sherry Hall	...	Bartender (uncredited)
John Hamilton	...	Justice of the Peace (uncredited)
Victoria Horne	...	Paraplegic's Wife (uncredited)
Norman Karr	...	Doctor (uncredited)
DeForest Kelley	...	Dr. Sherman (uncredited)
Mike Lally	...	Staring Diner (uncredited)
William Lea Jr.	...	Walter (uncredited)
Carlo Lewis	...	Gunderson (uncredited)
Muriel Maddox	...	Woman in Street (uncredited)
Ray Mitchell	...	Thompson (uncredited)
Eunice Newberry	...	Nurse (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Nightclub Waiter (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor	...	Hospital Orderly (uncredited)
Obie Parker	...	The Lookout (uncredited)
Paul Peltz	...	Hopkins (uncredited)
Pete Simon	...	Mullin, PVA Board (uncredited)
Randall Updyke III	...	Baker (uncredited)

Directed by
Fred Zinnemann

Writing credits
Carl Foreman		(story)
Carl Foreman		(screenplay)

Produced by
George Glass	....	associate producer
Stanley Kramer	....	producer

Original Music by
Dimitri Tiomkin

Cinematography by
Robert De Grasse		(photography) (as Robert de Grasse)

Film Editing by
Harry W. Gerstad		(as Harry Gerstad)

Production Design by
Rudolph Sternad

Set Decoration by
Edward G. Boyle

Makeup Department
Hollis Barnes	....	hair stylist
Gustaf Norin	....	makeup artist (as Gus Norin)

Production Management
Clem Beauchamp	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lloyd Richards	....	assistant director
Larry Buchanan	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jean L. Speak	....	sound engineer (as Jean Speak)

Camera and Electrical Department
James Potevin	....	lighting effects
Morris Rosen	....	head grip
Charles Burke	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Scotty Welbourne	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joe King	....	wardrobe: men's
Ann Peck	....	wardrobe: ladies'

Music Department
Dimitri Tiomkin	....	music director
Paul Marquardt	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
George Parrish	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Herbert Taylor	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Ted Anderson	....	technical advisor
Pat Grissom	....	technical advisor
Don Weis	....	dialogue director
Herbert Wolf	....	technical advisor
Pete Simon	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Stanley Kramer Productions (presents) (as A Stanley Production also)

Distributors

• Adams Filmi (????) (Finland) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1956) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1951) (France) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1950) (worldwide) (theatrical) (as A United Artists Release)
• Valio-Filmi (1951) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Artisan Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• For Front (????) (UK) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Lions Gate / Republic Pictures (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Olive Films (2012) (Canada) (DVD) (DVD and Blu-ray)
• Olive Films (2012) (USA) (DVD) (DVD and Blu-ray)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Suevia Films (2007) (Spain) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Sound Services  magnetic recording by (as Sound Services, Inc.)

Also Known As:

"Battle Stripe" - USA (reissue 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:

Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (video rating) (1986) (1997) | USA:Approved (PCA #14228) | West Germany:16 | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:A (re-release: as Battle Stripe) (1958) | UK:PG (tv rating)

Filming Locations:

Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Stanley Kramer Productions

Trivia:

"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on December 17, 1951 with Teresa Wright reprising her film role.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Norm recites a fragment of Shakespeare, Ken's arms change position 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 City Island (2009)

Soundtrack:

Waltz in B Flat Major

Early Brando Classic Masterpiece

This 1950 film had a triple threat in bringing it to the screen. There was Stanley Kramer producing, Carl Foreman writing and Fred Zinneman directing. Mr. Zinneman also distinguished himself as a director with the likes of FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, THE SEARCH, MAN FOR ALL SEASONS and THE NUN'S STORY. The film is also under the title of BATTLE STRIPE.

It marked the introduction of Marlon Brando to the movie goers fresh from his Broadway success as Stanley Kolowski in STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, which he also brought to film. And what a debut this dynamic actor made in the world of film and acting. It was the time of James Dean, Montgomery Clift and Brando.

Brando plays a war veteran, paralyzed in combat, facing the torturous ordeal of rehabilitation as a paraplegic. He is thorough and totally convincing in the role. Playing his fiance and eventually his wife is the lovely Theresa Wright, in another heartwarming performance that is expected of her. She works well with Brando, which, I'm sure, was no easy task.

In supporting roles, outstanding were Jack Webb and Richard Erdman as fellow veterans. Webb was excellent and far from his DRAGNET persona. I also liked Everett Sloan as the doctor who had to deal with watching "the men" face the reality of the world as it was. Arthur Jurado plays a young veteran that works hard to bring himself back to normalacy, whatever that is. There were 45 Men of Birmingham Veteran's Hospital playing themselves.

An excellent picture of it's time. And Brando's film legend beginning. A time when he was in top form with such films as STREETCAR, VIVA ZAPATA and THE WILD ONE that soon followed.