The Mark (1961)

A man who served prison time for intent to molest a child tries to build a new life with the help of a sympathetic psychiatrist.

Director:

Guy Green

Writers:

Charles E. Israel (novel) (as Charles Israel), Sidney Buchman (screenplay)

Stars:

Maria Schell, Stuart Whitman, Rod Steiger

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Stuart Whitman	...	Jim Fuller
Brenda de Banzie	...	Gertrude Cartwright
Maurice Denham	...	Arnold Cartwright
Bandana Das Gupta	...	Inez
Donald Wolfit	...	Andrew Clive
Maria Schell	...	Ruth Leighton
Paul Rogers	...	Roy Milne
Rod Steiger	...	Dr. Edmund McNally
Eddie Byrne	...	Akers
Harry Baird	...	Cole
Al Mulock	...	Convict
Anne Monaghan	...	Mrs. Fontaine
Bill Foley	...	Mr. Fontaine
Marie Devereux	...	Ellen
Josephine Frayne	...	Patricia Elmsworth

Storyline

This is the story of a 33 year old man, Jim Fuller, released from prison after serving a three year term for intent to commit child molestation. Fuller is assisted by the prison psychiatrist in obtaining a position. He does well in this position and falls in love with the secretary of the owner of the company. A child is molested and beaten in the town where he now lives and the police pick him up for questioning. He has an alibi and is released, but a reporter who covered his former trial recognizes him. The reporter begins to follow him and reports that Fuller spent time alone with the daughter of his girl friend.

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Plot Keywords:

prison | secretary | reporter | psychiatrist | flashback | 

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Taglines:

A film which doesn't 'protect' you from the truth!

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English French

Release Date:

8 June 1961 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Gebrandmarkt

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios, Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Buckman, Raymond Stross Productions, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Stuart Whitman was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar, his competition included 'Maria Schell''s brother 'Maximillian Schell' for his role in "Judgement at Nuremberg." Schell won.

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Goofs

When Jim is talking with Gertrude while she is knitting, as the camera is looking over his shoulder at Gertrude, his hands are down in his lap. When the scene shifts to when the camera is looking over Gertrude's shoulder at Jim, his hands are up, touching his chin.

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Connections

Referenced in Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape (2010)

User Reviews

Gut Wrenching

I had never heard of this movie before I saw it. In fact, I almost didn't watch it at all. As the black and white opening credits rolled, it looked cheap, and the cast wasn't all that impressive, but I had some dead time and took a chance. I'm glad I did. The story revolves around a man, who in the midst of an emotional crisis, almost sexually assaults a 10 yr old child. He is so appalled by what he almost did, that he offers no defense and spends three years in prison. After release, he enters into group therapy, and eventually individual therapy to work through his doubts. The story picks up from there. With the help of the therapist he finds a job, gets a promotion, falls in love with a co-worker, and is about to get his life back together. But as in most movies, at some point, it all hits the fan. I won't go further into the storyline, because it turned out to be a nail biter for me, and I would like it to do the same for you. Instead, let me comment on the performances. Stuart Whitman plays the lead, and does he ever play it. He has never been an expressive actor, but he hits every emotion required here, and there are lots of them. Sadness, optimism, doubt, fear, guilt, love. He does it all. Maria Schell plays the love interest, and practically every gesture is a marvel. Just a quick example. In a very emotional scene, she pulls out a hanky, puts it to her nose and blows it - loudly. How many times have you seen a principal actress put a hanky to her nose and actually make a noise? Rod Steiger plays the shrink, and he does it so well, he made mine look like an amateur. This is a British production from 20th Century Fox, but most buffs will recognize most of the supporting cast. Every one a pro. This movie was released in 1961 and could have turned into an exploitation flick. In fact, that's what I was afraid of. But instead, it was a sensitive, gut wrenching glimpse into a subject most people would rather not deal with. Well done.