The Men

This film holds a personal touch for me because my father was one of the paraplegics featured in this film. I know it's story to be a true and an accurate "slice-of-life" for the late 1940's public views on wheelchair bound veterans. This film is consistant with the producer[Krammer] and director[Zinnemann] film legacy of making socially conscious films. This one is a film gem! Reviewers like "Renee" should realize that there was NO measure of handicapped public awareness in 1949. People would whisper, stare, and step away from people in wheelchairs. Hand controls for cars, ramps & wide doors for wheelchairs in public restraurants, homes and hospitals were still quite new. I know, I was there at my dad's side for many many years. The point of the film was the interest about people overcoming obstacles. The cast was believeable and very outstanding. I find this film to be a very enjoyable memory into seeing again my dad with all his wheelchair friends that I grew to know. My dad and many of the veterans in this film started the Paralyzed Veterans Association or PVA. This organization is still helping needy veterans. My dad lived a very full life. While there are less and less of these "The Men" still alive; their courage and this film's insiteful positive message is worth expressing today. This is an interesting character driven film, hurrah! [This film or it's cast should NOT be compared or confused with the politically radical biography film, "Born of the Fourth of July". They are a study in opposites. My father and I thought that film was horrible and demeaning to wheelchair veterans because of it's director's heavy handed self-serving political viewpoint staged in that film.]

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.

"The Men" probably seemed very daring at the time of its release, and indeed Brando's performance and some of the supporting ones have lasted well and hardly dated at all. The film gives some idea of the horrific aftermath of war and its effects on the 'heroes' it disfigures. Teresa Wright plays Brando's girlfriend with some sensitivity and Everett Sloane gives a good performance as the doctor. Of the other actors playing paraplegics, Jack Webb deserves a mention. This is an interesting film which raises a lot of issues not previously faced that much on screen.

Marlon Brando's feature film debut was in this small budget independently produced film The Men about paralyzed World War II veterans and their adjustments. The Men also came out at around the same time as Warner Brothers Bright Victory about blind veterans and their adjustment to society.

The Men did not have the strong support of a major studio, but it had Marlon Brando who was winning raves at this time for his portrayal of Stanley Kowalski in Streetcar Named Desire. Many a time Broadway stars before and since did not recreate their career roles on film because Hollywood wanted box office insurance.

Stanley Kramer's independently produced film, risked no money for a major studio and proved Marlon Brando could both be a screen presence and a box office draw. So Brando and the entire Broadway cast with the exception of Jessica Tandy got to preserve A Streetcar Named Desire as it was first seen on stage on the strength of his good notices for The Men.

Brando dominates the film with combination of charm and bitterness not too many other actors could achieve. He's condemned to a wheelchair, not sure what if any of the functions of his lower body he will be able to use and control. His bitterness nearly drives away Teresa Wright who loves him in spite of all.

Look for good performances by Howard St. John and Dorothy Tree as Wright's parents, Everett Sloane as the doctor treating spinal cord injuries like Brando's and Richard Erdman as Brando's horse playing veteran friend. You might remember Erdman from Stalag 17 as barracks chief Hoffman. He's just as good here in The Men.

The wars change, but the injuries to life and limb to our armed services remain the same as do the problems therein. In that sense The Men is a timeless classic and the debut of a legend.

Marlon Brando's screen debut is a strong one and the film is very hard hitting for 1950's cinema. But the real pleasure is watching Jack Webb, especially in his scenes with Brando. Webb was a much better actor than he is given credit for, (he's in several good movies of the period and is consistently good), before allowing himself to be typecast as the no-nonsense Sgt. Friday. I love watching films from early in actor's careers before their careers took different paths. It's fun seeing "Joe Friday" interact with Hollywood's bad boy. The TV guy more than holds his own.