The Men

I saw this movie when I was 12 in England. After years of glorious positive movies about WW2 this was quite an eyeopener for me. I thought it was going to be a war combat picture. That ended real fast when Squad-leader Brando gets hit. You see Brando leading his infantry squad through devastated country side of war-torn Europe. Brando moves around the corner of a dilapidated farm house when suddenly a machine gun hits him and down he goes. The story then begins with the wounded soldier joining other bitter vets in a VA hospital. I was very impressed with this story. A great portrayal of what ordinary people who become war heroes have to live through when their minds and bodies are shattered. One scene that stands out in my mind is the one where Jack Webb quotes from Shakespeare's "perchance to dream" speech.

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.

This little-known film surprised me with the depth of its emotional involvement with its characters. Conflict, pain, tragedy, suffering, doubt, and triumph are all present in generous and convincing doses, as we witness the travails of wartime paraplegics. Marlon Brando is excellent in a very auspicious beginning to his film career. We are really drawn into Ken and Ellen's tortuously conflicted relationship. Jack Webb is also very good here, which surprised me in light of his storied woodenness as Joe Friday (I guess that was just part of his characterization of the detective). Another round of kudos to American Movie Classics for bringing us this gem.

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 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."