An Enemy of the People

Executive Producer and star Steve McQueen and director George Schaefer bring Henrik Ibsen's `An Enemy of the People' to the screen, giving life and imagery to the powerful words of this Master playwright. First performed on stage in Oslo in the 1880's, the story is every bit as pertinent today as it was when it was written, for the themes of right and wrong, principle and ideal, democracy and commitment are timeless. What must a man do when he knows he is right? How far should he be willing to go, how much sacrifice should be made in the name of the truth? Ibsen contends that there can be no shades of gray when it comes to such matters, that truth is nothing less than absolute, and must be maintained as such; honesty cannot be found in acquiescence to the solid majority. As Doctor Thomas Stockman, McQueen is the embodiment of morality; the good and the just, the voice of reason and truth crying out amid a wilderness of complacency, corruption and complicity, the individual against the masses. It's the strength of the pure against the desperate agenda of the moderates who would conspire and compromise away all that is holy for the sake of self-aggrandizement. This is a stirring and emotional story that exposes the heart of darkness which unfortunately dwells within the human spirit; but in doing so, it also serves to illuminate the magnanimity of that same spirit, as well. The construction is done with precision and the message is unequivocal; simply put, it is a masterful study of the human condition.

Ironically, the fate of this movie was ultimately decided by circumstances not unlike those within the story itself. Never released, still unavailable on video and very rarely shown on television (even cable, which seems quite inexplicable), the Powers that Be decided that this was not the Steve McQueen (heavier, with long hair and full beard) the public wanted to see; what `they' wanted (they contend) was a McQueen `with a gun in his hand,' and plenty of action. They decreed that a meaningful drama starring an action hero was somehow taboo. And that reasoning must be regarded now as nothing less than criminal. Because Steve McQueen is brilliant in this role; there is a depth and heart to his Stockman that wrings every bit of strength and truth out of Ibsen's words. Anyone who is lucky enough to have seen this film would agree, I believe, that its unavailability in not only unbelievable, but unforgivable. The wonderful Bibi Andersson also gives an exceptional performance here as Catherine Stockman, a part for which she could easily (and should) have received an Oscar nomination. The supporting cast includes Charles Durning (Peter Stockman), Richard Dysart (Aslaksen), Michael Cristofer (Hovstad), Michael Higgins (Billing), Eric Christmas (Morten), Robin Pearson Rose (Petra) and Richard Bradford (Captain Forster). `An Enemy of the People' is an excellent rendering of a timeless classic by one of the world's master dramatists; the movie itself is a classic in its own right. It took courage for McQueen to venture into this territory, but the result is indeed his triumph; this film deserves to be seen, and hopefully, through the magic of video, some day it will be. I rate this one 10/10.

Not the usual Steve McQueen fare for sure, but look beyond trying to see the actor in "The Magnificent Seven" or the "Great Escape" and you'll see an excellent movie with a message.

Watch it on a cold night with your wife/girlfriend when you don't have to get up early the next day.

I was fortunate enough to watch this film on Sky Cinema (for those not in the UK, this is a movie channel specialising in older films), and being a McQueen fan, was not disappointed. I had heard so much bad press about this movie before seeing it, that it was slow, boring, a waste of time and celluloid. How wrong. Yes, it may be wordy, and a bit 'stagey', but stick with it for the first 10 minutes or so and you will be hooked. Don't be put off by a bulky looking McQueen with a fearsome beard and even more fearsome hair. His performance is possibly the best of his career (barring 'The Sand Pebbles'). His support is magnificent too, especially Charles Durning as his brother. This movie may look like a TV movie in feel, but look a little deeper and there are some real powerhouse performances. Warners obviously had no idea how to market this movie, so they didn't bother. At least they released it to TV for us to enjoy. I don't believe that this movie has appeared on either DVD or Video, so I will treasure my VHS to DVD transfer to enjoy hopefully for many years to come. If this ever appears on TV again, I urge you to catch it.

The thing I noticed right away was how the plot reminded me of the original Jaws. Dealing with a life threatening problem or wanting to believe it will go away. Great movie. Steve McQueen was different from his usual but a pleasure to watch. Charles Durning was also just about at the top of his game. Robin Pearson Rose was a very interesting actress but may have had her career impeded by this first appearance, though no blame should go to her acting in this movie. The ship captain, Richard Bradford, was a treat in such a role and a reminder of how a good voice carries a performance. A great many of the secondary parts were of similar high quality actors and so familiar over the years. The odd thing was seeing it on Netflix's instant watch but the thumbnail seems to be for a Braodway performance and this rare version is what plays.

From an Arthur Miller adaptation of a Henrik Ibsen play, "An Enemy of the People" is a film about a man who stands up for truth in the face of adversity. This film is shot much as a play, with a concentration on ideas and not embellishments. It was executive produced by Steve McQueen, the popular actor whose popularity was created by roles in action films, like "The Great Escape" and "Bullitt". When shown to test audiences, the reception for this film was poor, so it never saw theatrical release.

Doctor Thomas Stockmann (Steve McQueen) is a practitioner in a small town that has great hopes for tourism and financial gain due to a spring they have developed into a destination for those seeking its healthy waters. But the doctor has suspicions that the runoff from an upstream tannery is polluting the waters, creating a health risk. He takes his concerns to his brother, Peter (Charles Durning), who also happens to be the mayor and the CEO of the corporation that developed the springs.

The story is a warning about democracy/majority rule and the dynamics of mob rule. Like the town of Amity in "Jaws", the people do not want to hear news that might have a negative impact on their finances. Like the people of Salem in "The Crucible", they can be manipulated easily by those who tell them what they want to hear. And like Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird", Dr. Stockmann is armed with the truth but finds opposition from those who are invested in any "truth" that supports their biases.

In today's terms, Stockmann is a whistleblower. He is also a man of science who realizes that others before him were persecuted for their truths. The story also contains lessons about the responsibility of newpapers and, very importantly, the right of free speech.

This is a well-crafted story, but I feel the ending is abrupt. The acting is good, but I find no Oscar-worthy performances. The sound was the only aspect of the film that I thought subpar, having an unevenness and an echo that distracted.

"An Enemy of the People" is worth seeing for its themes. Being an effort by Steve McQueen to stretch his acting muscles, it is also an interesting anomaly.