Le supplice des aveux

Original title: The Rack

1956
Approved
1h 40m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Paul Newman and Anne Francis in Le supplice des aveux (1956)

Legal Drama Psychological Drama Drama War

A decorated Korean War hero inexplicably collaborates with the enemy while interred in a POW camp and is court-martialed.A decorated Korean War hero inexplicably collaborates with the enemy while interred in a POW camp and is court-martialed.A decorated Korean War hero inexplicably collaborates with the enemy while interred in a POW camp and is court-martialed.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.8/10

1.8K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos14

+ 6

User reviews39

6.81.7K

Featured reviews

7JuguAbraham

Memorable performance by Paul Newman

Paul Newman has impressed me in "Cool Hand Luke" and in this film his performance ranges from the "cool" to the frail man in the duration of the movie.

Among films based on courtroom trials this one is remarkable. It rates alongside Bruce Beresford's Australian film "Breaker Morant" and the British film "Term of Trial."

A major feather in the cap is the ending, which is a clever touch by the director Arnold Laven. Any other ending would have made the film less poignant.

The development of the relationship between Newman's character and that of Annie Francis' Aggie is again worthy of note. Lee Marvin's small role catches your attention though it is not his finest by any measure.

All in all this film should be given more publicity, as the theme is relevant today as it was when it was made.

7uscmd

A wake up call, one ignored for 64 years

Please god. Let the decision makers, stop charging into wars at the behest of those who'll make outrageous profits. Ignoring the thousands of young men and women that come home smashed into pieces, for many irreprably..

If theres a conflict that threatens the security, of the U. S., thats different. But no more 3rd world esoteric, thinly constructed conflicts, in which the ones deciding are future employees of the weapons industry (read Eisenhower on the military industrial complex, and its threats to America).

Way too cozy, classic conflict of interest, having those who'll gain, personally opting to jump in.

This movie, is set on that back drop....tangentially, with a young man (boy), no mom, military dad, trotted down the path to glory. Only his "glory" is in a courtroom, where his behavior is judged by many who never faced what he did,

It was trials like this one that led to a reexamination of the expectations, of a soldiers behavior once hes taken prisoner.

7whpratt1

Fantastic Film with Outstanding Acting

Never viewed this film until I noticed it was going to be shown on TCM and was very surprised to see that Paul Newman starred in this film. This story is about the treatment of American Soldiers during the Korean War and how their captives tortured our men with mental punishments in order to brainwash their thinking and find their weakness in order to take complete control over their mental thinking. Paul Newman, (Capt. Edward Worthington Hall Jr.,) played the role of an Army Officer under investigation and also a trial to determine what actually happened in the prisoner of war camp. Wendell Corey, (Maj. Sam Moulton), is the Army Prosecuting Attorney and Edmond O'Brien, (Lt. Col. Frank Wasnick) the Army Defense Attorney who both did outstanding acting defending their clients. Walter Pidgeon,(Col. Edward W. Hall,Sr.,) was the father to Capt. Edward Worthington Hall, Jr. who gave a great supporting role along with Anne Frances (Aggie Hall) who lost her husband in the Korean War. This is a great film to view and it clearly showed how many people who are tortured have breaking points when in captivity and questions everyone how they would be able to endure such treatment and whether they would be able to hold up.

7rupie

rarely seen film that's well above average

Caught this rarity on TCM. Much heavy duty talent is involved in this production - Rod Serling as writer, and the acting talents of Paul Newman (his second screen appearance), Edmund O'Brien, Walter Pigeon, and Anne Francis, with bits by Lee Marvin and Chloris Leachman, even! The effort must be marked as a success, with an even-handed treatment of the issue of "breaking point" in a war when the Koreans openly sought to crush their POW's thru "brainwashing", a term that came into currency at that particular time. The cut and dried atmosphere of the courtroom proceedings are balanced by portrayals of the personal effects of the tragedy on the principals, especially the searing scenes between Newman/Hall and his father. A thoughtful film dealing with a major issue of the day, that is well worth seeing.

Graeme Robert Sutherland

Fascinating Drama

Newman is very assured, in this only his second feature. He plays the POW home from Korea accused of selling out his country to the Reds.

This is a compassionate film which explores all sides of the argument with understanding and restraint. The prosecution aren't hysterical witch-hunters, and the defence aren't wet-eyed bleeding-hearts. A serious set of issues is explored in an evenhanded but yet passionate manner.

This is fascinating drama - very much of its time and it has dated but that only seems to add to its value.

The ending is ambiguous and may well lead to a heated debate in your family.

I recommend it highly.

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Trivia
Rod Serling took 19 months to complete the teleplay, the longest he ever spent writing a single screenplay. It also took seven re-writes to get to the final version, the most of any of his screenplays.

Goofs
In the closing scene inside the courtroom, Capt. Miller (Lee Marvin) conspicuously comes in and sits down in a chair right next to the door, against the back wall. We see him there in a couple of close-up shots, but in several wide camera shots taken from the front of the courtroom, he is nowhere to be seen.

Quotes
Lt. Col. Frank Wasnick: [Addressing the jury, presenting the closing arguments for Capt. Hall's defense] Gentlemen, I have here a document which is not very pleasant to read. It's a communiqué written by the Communists describing shortcomings they observed among certain American prisoners of war.
Lt. Col. Frank Wasnick: [Quoting from the document] "One: Many of the prisoners reveal weak loyalties to their families, their communities, and their army. Two: When left alone, they tend to feel deserted, and they underestimate their ability to survive, because they underestimate themselves."
Lt. Col. Frank Wasnick: Now, the report goes on to say that even some of our university graduates have a very dim idea of American history and of the strengths and weaknesses of American democracy and that they are virtually ignorant of Communism, because we have never taken the trouble to inform them of its nature. The Communist program of indoctrination was based on this appraisal - and succeeded, because in many cases, the appraisal was true... And now we must judge Capt. Hall. Gentlemen, if there is guilt, where does it lie? In that small number who defected under pressure, as Capt. Hall did? Or do we not share it? At least those of us who created *part* of a generation which may collapse, because we have left it uninspired, uninformed, and - as in the case of Capt. Hall - unprepared to go the limit, because he had not been given the warmth to support him along the way... And now we must judge Capt. Hall. And let us make absolutely certain, that we have had no part in his collapse. This man has proven himself in the two wars of his youth, who has been exposed to conditions of captivity, against which we have never had to test ourselves.