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The groundbreaking "The Mark" has now been released on a splendidly restored widescreen DVD with commentary by director Guy Green and star Stuart Whitman. Green admits that if the Whitman character had actually followed through on his child molesting tendencies and attacked the little girl he takes for a drive, the film would never have been made, as it would have been too difficult to keep the audience caring and sympathetic to such a man. While Whitman has fantasies and comes close to acting them out, he recognizes that he has a problem and turns himself in for psychiatric treatment, which is largely successful. The focus then shifts from his attempts to reintegrate himself back into society to the misunderstanding and persecution he experiences from those around him once they hear of his arrest. Thus the film can congratulate itself on being daring while staying well within the "safe zone." It's one of those movies that can pretend to be controversial while carefully editing out all the elements in it that would really make it so. This may be why it has been largely forgotten today. "The Mark" is engrossing as far as it goes, and avoids overt titillation (other than the kind that comes from dealing with such a story at all). It's expertly directed and acted by a fine cast. However, for a film that deals with the psychology of a child molester with complete honesty and candor, you would have to turn to Todd Solandz's heartbreaking, yet brilliantly funny and insightful "Happiness."

Stuart Whitman gives an excellent portrayal in "The Mark," today a generally forgotten film of the early 60s. He brings to his character a depth and sensitivity that makes us care about his outcome.

The film subject itself is quite mature and challenging, yet Whitman and a fine multinational cast create a revealing portrait of a provocative psychiatric study.

Whitman was not awarded before or after this film with as meaty a role, and as a result we were deprived of similar quality work by this most gifted actor.

An extremely difficult film to watch, knowing what we know now that the makers of this film did not know then, so many decades ago, about pedophiles / child predators and (if any) treatment. The film's heart is in the right place - it comes from a place of faith that any mental disease is curable, that every person can be restored to a normal life around vulnerable people with proper treatment, etc. - ideas that we know now, very clearly, aren't true for child predators, but you have to admire how much the film-makers support mental health services and therapy. But the film's incredibly outdated ideas and characters committing dangerous actions can make you oh so uncomfortable - like a psychiatrist talking about the seductiveness of prepubescent girls, same psychiatrist condoning his pedophile patient being around a young girl and even giving his patient alcohol, his patient not telling the woman he's dating, a mother of a young girl, why he was in prison, etc. None of those activities would be tolerable or condoned now - in fact, some would be criminal. On the other hand, the movie remains valid in its accurate portrayal of some pedophiles that know realization of their propensities would incredibly harmful and who are tortured by those inclinations and a lack of cure: Stuart Whitman is remarkable, truly, in the lead role, giving a powerful but, at times, very subtle performance, and is absolutely worthy of his Oscar nomination.

One of the best films of the 1960's is almost forgotten today, along with its superb lead performance by Stuart Whitman, who was nominated for the Oscar for this movie and whose career was downhill from then on. Whitman is given expert support by Rod Steiger as his psychiatrist and Maria Schell (her career high) as his girlfriend. Dicey subject matter (sex crimes) handled with taste and talent.

The Mark, daring for its time in handling the matter of recovering sex offenders, is rather tame stuff for today. It's also something that the cops on Special Victims Unit wouldn't buy in a million years.

Mainly because the rate of recidivism among them is very high. Rod Steiger as psychiatrist claims he's 'cured' Stuart Whitman of any lingering desires for pubescent young females, but Detectives Benson and Stabler would never buy it.

The film is a British production with three imported stars. Stuart Whitman is an American who settled in London and did serve a stretch in prison for unlawful imprisonment of a minor. Rod Steiger tried out the brogue he was to use 14 years later in Hennessy as the psychiatrist who works with sex offenders. And Maria Schell from Austria plays a young widow with a child who develops a relationship with Whitman.

Whitman's been placed in a job with Donald Wolfit's firm and he knows about Whitman and why he was in jail. Brenda DaBanzie and Maurice Denham rent Whitman a room and start treating him like surrogate parents. Things really start going well for Whitman, but when he's picked up for questioning in a child sex murder, reporter Donald Houston recognizes him and writes a story. A lot of people then reevaluate their relationship with Whitman.

As for what happens you'll have to see the film for it. It's a well acted drama, Stuart Whitman got an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, but lost to Maximilian Schell, Maria's brother ironically enough for Judgment at Nuremberg. Still it could never be made today, because the audience simply wouldn't buy it.