Un ennemi du peuple

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.

Late in his brief career, Steve McQueen, a superstar for his roles in action movies, intensely wanted a chance to demonstrate his abilities in a classical framework. To that end he produced this cinematic version of the Ibsen play about a 19th-Century whistleblower and worked for scale, as did other actors. The script is adapted from the excellent adaptation done by Arthur Miller a half-century ago.

The screenplay closely follows the original work and utilizes a minimum of sets with only one exterior shoot. Despite this constriction, this film is truly unforgettable. The acting by McQueen, Richard Dysart, Charles Durning and Bibi Anderson is superb. The cinematography is excellent as well, conveying an almost tactile appreciation of period costumes and interiors of the sort found in Matewan by John Sayles.

The examination of the political and emotional whirlwinds described by Ibsen would be topical today.

The regrettable part of this enterprise was the inexplicable failure of the studio to release the film in the U.S. DVD versions can be found and used PAL videotape versions are available from the U.K., Australia and other countries that use that format.

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.

thanx to one of the guys writing here I received this tape a few years ago. And believe it or not, in my hometown - Zurich, Switzerland - they actually show this movie at the movie theater, starting next week. I can't believe this!!! Steve McQueen's acting is amazing and memorable. Actually in all of his movies - I got it all - but especially here too. It's a shame they never published this. Whenever you got the chance on watching this jewel then just do it. You might be bored at the begin, especially if you're expecting a typical McQueen- Movie. Give it a chance and don't turn off the TV after ten minutes or so. You won't regret. However, the end was a little fast (don't know exactly how to tell this in English). I am so excited to watch this at the movies next week and just can't believe it still. It's also showing on TV in the States sometimes but those people probable know this already.

It's too bad this little film got pulled from release before anybody got a chance to see it. It's quite good, actually. Steve McQueen -- known more for his rugged, action-packed roles -- is superb as a village doctor during the late 1800s who must speak up against an injustice taking place...even at the cost of his career and reputation. If you notice "An Enemy of the People" being shown on TV, do yourself a favor and see it. You won't be disappointed.