Blast from the Past
What You Need to Know about Brando’s Screen Debut as a Paraplegic in Carl Foreman’s Oscar-Nominated Script.
Set mostly in a paraplegic ward of a VA hospital, The Men features Marlon Brando in his screen debut as an ex-GI named Ken who as a result of a war wound is paralyzed and uses a wheelchair.
Grade: B
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Suffering depression and impaired self-concept, Ken struggles to accept his disability and his need to accept care from others, including from his fiancée/wife.
Directed by Fred Zinnemann in a semi-realistic but ultimately uninteresting ways, the film was produced by Stanley Kramer, before the latter became a director himself.
The message film opens with a dedication: “In all Wars, since the beginning of History, there have been men who fought twice. The first time they battled with club, sword or machine gun. The second time they had none of these weapons. Yet this by far, was the greatest battle. It was fought with abiding faith and raw courage and in the end, Victory was achieved. This is the story of such a group of men. To them this film is dedicated.
During World War II, U.S. Army Lieutenant Ken Wilocek is shot by a sniper, injuring his spinal cord. As a result, he faces a series of ongoing struggles in rehabilitation and in re-entering society.
The well-intentioned film focuses on the challenges facing Ken and Ellen, his fiancée, as a couple, before and after their marriage.
It also highlights events in the lives of other men in the Veterans Administration hospital, from a wedding celebration to sudden death from meningitis.
Dr. Brock heads the team of doctors, nurses and therapists. When Ken accuses him of not understanding the difficulties, Brock tells Ken about his own frustration: “I can never see a patient walk out of here, never. I can keep a man alive, but in his heart he feels I failed him. You feel that way, don’t you? Took me a long time to get used to that.”
He then reveals his specializing in paraplegia 18 years ago, after his wife was injured in car accident. “Paraplegia was a new field, then. At least she didn’t have to suffer too long … I’d give anything I’ve got to know that when I go home I’d find her there, waiting for me, in a wheelchair.” He tells that he has a lot of living to do, and that he has to do it for himself.
Ken drives to Ellen’s parents’ home, takes out his wheelchair and goes up the steep brick front walk until a step blocks him. “You’ve come a long way,” Ellen says. “Do you want me to help you up the steps?” He replies, “Please.”
The film ends on a positive note, with a long shot of Ellen helping Ken to push his wheelchair into the house.
Many of the patients and staff at the Birmingham Veterans Administration Hospital” in Van Nuys, California, where much of the picture was shot.
In addition to Arthur Jurado, a real-life paraplegic with a speaking role, others from Birmingham Hospital were cast, including Dr. Norman Karr, physical therapist Helen Winston and nurses Rhoda Cormeny and Eunice Newberry.”
For preparation, Brando and scribe Carl Foreman spent a month at the hospital.
Before the release, director Zinneman wrote an article, “On Using Non-Actors in Pictures” for the January 8, 1950 of The NY Times, in which he described working with the men, especially Jurado. “All of the situations and dialogue in the script were written by Carl Foreman from material that he picked up from the men themselves while spending weeks with them
Censorship in the U.K.
The film was banned in the U.K. because of a scene in which Dr. Brock speaks to a group of wives, mothers, fiancées and girlfriends of patients. The subject of having children (and sexual relations). Dr. Brock tells them that the ability to beget children varies in individual cases, but was unlikely overall. Ellen asks Dr. Brock about children—or more specifically, her parents’ desire for grandchildren.
Brando’s screen debut received praise by some (but not all) critics as “an important new star in the Hollywood horizon.”
However, Variety differed: “Brando fails to deliver with the necessary sensitivity and inner warmth which would transform adequate portrayal into expert one. Slight speech impediment which sharply enhanced his Streetcar role jars here. His supposed college graduate depiction is consequently not completely convincing.”
The film was reissued by National Telefilm Associates under the title Battle Stripe together with the 1943 Lewis Milestone film The North Star which was renamed Armored Attack.
Oscar Context:
Carl Foreman was nominated for the Best Writing, Story and Screenplay, but he did not win.
Critical Status:
The National Board of Review (NBR) placed the film on its annual list of the 10 Best Films of 1950.
Cast
Marlon Brando as Ken Wilocek
Teresa Wright as Ellen
Everett Sloane as Dr. Brock
Jack Webb as Norm
Richard Erdman as Leo
Arthur Jurado as Angel
Virginia Farmer as Nurse Robbins
Dorothy Tree as Ellen’s Mother
Howard St. John as Ellen’s Father
Credits:
Directed by Fred Zinnemann
Written by Carl Foreman
Produced by Stanley Kramer
Cinematography Robert De Grasse
Edited by Harry W. Gerstad
Music by Dimitri Tiomkin
Production company Stanley Kramer Productions
Release date: July 20, 1950
Running time: 87 minutes
