The Men (1950)

Directed by Fred Zinnemann. Starring Marlon Brando, Teresa Wright, Everett Sloane, Jack Webb, Richard Erdman, Arthur Jurado, Virginia Farmer, Howard St. John, Dorothy Tree.

Brando makes his film acting debut as a paraplegic soldier in this somber Stanley Kramer production, showing the labors of wounded World War II vets as they attempt to recover from their injuries and rejoin society. Sensitive treatment, static cinema; what might have been eye-opening at the time feels airlessly sugar-coated today, especially in the montages of Brando trying to get himself physically capable of standing for his wedding to Wright. Although the occasional emotional outbursts and breakdowns are expected for the story being told (and certainly reasonable), Zinnemann struggles to rein them in for tragic poignancy instead of frenzied melodrama—fault lies primarily with Dimitri Tiomkin’s overwrought music swells. Restrained concentration on Method actor Brando’s part demonstrated a most promising screen talent that was about to explode.

66/100