Having just watched this film for the first time, even
though it was released in 1962, I was surprised to see how contemporary the
themes are. At that time racial tensions were at an all-time high and yet they
were changing for the better. It seems as if all was for naught though as
they’ve regressed in some areas now in 2016 to what they were when this film
was released, on both sides rather than just one.
The film takes place in a prison psychiatric ward. Sidney
Poitier stars as a black psychiatrist who is assigned the task of trying to
help a trouble maker in said prison played by Bobby Darin. Darin has chosen to
attack other prisoners that are Jewish resulting in several confrontations. As
the movie progresses Darin’s character is at first reluctant to take the help
from someone he considers beneath him. As this redneck drifter turned Neo-Nazi
begins to search for the reasons for his beliefs the movie unfolds slowly
offering glimpses into his past.
The drama in this film develops in the discussion of not
just race but in delving beneath the surface to find out what it was that made
Darin’s character who he is today. He’s more complex than seems at first.
Rather than simply playing it off on mommy issues or a father who left early
on, events throughout his life happen to make him who he is today, including a
love interest gone bad. At the same time being the sociopath that he seems to
be the viewer is left to wonder how much of what he says is true and how much
he is creating to get to his psychiatrist.
Another thing that makes the movie interesting is the change
in the two lead characters. While Darin’s criminal is prone to violent outburst
when he first enters therapy it is Poitier’s who rises to anger more easily by
the end. At the same time Darin’s “cure” seems to make him calmer. All of this
isn’t something I felt while watching it but on reflection now it becomes
apparent.
But the movie’s concerns of racial inequality don’t end with
the simple anger and bigotry of Darin’s character. This is surface bigotry that
anyone can see up front. Instead the institution that employs Poitier is called
into question as well. Their motivations for not just hiring a black man for
the position but for handing him this case above all others is brought to the
forefront before the film ends.
Controversial at the time of its release the movie seems
dated at times now. But when considered from the standpoint of race relations
today it remains a great starting point for discussion on the topic as much now
as it was when initially released. That the same problems are occurring today
that happened well over 50 years ago is startling. That the collapse or racial
relations is happening on both sides, black and white, after all this time is
cause for concern.
The performances here are fantastic. Poitier has always been
a force to be reckoned with when it comes to acting. That Darin is up for the
challenge and is equally effective in his role says volumes about his
abilities. It’s sad that he was overlooked for so much. The quality of the
transfer is impressive considering the quality of the source material. Olive
Films has once more done a fantastic job of giving new life to an older film.
Extras may be lacking but for those who aren’t concerned with extras and are
more interested in the film itself you won’t find a better copy available of
this movie.
Young people will probably be left unimpressed with the film
finding the sets and situations contrived rather than reasons to move a story
forward. They will also be turned off by the fact the movie is in black and
white. In so doing they deprive themselves of seeing something special and
effective, a movie that helped edge a movement forward and bring about changes.
By ignoring the past they set themselves up to repeat that history. For
claiming to be open minded they would be better served to actually be so and
watch films of this quality now.
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