THE RACK

US, 1956, 100 minutes, Black and white.
Paul Newman, Wendell Corey, Walter Pidgeon, Edmond O'Brien, Anne Francis, Lee Marvin, Cloris Leachman, Robert F. Simon, James Best.
Directed by Arnold Laven.

The Rack is one of Paul Newman's earliest films, coming after The Silver Chalice and at the same time as Somebody Up There Likes Me, the beginning of his career in the mid-50s which continued into the 21st century. There is an excellent supporting cast led by Wendell Corey, Walter Pidgeon, Edmond O'Brien and Lee Marvin as military personnel.

The film is a military story. Paul Newman portrays a captain who was captured during the Korean war and brainwashed by the Chinese, being forced to persuade his colleagues of the rightness of the Chinese cause. When he returns to the United States he is brought to trial for treason.

The issues of brainwashing were comparatively new at the time and the screenplay, based on a story by Rod Serling (The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery) is quite powerful. Audiences might take for granted these themes in later decades but it is interesting to go back to original films like this exploring the issues soon after the end of the Korean war. Perhaps the most famous of the Korean war brainwashing films is John
Frankenheimer's The Manchurian Candidate, based on the novel by Richard Condon (1963).

1. The overtones of the title and torture? Audience response to torture in itself and as manifested in this film?

2. The forcefulness of this film in the 1950s? What impact would it have made in America? Korea, torture, treason, truth? What impact does it make now? Why?

3. How well does the film blend the themes of war, family, suffering, legal justice, psychology?

4. What audience sympathy was there for Ed Hall? Paul Newman's performance, the ambivalence of the character, attractive and unattractive, unsympathetic arrival, reaction to his father and to Aggie, the hesitation with the psychiatrist, his memories of his brother, enjoying the film and then the sign, traitor? His being charged? His inability to tell his father the truth, his reaction to the party? The clash with his father? His passive acceptance of the accusations during the trial? The nature of the accusations? His drunken encounter with Aggie? Her appeal to his pride and doing something on his own initiative? His response to the defence questioning? The reconciliation with his father, his father's appeal to give a little? His response to the cross examination and confession of guilt? Sharing the waiting with his father? His acceptance of the court decision but his statement about moments of magnificence?

5. Can a man be brought to a breaking point? How did the film understand human beings and men? Had Ed Hall reached a breaking point?

6. Comment on the validity of the Communist report on the weakness of American soldiers, of their loyalty, family ties, knowledge of America? Of their giving in because of their lack of self-esteem? Ed Hall's version of the soldiers giving into death? The implications of this comment?

7. How convincingly did the film present Ed in his manliness? The Chinese understanding of this? Creating the physical conditions, the mental conditions? The use of the letter and loneliness and his signing all the documents? The concentration camp fear methods? How horrifying was this?

8. How did this contrast with the physical torture of Millar? Ed and his courage as a captain? On the march to the camp, his concern? That he was propelled by duty because of his family upbringing?

9. What penalty did Ed deserve? Was he guilty? The psychological implications of his suffering, the real torture? His speech on the moments of magnificence and moments of regret?

10. How well drawn was Ed's father? His nervousness at the airport, his asking questions when told not to, his sense of duty, his good fellowship at the party, his disappointment? Missing the trial and then going? The truth of the autobiography? The importance of the car scene, his weeping and bending, plea to Ed? His being introduced to the lawyers in the court? How real was this portrayal of relationship?

11. The contribution of Aggie to the film? Her weakness and talking to the neighbour? Her memories of Pete? Her support for her father-in-law? Strength for Ed and goading him into some kind of pride? The future?

12. The impact of Miller and his suffering? His hostility to Ed, his later talking to him?

13. The testimony of Cassidy and the German-born soldier? The impact of this?

14. The importance of the character of Moulton? The fact that he was not merely a lawyer? His initial doubts and worries? His courtesy towards Ed? Was he fair in the way he conducted the trial? The impact of his final Amen?

15. Wasnick - was he a good defence lawyer? His sympathy for Ed? His humility and learning from him? Did he defend him well? Had be the right to bring on the emotions in the court and keep going?

16. How well did the film explore the themes of American society, war, life, suffering, emotions, family?