THE LAST ANGRY MAN

US, 1959, 100 minutes, Black and white.
Paul Muni, David Wayne, Betsy Palmer, Luther Adler, Billy Dee Williams, Claudia Mc Neil, Godfrey Cambridge.
Directed by Daniel Mann.

The Last Angry Man is a low key entertaining and quite moving film concerning an old doctor who works in a Brooklyn slum and who is made the subject of a documentary. Direction is by Daniel Mann who had some success with actors and actresses, Shirley Booth in Come Back Little Sheba, Anna Magnani in The Rose Tattoo, Elizabeth Taylor in Butterfield Eight, all winning Oscars. Paul Muni, who had impersonated so many famous characters in significant biographies in the thirties – Louis Pasteur, Emile Zola, Juarez. - gives a final significant performance for which he was Oscar-nominated. The film was re-made as a telemovie in the seventies with the same writer, Gerald Green and directed by Jerrold Friedman. Pat Hindle took the main role. The film is a piece of Americana with sentiment and dignity.

1. How enjoyable was this filmy in its presentation of life’s problems, social seriousness, message impact?

2, The realism of the film in its locations, New York, black and white photography?

3. How serious was the tone of the film? How much reliance on realism for its impact? A fable with a message for today’s social interest? Sentiment for human response?

4. Comment on Paul Muni’s acting, The focus of interest, the focus of feeling for the film?

5. How important was it that we saw Dr Abelman through the eyes of Thrasher? Was this a good structure for the film?

6. Sam Abelman as a man, in his relationship with his family, wife, in his work, a sympathetic person, a hard man with principles, an angry man?

7. As a doctor, the nature of his skills, availability, the long time of dedication, his not worrying about money, his emotional involvement with his patients, the galoots, his wariness of publicity? Why did he agree to the television program? The nature of his talk, its directness and honesty? The importance of his priorities of people over television program? His reaction to the news about the house? The decisions that he was forced to make?

8. How important was Josh as a focus for Dr Abelman’s work? The black and white situation, the rich and poor? Abelman's strength in dealing with Josh, his hardness towards him? How emotionally draining was the fact of
getting little response? The doctor’s continued giving, the reward of a breakthrough at the end? His heart attack as giving himself for Josh and his patients? His dying for them?

9. What was the effect of Abelman's life for Thrasher? Deceit and pressure, the agreement? Thrasher's learning and changing, the quotations from Thoreau, Thrasher's satisfaction of doing a job well and of being a friend to Abelman as he died?

10. How well did the film elaborate Thrasher’s life situation? As a contrast with the doctor? Thrasher’s house predicament, relationship with his wife, money needs, the precarious nature of his job, exploiting newspaper item, engineering deals? His relationship with the television people, with the Gatling firm, with Max? The fickle nature of the world in which he lived? His learning priorities? His losing his job, what he was faced with at the end? The film and sentimentality of what Thrasher learnt? What had Max contribute to the plot? The contrast with Sam? The specialist and his world, contrasting with the General Practitioner?

11. Myron and his becoming like Thrasher? The relationship to his uncle?

12. Sarah and her continued support of Sam, her understanding of him?

13. How important was it that the film showed Dr. Abelman’s neighbours? the Brooklyn situation in which
they lived?

14. The contrast with the television world and its hypocrisy? The discussions between the head and Gatlings? The manoeuvring and attitudes?

15. How successful was the film as popular social entertainment?