CAPTIVE CITY

US, 1952, 91 minutes, Black and white.
John Forsythe, Joan Camden.
Directed by Robert Wise.

Captive City is a film that is critical of the Mafia. It is a portrait of a small city, anonymous, and the influence of corruption in the management of the town. The film focuses on a journalist who arrives at a police station and, in flashback, tells his experiences. A private detective investigating the city and the gangster bosses has been killed. The risk is for the journalist to expose the criminals.

The film portrays the police, ordinary people in the town, the religious minister, the business people. It also shows the media and their response.

The film is one of those social conscience films – and relied on its message rather than on its cast, John Forsythe being more at the beginning of his career on big screen and small screen.

The film was directed by Robert Wise who began as an editor with some of Val Lewton’s horror films in the 1940s, even directing The Body Snatchers. For about ten years he directed small-budget films of all kinds of genre including The Day the Earth Stood Still and The Desert Rats. However, with Cinemascope he moved into bigger-budget films and won Oscars for West Side Story and The Sound of Music.

1. What is the impact of this film now? With a background of so many similar T.V. programs? Its authenticity from the 50s? Can its 1950s impact be gauged from the style of the film? How? On this basis, is it a good film?

2. What is the value of such social dramas? As moral social dramas in their time? As documents illustrating attitudes of the past? How valuable is this film?

3. How successful is the technique of documentary? 50s style realism, the moralising, and explicit words of the senator at the end? Is this convincing?

4. How successful was the screenplay, the initial crisis situation, the flash backs to this atmosphere, the selection of comments and incidents because of the flashbacks, the driving force and suspense, the senator’s speech at the end?

5. The impact of insight into the Mafia? The fifties and the seventies by comparison? The points made about small unknown influences, in small country cities, small rackets but the impact of the Mafia? Does this compare with what we know now?

6. How did the film, convey the reality of the evil and the menace of the Mafia in this particular town? Was it convincing?

7. How important was it to have Jim Austin as an ordinary citizen? Was he a convincing character? His role in the town, his scepticism, his growing involvement, the risks to life, business? How admirable a character was he?

8. Why did he carry on his crusade? What values did he stand for and believe in? Why? The theme of a man taking responsibility and its repercussions?

9. How important was the role of his wife, in support, warning him with her fears, co-operating? Was this convincing and human?

10. The influence of Don, the co-editor? His fear about business, leaving evil alone etc? The photographer and his taking the risks? The criticism of his mother?

11. How realistic was the police situation in the film? Administering the town under orders? Under the power and Influence of the Mafia?

12. The role of the bookmakers in the film? Their influence in the town, running their own businesses, being taken over by gangsters?

13. The repercussions of this in protection rackets, murders, deceit and wrecked lives? The main bookmaker and his wife and her death? The murder and the informer?

14. Did this seem real? Were the issues real? What is their validity today?