MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY

US, 1973, 78 minutes, Colour.
Cliff Robertson, Beau Bridges, Peter Strauss, Robert Ryan, Walter Abel, Geoffrey Holder, Sheppard Strudwick.
Directed by Delbert Mann.

The Man Without a Country is a very moving telemovie. It offers a good role to Cliff Robertson (who had won an Oscar for Charlie in 1968) as a man who was disgusted with the animosities of the Civil War and wanted to renounce his citizenship. After a court-martial, the compromise was that he was to be put on board a ship and to sail the world, never setting foot on any country.

Cliff Robertson leads a strong cast which includes such veterans as Robert Ryan and Walter Abel. It is a different perspective on the American Civil War – and is interesting insofar as it was made during the Vietnam War.

The film was directed by Delbert Mann, who had won an Oscar for Marty in 1955, directed a number of significant films including Separate Tables and The Dark at the Top of the Stairs and who, in the 1970s, concentrated a long career on significant telemovies.

1. The standard of this television movie? Its impact on an American audience, nonAmericans audience?

2. The contribution of colour, 19th century atmosphere, the naval settings and the background of the sea?

3. What was the purpose of the film? Fiction about the American past, a modern application, especially in terms of 20th century American deserters and soldiers and patriotism? How convincing?

4. The emphasis of the title, the overtones of patriotism and disloyalty? How did the film present the nature of true patriotism and false patriotism? The significance of Aaron Burr and his conflict with Jefferson? Nolan and his loyalty to Burr, the talk about nationalism in America in the 19th Century? The patriotism that motivated Nolan's judges and persecutors? The patriotism in the officers who had sworn oaths of loyalty and could not talk about America with Nolan?

5. The importance of the sequence of the slaves and their liberation, Nolan being an instrument of liberation and getting them returned home? The scene of longing for home and country? The historical setting and the fanaticism of Aaron Burr? The close-ups of his long patriotic speeches, his greed for Texas, hostility to Jefferson, the question of the one vote? The background of Texas and its annexation? How credible was Burr, the fierce loyalty that he aroused in men like Nolan, the stances that they took?

6. The contrast of the two trials ? Burr and the justice of his being freed? The hostility of the patriots towards him and their harsh application of justice towards Nolan? The consequences for Nolan and the sense of proportion? What comment on the presuppositions of judges did the film make, their impartiality and their prejudice?

7. How successful was the commentary technique of the film: by Vaughan, Ingham and Danforth? Nolan looked at from the point of view of these three men? The audience attitude in sharing the views of these three men? Proving that the three men had the right view of Nolan?

8. The atmosphere of exile, the visual presentation of the seas, the long passing of time, the effect of this long exile and lack of home for Nolan, his cabins in the ships, the fact that he was not allowed to talk? His longing for home and mention of it? The device of taking various states out of the map and his knowledge of what was happening? The impact of the long history given to him at the end?

9. Cliff Robertson's performance as Nolan, how humane, genuine? What feelings did he elicit for the man, his youthful brashness, his punishment, his patriotism? As a fierce young man on the side of Burr suffering injustice, the rash remarks that he made in the court and the consequences of these for half a century? The presentation of him at work, the ship, helping in war and his military skill? the military decoration, his helping in the work of healing? The reasons for Vaughan's admiration? Ingham and the detailed scene of what he learnt from Nolan and the gaps of the years? Danforth and his admiration and his final decision to tell the history?

10. Audience admiration for Nolan as a scholar and a gentleman, the humiliation of the woman at the dance at Naples? discussions about patriotism and America at the table? Nolan and his learning and his use of languages? his encounter with the slavers and his helping them to go home, a man of healing,. a wanderer moving from ship to ship and aging?

11. Audience response to the sequence where Ingham sought the pardon, the double talk of the secretary for the Navy, the fear of a prosecution by Nolan if he were pardoned? Legal justice and the talk of sympathy with no action? Audience hostility towards these attitudes? Was the film impartial here or did it present its point of view with justice?

12. Why was Nolan's death sequence moving? His burial at sea and the memorial?

13. A valuable fictional piece of American history, the human element, the interplay of politics and patriotism, fears? A parable about a hero?