THE STRANGE ONE

US, 1957, 100 minutes, Black and white.
Ben Gazzara, Pat Hingle, Peter Mark Richman, Arthur Storch, Paul E. Richards, Larry Gates, Clifton James, Geoffrey Horne, James Olson, Julie Wilson, George Peppard.
Directed by Jack Garfein.

The Strange One is based on the autobiographical novel and play by Calder Willingham, End as a Man. The action takes place in a military school. This is the material from such later films as Taps and The Lords of Discipline.

The film was directed by Jack Garfein (who, as a child, was in Auschwitz and moved to the United States after the war, directing theatre as well as marrying Carroll Baker and directing her in Something Wild, 1961). The film was the debut of Ben Gazzara. It is a very striking performance as the malicious cadet, a psychopath, who is out to destroy everybody merely for the sake of enjoying such destruction. Other cadets include Pat Hingle as well as James Olson and George Peppard.

The film shows the hothouse of this kind of military school, the strict rules, the destruction of the son of the executive officer when Gazzara makes out that he is drunk, the sexual taunts, the underlying theme of homosexuality.

The film relies on atmosphere and characterisation rather than the malice portrayed in the plot.

1. How interesting a study of the military, education, men, interplay of characters? The entertainment value of the film?

2. The focus of the title on Jocko de Paris? The alternate title 'End as a Man' and its significance and focus?

3. How well does the film show an atmosphere and ethos of the 1950s? The army, America, masculinity? Power, education? Bullying? The impact then? Now? How true are the basic themes explored?

4. The style of the film, black and white photography, jazz musical style? The atmosphere of the Academy, the Academy as an environment and its influence on the soldiers? The contract with the sequences outside the Academy for example the night clubs, the open fields and the train?

5. How evident was it that the film was based on a play? The strength of dialogue, the confined nature of the scenes? The small space of time and the dramatic development? Was the film stagey or sufficiently opened out?

6. The audience entering the film via the gates of the Academy? Leaving in the same way? The experience of a visit for the audience, observation, emotional response and judgment? The visual look of the Academy, the building, grounds, the rooms and dormitories? The refectory? The emphasis on the institutional environment and its way of life, rigidity? The contrast with the outside and the audience's own experience? The culmination in the judgment on the Academy and its style?

7. The focus on Jocko as the central character? The significance of his being a strange one? His motives for being at the Academy? His reputation? As a character, strengths, weaknesses? As a type? Feeling at home in the Academy with his power, control, ability to read people? His ability to twist people’s attitudes and statements to his own Purpose? The putting of himself as a victim? How did he fit into their way of life in the Academy? The judgment on the Academy that it could find a home for a person like Jocko? His skills, enjoyment of power, his enjoyment of physical punishment and brutality? His lack of feeling towards people, jealousy for Avery, control of Roger? His enjoyment of blackmail? How could he be seen as a Iago character? motiveless malevolence?

8. The pace of the film in the setting up of the game? Jocko and his control? Harold as his seconder, yes-man? The imposition on Simmonds and his fear? The blackmailing of Robert Marquales? The victimizing of Roger? The amount of time given to the game, its progress? Illustrating Jocko’s bullying, cheating? Use of drink? Toadying to Roger, saying Simmonds's lines for him? The intrusion by Avery and Jocko’s skill at the cover-up? Audience response to him by the end of the evening?

9. The contract with Avery, ordinary, conscientious? His being victimized and humiliated by Jocko? The frame-up, cover-up? His father's concern and his being restricted by regulation? Jocko and the lies that he continued to tell about Avery?

10. What was the power that Jocko had over Harold? Over Simmonds and Marquales? Why could he continue to restrict them even though they reacted against him?

11. Harold as an admirer of Jocko, the yes-man? His being caught and humiliated by Jocko and his reaction against him? Harold an a credible character within this environment?

12. The characters of Simmonds and Marquales? Simmonds the writer, his mother, homosexual undertones? His fear of Jocko? His fear of women? Marquales and the set-up at the night club? The terror and torment that he experienced? His sharing a room with Marquales? Robert as potential hero, his holding his place in the institute, his working for it and not wanting to lose it? Simmond’s condemnation of him as a coward and the mutual recrimination? The type of power exercised over them, that they exercised over one another? Seeing them within the ordinary routines of the Academy? The interviews?

13. Roger and his presence in the Academy, his lack of intelligence, sports capacity, drinking and gambling? A butly, his being used? His wealth?

14. The dramatics of the dining hall scene and what this illustrated? Clarifying issues, characters, audience response?

15. The interviews and the official attempt to understand the truth? The importance of the encounter between Avery and Jocko and the mutual threats and Jocko winning? Using regulations against the superior officer?

16. The night club sequences as contrast, the focus on Simmonds meeting the girl? A place where something of the truth could emerge? Where Marquales could relax, where Jocko tried to control? His going too far?

17. The credibility of the group's reaction against Jocko, the importance of their meeting, their turning against him and the feeling of betrayal? Marquales and his role in the meeting? His decisions to leave the Academy as a consequence of this? Simmonds and his presence, Roger and Harold?

18. Audience sharing in the kangaroo court, the treatment of Jocko, the effect of his fear, running? Justice being administered to him? His fear and covering, the bully overcome? His being put on the train and his terror. his realizing he was safe and the reasserting of his self-assertion and pride?

19. The film's critique of institutions, the army, strict regulation and impersonal training?

20. What had been achieved by the end of the film? The experience of the audience and its judgment of similar institutions?