Review of The Men (1950) by Sherry L — 02 Jun 2009

Marlon Brando plays Ken,a young war veteran in the second world war who was shot, with the consequence that he was paralyzed from below his waist. Almost apathic and severely depressed he lives through the days at the hospital where men come and go and die.

Ken befriends other patients after a while, Norm, Leo and Angel and he slowly gets the want to live back and starts building up his muscles in the hospital work out and he doctor gives him hope that if he's really lucky he might perhaps be able to walk again. Ken start to see the hospital more like a home then a hospital where he wants to stay as long as possible, with friends who understand and are experiencing the same thing as he is; the trauma of waking up, being an invalide.

After some time Ken even approves seeing his fiancée Ellen, who he haven't seen since the accident. They finally marry, but Ken is struggling with his inner demons and problems to adjust to a normal life. What if Ellen secretly despises him for being a cripple? Or even worse; what if she is marrying him only for pity?

Ellen doesn't really know herself and Ken's questioning is tearing her apart.

Very good acted by Brando, and interesting subject that doesn't leave anyone unaffected. Only in The Best Years Of Our Lives, has this subject been as good portraied. Today, there are many movies containing war veterans having mentally problems; the war veteran from the Vietnam war, is waking up in the middle of the night screaming is used frequently, but why isn't this subject; war veterans- got invalide having problems accepting it- as interesting anymore? Well, like I've said before; movies reflect the society we are living in, and some things are hard to understand.