Review of The Rack (1956) by Movie K — 15 Dec 2015

Slow buildup of the movie but the message is quite clear towards the mid to end. Good acting by the actor. Paul Newman is a Captain serving war in Korea. He was held as POW and return home. His father Walter Pidgeon is Colonel and sister in law Anne Francis await him home.

Undergoing psychological, he appears not fine. Soon Paul is charge by a Colonel for collaborating with the enemy. Walter is furious and cannot accept this from his son a war hero. At the court hearing, we get to see the 2 sides of the story.

Lee Marvin is another Captain held in the same POW camp. And few other soldiers testify that Paul give a speech to the soldiers trying to say the communist are good. Lee was tortured badly when he and 2 others are caught for trying to escape.

But he never give in. Wendell Corey is the defense lawyer for Paul. During their turn, Paul says he was in the POW officers hut. He sneak out to see the soldier boys all turning restless and dejected.

When he try to smack some sense into a dying soldier, the baddies isolate him in a wet and dark cell. He was tortured in mental and psychological worse than physical. The baddies ask him to write about himself.

One day he receive a letter from Walter and got to know his brother also serving war is dead. At that point Paul couldn't take it anymore and the baddies offer him better treatment if he is willing to work with them.

That's why he give speeches to the soldiers but added with his sarcasm. He is force to sign a paper that said he expose the escape plan of Lee. But he was held in isolation all this time so he wouldn't have know.

The prosecutor say he may not reach his limit. In the defense, its during this era whereby the baddies have done survey on American soldiers and come to conclusion they are weak minded and give up rather quickly.

Asking Paul to write about himself give them the key to attack his weakness. Paul is guilty of the charges.