The Men (film)

The Men is a 1950 American drama film directed by Fred Zinnemann, written by Carl Foreman, and stars Marlon Brando, Teresa Wright, and Everett Sloane. It tells the story of a World War II lieutenant who is seriously injured in combat and the struggles he faces as he attempts to re-enter society. Despite a commercial failure, the film marked Brando’s feature film debut.

Synopsis

Ken is a young infantry lieutenant who leads his platoon through an embattled European town, and advances into an open square and a shot rings out. He is hit in the lower back and in an instant a robust young man is made paraplegic for the rest of his life. In the hospital, Ken is a sullen and resentful patient, and in feeling sorry for himself he finds no sympathy from his fellow paraplegics, including Norm, a bitter and caustic man, and Leo, a happy go lucky patient who smokes cigars and bets on horses. Ken's reluctance to respond to treatment begins to diminish through the persistence of his fiancée, Ellen, who refuses to give up, despite his wish that she do so. With the support too of Brock, a sympathetic doctor, Ken begins to tackle the program of adjustment. He decides to go through with the wedding, determined to take the vows standing up at the altar. The wedding night however is painful for him and he returns to the hospital. Later, he is involved in a drunk driving accident and is disciplined by his fellow patients. Eventually Ken comes to appreciate that he has responsibilities, especially to his wife, who is also faced with the problems of being married to a paraplegic, a course she has accepted with full knowledge and considerable courage.