Act of Violence (1948)

Act of Violence is an interesting post-war moral tale from director Fred Zinnemann. Frank (Van Heflin) returned home from war a hero. He now has a small child with his pretty young wife Edith (Janet Leigh) in the vibrant California town of Santa Lisa.

Little is known about his P.O.W. past and all his comrades were killed. Except one. His friend Joe (Robert Ryan) is still alive but he is plagued by a crippled leg now. He finds out about Frank's whereabouts and it become his personal vendetta to straighten him out. The innocent Edith is in the dark about the whole ordeal and with the shadow of Joe constantly haunting him, Frank must family face the specter of his past.

He goes off on a business trip to escape and there out of desperation he winds up hiring a hit man to get Joe off his back. The two former buddies set up a meeting (which is really a trap), But as would be expected it does not work out as planned. Justice is dealt but there is still a strange sense of moral ambiguity. This is  certainly not Zinnemann's best work, but it brings up some interesting questions about moral scruples and personal conflict.

3.5/5 Stars

A Man For All Seasons (1966)

Sir Thomas More had the misfortune of getting in the way of perhaps one of the most notorious kings in history and it proved costly. It is the early 1500s in England and the Reformation has shook the world but Henry VIII (Robert Shaw) has his own plans for the Church in his country. He is bent on getting his marriage annulled by the pope because young Anne Boleyn will be much more likely to give a healthy heir to the throne.

A Man For All Seasons focuses on the position of More who at the time was Lord Chancellor of England. First in talking with Cardinal Wolsey, More resolves not to sign the letter to the pope on the king's behalf because it goes against his conscience. Later in his dealings with Thomas Cromwell, More resigns rather than to sign an oath making Henry VIII the supreme leader of the church in England.

Except there is more to it than that. More certainly was not a dissident or a rebellious political figure. Far from it. At least in the film he is portrayed by Paul Scofield as a constantly even keeled and gracious man in all circumstances. When a young man named Rich (John Hurt) sold More out for a high title, in a Christ-like response More has only pity for the fellow. Selling his soul for the world is worse enough but Rich did it for Wales.

Not even the pleading of his newly-wedded daughter (Susannah York) or his strong-willed wife (Wendy Hiller) can change More's conviction as he wastes away in the Tower of London. Sir Thomas went calmly to his death confident that his faith in his Lord would give him eternal peace. He died there for a seemingly trivial reason at the hands of men who used to be his friends. But he died with his conscience intact.

As I acknowledged Paul Scofield is such a serene force during the storm of this film. The portly Orson Welles and Leo McKern seem to fit their roles well and Robert Shaw has enough bluster to pull off Henry VIII. A young John Hurt turns in a fine performance as the Judas of the film and Nigel Davenport is commendable as More's exasperated friend the Duke.

Adapted from a stage play, here is another highly acclaimed film from director Fred Zinnemann. Perhaps it is the period drama, but this film strikes me as very English and it did very well for itself. I suppose because it's a tale that is universal and audiences love to identify with men such as Sir Thomas More. Zinnemann was always superb at capturing the inner struggles that humanity is often forced to confront and he did it once again here.

4/5 Stars

The Nun's Story (1959)

From director Fred Zinnemann and starring Audrey Hepburn here comes a very unique film indeed. Hepburn is Gaby also known as Sister Luke, who makes it her life mission to become a Nun. She leaves behind her loving father (Dean Jagger), young love and siblings to lead a life of solitude and sacrifice.

She learns and is disciplined at the convent, finding out what it means to "die to self." However, it is by know means easy, because as with any human being pride and other struggles impede her progress.

Quickly she shows her skill as a nurse and yet she is challenged to act with more humility and winds up not in her desired location of the Congo but in Europe to continue to grow spiritually.

Finally, she is rewarded for her patience and goes to the Congo only fall into her element. There she is beloved by the natives and nuns alike while also gaining the respect of the local practicing doctor (Peter Finch) who is not a believer.

He however rightly concludes that Sister Luke is not your typical nun because she has too much self-determination and individuality. As a good sister she tries to block out his words, but after she is sent back to the convent she must face this reality head on.

World War II has erupted and the Sisters are called not to intercede on either side, but after personal tragedy Sister Luke realizes she must give up the life of the nun.

After so much loving service to her fellow man while wearing the robes, she is forced to shed them on her own accord. It is a solemn moment as Gaby once again removes her ring of commitment and walks off into the unknown world plagued by war. It is an unsatisfying conclusion but a moving ending nonetheless.

Zinnemann is often interested in the inner struggles of his protagonists and that is on display again in this film. Furthermore, his on location shooting in the Congo adds a sense of authenticity to the story. I am convinced that no actress other than Audrey Hepburn could possibly have done justice to this role, or at least no one else could have played it so wonderfully. She exudes such a sweetness and innocence it is difficult to see how anyone could every get annoyed with her. Her Sister Luke is seemingly spot on and the lengthy film would have certainly faltered without her.

4/5 Stars

The Best Films of Fred Zinnemann

1. High Noon
2. From Here to Eternity
3. The Search
4. A Man For All Seasons
5. A Nun's Story
6. Oklahoma
7. The Men
8. Act of Violence
9. The Day of the Jackal
10. The Seventh Cross
11. Julia
12. People on Sunday

The Men (1950)

I was really drawn into this film and I appreciated Zinnemann's realistic style in capturing Marlon Brando's powerful screen debut. I would have rated this film higher because the topic was interesting, the performances were good, the supporting cast was respectable, and so on. The only thing is although Brando is a good actor and I really love Teresa Wright, they just seem wrong opposite each other. Wright was made for a Best Years of Our Lives and Brando for Streetcar or On the Waterfront. I will say I was surprised to see a young Richard Erdman, who is known to modern audiences as Leonard in Community.

3.5/5 Stars

High Noon (1952)

This may not be the greatest film of all time but it is certainly one of the greatest westerns gifted to us so generously by Fred Zinnemann. It tells a very simple story but it is in fact so powerful simply because of the hero it depicts. In its time it also served as a condemning allegory of the finger pointing going on in Hollywood.

*May Contain Spoilers

The film tells the story of Marshall Will Kane who is willing to face his foes even when no one else will help him. Gary Cooper plays the newlywed lawman who must flee town or face the killer coming on the noon train. He resolves to do just that despite the pleas of his loving wife. The sheriff scrambles against the clock to get help. However no one is brave enough to face the enemy with him. Even with the odds against him he faces them in a showdown. Cooper is outgunned but not outmatched and heroically prevails. This is film is so powerful because it is full of human emotions and it feels so real since the events unfold almost in real time. The somber ballad sung by Tex Ritter also help to create the mood right from the opening credits. In fact, I must admit that multiple times I have found my self humming or crooning the words, but then again I suppose it makes sense because the song is woven into the very fabric of the film. The score by Dimitri Tiomkin utilizes the tune throughout to complement the images throughout town. In that respect "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin'" is not just a song, but an important piece of this story. It is easy to forget the supporting players since Cooper often steals the show. Nevertheless there's Lloyd Bridges, Grace Kelly, Katy Jurado, Thomas Mitchell, Lon Chaney Jr.,  Harry Morgan, and even a young Lee  Van Cleef. Many have pasts with Kane that we cannot expect to fully know. All we can understand is the here and now that causes a person to weigh their options and either follow or go against their conscience. Kane and then his bride both did what they thought was right even when others would not follow suit.

It struck me how simple the story is and yet on the other side it is a complex allegory that critiques humanity. Will Kane is a man who helped make the town what it is but when trouble comes and the odds are bad no one is willing to help him. Besides the obvious positives  like a good story and a heroic protagonist, this film stands out because it feels so human. Here we are as an audience watching the events unfold almost minute for minute. Then we see the various town folk and their fear of getting involved, and to make matters worse a lot of them are Kane's very good friends. It makes us question what we would have done in their position. Because some of them were obviously good people but they were scared to be involved. Of course, during this time McCarthyism was prevalent and it is suggested that this film alluded to that. However, whatever you think it is still unquestionable that High Noon is a powerful film, a love story, and at its simplest a classic western.

5/5 Stars

From Here to Eternity (1953)

Directed by Fred Zinnemann, the film has an all star cast including Burt Lancaster, Monty Clift, Deborah Kerr, Donna Reed, and Frank Sinatra. Clift is a former boxer and bugler who has been transferred to a post in Hawaii. The commanding officer wants to have him fight for the company but Clift is adamant that he will not. From that point on life is made difficult for him on the base. However, he still finds time to go to a club with his friend Maggio (Sinatra) where he meets Lorean (Reed) and falls in love. At the same time the intelligent company sergeant Lancaster, finds himself falling for the commander's wife (Kerr) who has an unhappy marriage. However, he feels he cannot become an officer effectively terminating their relationship. The dramatic events culminate in the attack on Pearl Harbor which overshadows a smaller tragedy. This movie certainly had a cast full of famous people, but I have to say it was not my favorite film. All the same there definitely are some good moments.

4/5 Stars