The Strange One *** (1957, Ben Gazzara, George Peppard, Peter Mark Richman, Pat Hingle) – Classic Movie Review 10,011

Director Jack Garfein’s 1957 black and white drama The Strange One is a powerful, up-front hothouse US Southern military academy saga, in which Ben Gazzara stars as cadet leader Jocko De Paris, who exercises a vice-like grip over younger students.

It is based on Calder Willingham’s novel and his 1953 Broadway play End as a Man, and Willingham writes his own screenplay, but the film-makers added a woman to the story (Julie Wilson as prostitute Rosebud), though this wasn’t enough for the US Production Code which cut three minutes of gay content from the release print. However, there is still a homoerotic shower scene and hints of sex between cadets.

Meanwhile, Jocko terrorises girl-shy cadet Maynard Simmons (Arthur Storch) into dating Rosebud, and there is gay character named Perrin McKee, aka Cockroach (Paul E Richards), who has a crush on Jocko.

It is the feature début of director Garfein. Also in his film debut, Gazzara repeats his stage role, and it’s also George Peppard’s first film too, as Robert Marquales.

Also in the cast are Peter Mark Richman as Cadet Colonel Corger, Pat Hingle as Harold Koble, Geoffrey Horne as George Avery, James Olson as Roger Gatt, Arthur Storch as Maynard Simmons, Paul E Richards as Perrin McKee, Larry Gates as Major Avery and Clifton James as Colonel Ramey.

The same year a female version, Sorority Girl, was made.

The Strange One [End as a Man] is directed by Jack Garfein, runs 100 minutes, is made by Horizon Pictures, is released by Columbia Pictures, is written by Calder Willingham, based on his novel and his play End as a Man, is shot in black and white by Burnett Guffey, is produced by Sam Spiegel and scored by Kenyon Hopkins, with Art Direction by Joseph C Wright.

It is filmed at Shamrock Studios, Winter Park, Florida; Rollins College, 1000 Holt Avenue, Winter Park, Florida; and Gulfport, Florida.

Garfein directed only one more film, Something Wild, starring his wife Carroll Baker. He died on 30 December 2019, aged 89.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,011

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