Man in the Middle

Man in the Middle

Man in the Middle
List Price: $14.98
Our Price: $6.78
You Save: $8.20 (55%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $6.13 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details


(Click here)
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada

DVD details

Actor: Barry Sullivan, France Nuyen, Keenan Wynn, Robert Mitchum, Trevor Howard
Brand: MITCHUM,ROBERT
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Black & White, NTSC
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 94 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-04-24
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: 20th Century Fox

DVD Reviews of Man in the Middle

DVD Review: "The Caine Mutiny" Meets "Do The Right Thing"
Summary: 4 Stars

"Man In The Middle" (1964) is arguably Mitchum's best performance (certainly his most nuanced) and one of those situations where you can't imagine anyone else in the role. Although the focus is a "military" court martial in India during the last months of WWII, it is basically a standard courtroom drama with Mitchum's character playing the defense counsel. The actual proceeding is very similar to that shown in "The Caine Mutiny" (1954). With a running length of just 93 minutes and a relatively complex story to tell, Director Guy Hamilton had to utilize a lot of stereotypes and nonverbal clues from Mitchum to assemble a coherent film. He is largely successful although it appears a lot of the romantic side story (between Mitchum and "South Pacific's France Nuyen) was trimmed before release. That is of little importance to the theme, what was left works mainly as a way to go out on Mitchum's closing line "you might not be able to beat them but you don't have to join them".

Out of combat, recovering from his wound, a limping career Army lieutenant colonel with a law degree and limited legal experience finds himself assigned to defend an American officer (Lt. Winston-played by Keenan Wynn) who has already confessed to the murder of a British Staff Sergeant. In fact, the film opens with the murder so the viewer is never in doubt about the "who done it" issue. All that remains is the punishment phase of the proceeding. Winston's brother-in-law is a congressman who has rejected several other potential defense counsels but has agreed to Mitchum's appointment. The area commander (nicely played by Barry Sullivan) wants the proceeding expedited ASAP with a death sentence, the best way to satisfy the British so everyone can go back to pulling together. He is a friend of Mitchum's family and is confident that Mitchum will take one for the team and do what is best for the war effort.

And at first Mitchum seems quite agreeable to the idea of providing no more than a token defense; pointing out to the two hot shot attorneys on his defense team that in a few months they will be back practicing law as civilians while he has found a home in the Army and does not want this to louse up his career. He has only been given a few days to assemble his case anyway.

But as he reviews the circumstances and interviews a few people he becomes convinced that his client is a psychological basket case who was unable to determine right from wrong at the time of the murder. There is no time for the film to explore the origins of Lt. Winstons's mental condition and no time to give any dimensionality to his character. Nor is it actually of any real relevance to the story Director Guy Hamilton is trying to tell, so Winston is simplistically portrayed as a totally unsympathetic character. Unlike in "A Few Good Men" (1992), it is intended that the viewer conclude that just going through the motions would really be in the best interests of everyone except the defendant.

Mitchum is on the screen 90% of the time and is the only character that undergoes any real change during the course of the film. And Mitchum must underplay the change process because the idea is to show that if the Army had not tried to hinder his efforts, he would never have put so much energy into the defense. It is a great nonverbal performance as Mitchum slowly gets his back up about what is happening and decides that personal integrity trumps career aspirations. Somewhat cliché and with the score more appropriate to an overwrought melodrama, it is a nice illustration of the condensed storytelling process of films.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
More Man in the Middle reviews:
1 2

Description of Man in the Middle

No Description Available.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: NR
Release Date: 24-APR-2007
Media Type: DVD
Bestsellers in DVD
The Story of Jeremiah [VHS] ImageThe Story of Jeremiah [VHS]
Vision Video; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Wresting With God [VHS] ImageWresting With God [VHS]
by Vision Video
Vision Video; Published: 1990-10-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops: $19.99
Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS] ImageStudy Bible Video with Workbook [VHS]
Spring Arbor Distributors; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops: $44.00
Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS] ImageTempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS]
HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $9.17
Price in other shops: $9.98
Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/Party Video [VHS] ImageTempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/ Party Video [VHS]
HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Strike the Original Match [VHS] ImageStrike the Original Match [VHS]
New Liberty Films; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops: $14.95
Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS] ImageMedjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS]
JPN Film Production; Release date: 1995-12-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.99
Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008 ImageMayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008
by Mayo
DVD
Price in other shops: $1,463.24
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single User ImagePediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single User
by Oakstone
DVD
Price in other shops: $1,463.24
Cost Accounting [VHS] ImageCost Accounting [VHS]
by Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Howard Teall
Pearson Canada, Toronto; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
The Night of the Generals ImageThe Night of the Generals
SON; Release date: 2011-04-05; DVD
Best price: $8.16
Price in other shops: $14.99
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo ImageThirty Seconds Over Tokyo
Warner Brothers; Release date: 2007-06-05; DVD
Best price: $5.40
Price in other shops: $19.97
I Deal in Danger ImageI Deal in Danger
FOX; Release date: 2007-04-24; DVD
Best price: $7.49
Price in other shops: $14.98
The Frogmen ImageThe Frogmen
Fox; Release date: 2005-05-24; DVD
Best price: $6.93
Price in other shops: $14.98
Purple Heart ImagePurple Heart
ANDREWS,DANA; Release date: 2007-04-24; DVD
Best price: $6.68
Price in other shops: $14.98
The Hunters ImageThe Hunters
MITCHUM,ROBERT; Release date: 2004-05-25; DVD
Best price: $7.23
Price in other shops: $14.98
Immortal Sergeant ImageImmortal Sergeant
Fox; Release date: 2006-05-23; DVD
Best price: $6.73
Price in other shops: $14.98
Fixed Bayonets ImageFixed Bayonets
BASEHART,RICHARD; Release date: 2007-04-24; DVD
Best price: $7.17
Price in other shops: $14.98
Tonight We Raid Calais ImageTonight We Raid Calais
FOX; Release date: 2007-04-24; DVD
Best price: $6.34
Price in other shops: $14.98
Sailor of the King ImageSailor of the King
FOX; Release date: 2007-04-24; DVD
Best price: $7.17
Price in other shops: $14.98
Compare prices and read customer reviews for more than one million DVD titles.
Oscar 2005 Winners