The Strange One
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| The Strange One | |
|---|---|
Black and white | |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 100 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Strange One is a 1957 American
Plot
Cadet Staff Sergeant Jocko De Paris is a senior at the fictional Southern Military College. Using the authority of his own rank, his father's connections with the school, and the college's tradition of allowing upperclassmen to bully new cadets, De Paris effectively does what he pleases. Everyone at the school is either afraid of him or believes he is a normal or even exemplary cadet.
One night, he frames George Avery, the son of a staff member, making it appear that he got drunk and fell unconscious on the quadrangle all by himself. Cadet Avery is expelled, and De Paris sees to it that every cadet who took part in the incident lies during the investigation to conceal his own involvement. Two freshmen, along with the roommates of De Paris and the regimental commander, eventually decide to end De Paris' manipulation of them and the school. By the time De Paris is cornered in a restaurant in the nearby town, a great many cadets have banded together against him.
Laurie Corger, the regimental commander, orders him to sign a statement confessing to engineering Avery's expulsion and going to great lengths to conceal the truth from investigators. Initially reacting with smug confidence and indignant anger at being accused, De Paris finally folds and signs the statement, asking that he be allowed to leave quietly. The cadets then take him away from the restaurant and start dragging an increasingly frantic and blindfolded De Paris towards a railroad track. Instead of throwing him in front of the approaching train as he expects, they put him on board once it stops. As the train begins to move again, De Paris, having removed his blindfold, runs to the last car and rails at the watching cadets, shouting furiously, "I'll be back! I'll get you guys! You can't do this to Jocko De Paris!"
Cast
- Ben Gazzara as Cadet Sgt. Jocko De Paris*
- Pat Hingle as Cadet Harold Koble
- Mark Richmanas Cadet Col. Laurie Corger
- Arthur Storch as Cadet Simmons**
- Paul E. Richards as Cadet Perrin "Cockroach" McKee ***
- Larry Gates as Maj. George Avery Sr.
- Clifton James as Col. M.N. Ramsey
- Geoffrey Horne as Cadet George Avery Jr.
- James Olson as Cadet Roger Gatt
and introducing
- Julie Wilson as Peonie aka "Rosebud"****
- George Peppard as Cadet Robert Marquales
Character Notes
* Thomas K. Schwabacher of The Harvard Crimson described Jocko as a "sadist".[1]
** Storch used artificial buckteeth to portray his character as ugly. He did not do this in play versions.[2]
*** According to TCM, Perrin has an attraction to Jocko.[2]
**** Peonie is an original character to the film.[2]
References
- ^ Schwabacher, Thomas K. (1957-05-16). "The Strange One". Harvard Crimson. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
- ^ a b c "The Strange One". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
External links
