Man in the Middle (1964)

Despite its exotic WWII locations, Guy Hamilton's Man in the Middle is a courtroom drama with Robert Mitchum as a military lawyer urged by his superiors to cover up the facts behind a civilian murder committed by a military officer. Set in 1944 India, Mitchum plays a lieutenant colonel assigned to defend American soldier Keenan Wynn after he murders a British civilian; Mitchum quickly discovers that everyone involved in the case, from top general Barry Sullivan to British medical officer Alexander Knox, wants him to fall in line with a rush to execute Wynn and save face, despite his obvious insanity. Mitchum is typically solid in the lead, and the supporting cast, which includes France Nuyen as his semi-love interest and Sam Wanamaker as an army psychiatrist, offer fine performances; Hamilton, who would direct Goldfinger the following year, handles the legal fireworks with finesse. The DVD includes the original trailer as well as a gallery of promotional photographs (which play up the barely-there romance between Mitchum and Nuyen). -- Paul Gaita Amazon.com

 A pretty good military drama with a good story
Some of this movie may have been the basis for the film A Few Good Men. Robert Mitchum is a lieutenant colonel flown from Europe to India to be the defense attorney for an American lieutenant who murdered a British sergeant. He hasn't practiced any law for over 16 years and his primary defense witness, a doctor of phychiatry, has been transferred and his damaging report on the defendent suppressed by his superiors. The defendent is played by Keenan Wynn. The more his attorney speaks with him and others who knew him, the more convinced Mitchum becomes that the trial will not be fair and his defendant will be found guilty instead of insane. The rush to hang him is the excuse used to reduce tension between the British and American armies stationed in India.

The love interest for Mitchum is a nurse at the hospital played by France Nuyen. She becomes attracted to Mitchum and eventually they have a romance. But some of the scenes between them feel contrived. As she hugs him in one scene and when he is about to leave again at the end of the film she has no tears for him even though she tries.

At times the music is a little to melodramatic and does not really fit the scene. It is intended to dramatize a particular scene but is overdone. And of course there is the curstomary marching military band and patriotic music used in the film at some point.

The courtroom drama is pretty good, but the prosecuting attorney allows the defense attorney a lot of leeway to challenge its witnesses without any objections. The courtroom scenes in the Cane Mutiny are far better. The ending to this film leaves the audiance to speculate on whether the defendent is found guilty as the outcome of the trial is not shown or discussed.

Overall this is a pretty good film, but not a great film. The Cane Mutiny and A Few Good Men are still better films about flawed characters and military justice. December 1, 2007

 Man in the Middle 1963
Hollywood screen legend Robert Mitchum (1917-1997) heads an all-star cast in thsi *powerful..provocative* wartime drama , featuring exotic , unexpexted twist and an unforgettable courtroom climax ! . In a remote jungle outpost in the far eastern theatre of WW II , a hottheaded American Soldier murders an alilied British Sergeant in cold blood . Stalwart American Lt. Colonel Barney Adams (Mitchum) is dispatched to defend him in the ensuing court martial . But When Lt. Adams starts encountering roadblocks in his search for evidence , and his key witnesses start disappearing one after another , he soon realize he's merely a pawn in a mysterious conspiracy that could extend to the highest level of military power . High Quality Transfer . Recommended August 30, 2007

 It's about time!
20th Century Fox is to be congratulated for at last releasing to DVD this excellent movie. It has remained far too long in the vault and I am glad the studio has finally taken the intiative in releasing it.

The list of the film's virtues would run pretty long, but let me single out just a few. It has a great cast, headed by Robert Mitchum who does his usual fascinating performance, and lovely France Nuyen, who has never looked more beautiful. And just when you think you've been thoroughly entertained by these actors in comes Trevor Howard to steal the show, giving a brilliant performance. The fine script is well-directed by Guy Hamilton, who always did first-class work. He keeps the story moving well with continued points of interest. The music by John Barry is compelling and the cinematography by Wilkie Cooper is nothing short of superb.

It also has one other thing to recommend it: it has, bar none, the most striking opening scene in film history. February 2, 2007

More reviews at Amazon.com ...