Town Without Pity
Encyclopedia
Town Without Pity is a 1961 American, Austrian and West German international co-production
film drama starring Kirk Douglas
, directed by Gottfried Reinhardt. It was made by Mirisch Productions for United Artists
.
The film was based on the 1960 novel Das Urteil (The Verdict) by German writer Gregor Dorfmeister
, who wrote under the pen name Manfred Gregor. The film was rewritten at Kirk Douglas' suggestion by Dalton Trumbo
without credit.
The film's score is by Dimitri Tiomkin
. Tiomkin also wrote the music for the song "Town Without Pity", with lyrics by Ned Washington
. It was performed by Gene Pitney. The song became an Academy Award nominee and Pitney's first Top 40 single.
) in occupied Germany after World War II. Meanwhile, sixteen-year-old Karin Steinhof (Christine Kaufmann
) has a quarrel with her nineteen-year-old boyfriend, Frank Borgmann, in the countryside. She leaves to change out of her wet bikini
, and is taken by Sergeant Chuck Snyder (Frank Sutton
) and gang raped by him, Corporal Birdwell Scott (Richard Jaeckel
), Private Joey Haines (Mal Sondock) and Corporal Jim Larkin (Robert Blake
). When Frank hears her screams for help, he runs to her, but is knocked out. After the four men are done, the guilt-ridden Larkin lingers behind; he covers the girl with his shirt before leaving with the others.
The soldiers are quickly apprehended. To appease the anger and outrage of the Germans, General Stafford orders that their court martial be held in public in the local high school gymnasium. The prosecutor, Colonel Jerome Pakenham (E. G. Marshall
), seeks the death penalty. Major Steve Garrett (Kirk Douglas) is assigned to defend them.
After interviewing his clients, Garrett tries to plea bargain
for long sentences at hard labor in an attempt to save their lives, but Pakenham has such a strong case, he turns it down. Garrett starts investigating, questioning the residents. He is followed by Inge Koener (Barbara Rütting
), a hostile German reporter from what Garrett considers to be a scandal-seeking newspaper.
At the start of the trial, three of the men plead not guilty. Larkin tries to enter a plea of guilty, but is overruled by Garrett. Garrett produces an army psychiatrist who had been treating Larkin before the incident. The witness testifies that Larkin is impotent for psychological reasons. Larkin violently denies it, and has to be forcibly removed from the courtroom.
After the first day of testimony, Garrett pleads with Karin's bank manager father, Karl Steinhof (Hans Nielsen
), to withdraw her from the trial before it is too late, stating that he will have to break her down on the stand to save his clients. He advise Herr Steinof to take his family and leave town, but Steinhof refuses.
With no choice, Garrett shows that Karin is not as innocent as she first appeared, nor is she well liked. He also catches both her and Frank in pointless little lies to destroy their credibility. As his cross examination of Karin continues, the girl eventually collapses under the strain. Her father withdraws her from the trial, which ensures that the defendants cannot be executed. Three are sentenced to long terms at hard labor; Larkin is given a shorter sentence of six years. The damage has been done, however; the townsfolk turn against Karin.
Though Frank attacks him with a whip, Garrett tells him to take Karin and leave town forever. The young man takes his advice, but to raise money, he forges his mother's check. Determined to keep her son under her control, she sends the police after the couple. While Frank argues with the policemen, Karin runs away. Koerner later informs Garrett that Karin committed suicide, drowning herself in the river near where she had been violated.
International co-production
An international co-production is a production where two or more different production companies are working together, for example in a film production...
film drama starring Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas is an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. His popular films include Out of the Past , Champion , Ace in the Hole , The Bad and the Beautiful , Lust for Life , Paths of Glory , Gunfight at the O.K...
, directed by Gottfried Reinhardt. It was made by Mirisch Productions for United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
.
The film was based on the 1960 novel Das Urteil (The Verdict) by German writer Gregor Dorfmeister
Gregor Dorfmeister
Gregor Dorfmeister is a German journalist and writer. Under the pseudonym Manfred Gregor Dorfmeister published three novels...
, who wrote under the pen name Manfred Gregor. The film was rewritten at Kirk Douglas' suggestion by Dalton Trumbo
Dalton Trumbo
James Dalton Trumbo was an American screenwriter and novelist, and one of the Hollywood Ten, a group of film professionals who refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947 during the committee's investigation of Communist influences in the motion picture industry...
without credit.
The film's score is by Dimitri Tiomkin
Dimitri Tiomkin
Dimitri Zinovievich Tiomkin was a Russian-born Hollywood film score composer and conductor. He is considered "one of the giants of Hollywood movie music." Musically trained in Russia, he is best known for his westerns, "where his expansive, muscular style had its greatest impact." Tiomkin...
. Tiomkin also wrote the music for the song "Town Without Pity", with lyrics by Ned Washington
Ned Washington
Ned Washington was an American lyricist.-Biography:Washington was nominated for eleven Academy Awards from 1940 to 1962...
. It was performed by Gene Pitney. The song became an Academy Award nominee and Pitney's first Top 40 single.
Plot
Four somewhat drunk American soldiers leave a bar (where "Town Without Pity" is playing on the jukeboxJukebox
A jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media...
) in occupied Germany after World War II. Meanwhile, sixteen-year-old Karin Steinhof (Christine Kaufmann
Christine Kaufmann
Christine Maria Kaufmann is a German actress. In 1961 she won the Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actress, the only German to be so honoured....
) has a quarrel with her nineteen-year-old boyfriend, Frank Borgmann, in the countryside. She leaves to change out of her wet bikini
Bikini
The bikini is typically a women's two-piece swimsuit. One part of the attire covers the breasts and the other part covers the crotch and part of or the entire buttocks, leaving an uncovered area between the two. Merriam–Webster describes the bikini as "a woman's scanty two-piece bathing suit" or "a...
, and is taken by Sergeant Chuck Snyder (Frank Sutton
Frank Sutton
Frank Spencer Sutton was an American actor best remembered for his role of Gunnery Sergeant Vince Carter on the CBS television series Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.-Early life:...
) and gang raped by him, Corporal Birdwell Scott (Richard Jaeckel
Richard Jaeckel
Richard Hanley Jaeckel was an American actor of film and television.-Life and career:Jaeckel was born in Long Beach, New York. A short, but tough guy, he played a variety of characters during his fifty years in movies & television and became one of Hollywood's best known character actors...
), Private Joey Haines (Mal Sondock) and Corporal Jim Larkin (Robert Blake
Robert Blake (actor)
Robert Blake is an American actor who starred in the film In Cold Blood and the U.S. television series Baretta. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted for the 2001 murder of his wife, but on November 18, 2005, Blake was found liable in a California civil court for her wrongful death.-Early...
). When Frank hears her screams for help, he runs to her, but is knocked out. After the four men are done, the guilt-ridden Larkin lingers behind; he covers the girl with his shirt before leaving with the others.
The soldiers are quickly apprehended. To appease the anger and outrage of the Germans, General Stafford orders that their court martial be held in public in the local high school gymnasium. The prosecutor, Colonel Jerome Pakenham (E. G. Marshall
E. G. Marshall
E. G. Marshall was an American actor, best known for his television roles as the lawyer Lawrence Preston on The Defenders in the 1960s, and as neurosurgeon David Craig on The Bold Ones: The New Doctors in the 1970s...
), seeks the death penalty. Major Steve Garrett (Kirk Douglas) is assigned to defend them.
After interviewing his clients, Garrett tries to plea bargain
Plea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
for long sentences at hard labor in an attempt to save their lives, but Pakenham has such a strong case, he turns it down. Garrett starts investigating, questioning the residents. He is followed by Inge Koener (Barbara Rütting
Barbara Rütting
Barbara Rütting is a German film actress and author. She appeared in 50 films between 1952 and 1979. She was born in Ludwigsfelde-Wietstock, Germany.-Selected filmography:* The Last Bridge * Mädchen ohne Grenzen...
), a hostile German reporter from what Garrett considers to be a scandal-seeking newspaper.
At the start of the trial, three of the men plead not guilty. Larkin tries to enter a plea of guilty, but is overruled by Garrett. Garrett produces an army psychiatrist who had been treating Larkin before the incident. The witness testifies that Larkin is impotent for psychological reasons. Larkin violently denies it, and has to be forcibly removed from the courtroom.
After the first day of testimony, Garrett pleads with Karin's bank manager father, Karl Steinhof (Hans Nielsen
Hans Nielsen (actor)
Hans Nielsen was a German film actor. He appeared in 136 films between 1937 and 1965.He was born in Hamburg, Germany and died in Berlin, Germany.-Selected filmography:* Daphne and the Diplomat...
), to withdraw her from the trial before it is too late, stating that he will have to break her down on the stand to save his clients. He advise Herr Steinof to take his family and leave town, but Steinhof refuses.
With no choice, Garrett shows that Karin is not as innocent as she first appeared, nor is she well liked. He also catches both her and Frank in pointless little lies to destroy their credibility. As his cross examination of Karin continues, the girl eventually collapses under the strain. Her father withdraws her from the trial, which ensures that the defendants cannot be executed. Three are sentenced to long terms at hard labor; Larkin is given a shorter sentence of six years. The damage has been done, however; the townsfolk turn against Karin.
Though Frank attacks him with a whip, Garrett tells him to take Karin and leave town forever. The young man takes his advice, but to raise money, he forges his mother's check. Determined to keep her son under her control, she sends the police after the couple. While Frank argues with the policemen, Karin runs away. Koerner later informs Garrett that Karin committed suicide, drowning herself in the river near where she had been violated.
Cast
- Kirk DouglasKirk DouglasKirk Douglas is an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. His popular films include Out of the Past , Champion , Ace in the Hole , The Bad and the Beautiful , Lust for Life , Paths of Glory , Gunfight at the O.K...
as Major Garrett - Barbara RüttingBarbara RüttingBarbara Rütting is a German film actress and author. She appeared in 50 films between 1952 and 1979. She was born in Ludwigsfelde-Wietstock, Germany.-Selected filmography:* The Last Bridge * Mädchen ohne Grenzen...
as Inge Koerner - Christine KaufmannChristine KaufmannChristine Maria Kaufmann is a German actress. In 1961 she won the Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actress, the only German to be so honoured....
as Karin Steinhof - E. G. MarshallE. G. MarshallE. G. Marshall was an American actor, best known for his television roles as the lawyer Lawrence Preston on The Defenders in the 1960s, and as neurosurgeon David Craig on The Bold Ones: The New Doctors in the 1970s...
as Colonel Pakenham - Hans NielsenHans Nielsen (actor)Hans Nielsen was a German film actor. He appeared in 136 films between 1937 and 1965.He was born in Hamburg, Germany and died in Berlin, Germany.-Selected filmography:* Daphne and the Diplomat...
as Karl Steinhof - Ingrid van BergenIngrid van BergenIngrid van Bergen is a German film actress. She has appeared in 100 films since 1954. She was born in Free City of Danzig, today Gdansk, Poland....
as Trude, a prostitute who provides Garrett with information - Robert BlakeRobert Blake (actor)Robert Blake is an American actor who starred in the film In Cold Blood and the U.S. television series Baretta. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted for the 2001 murder of his wife, but on November 18, 2005, Blake was found liable in a California civil court for her wrongful death.-Early...
as Corporal Jim Larkin - Richard JaeckelRichard JaeckelRichard Hanley Jaeckel was an American actor of film and television.-Life and career:Jaeckel was born in Long Beach, New York. A short, but tough guy, he played a variety of characters during his fifty years in movies & television and became one of Hollywood's best known character actors...
as Corporal Birdwell Scott - Frank SuttonFrank SuttonFrank Spencer Sutton was an American actor best remembered for his role of Gunnery Sergeant Vince Carter on the CBS television series Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.-Early life:...
as Sergeant Chuck Snyder - Karin HardtKarin Hardt-Selected filmography:* Vater geht auf Reisen * Daphne and the Diplomat * Madonna in Ketten * Town Without Pity -External links:...
as Frau Steinhof, Karin's mother - Gerhart Lippert as Frank Borgmann
- Mal Sondock as Private Joey Haines
- Alan Gifford as General Stafford
- Max HauflerMax HauflerMax Haufler was a Swiss actor and film director. He committed suicide in 1965 after failing to get backing for his film Der Stumme , based on the novel by author Otto F. Walter.-Selected filmography:...
as Doctor Urban, called to testify about Larkin - Rose Renée Roth as Frau Kulig, a town gossip
- Eleonore von Hoogstraten as Frau Borgmann, Frank's mother
- Egon von JordanEgon von JordanEgon von Jordan was an Austrian film actor. He appeared in 85 films between 1923 and 1974.-Selected filmography:* Young Medardus * One Does Not Play with Love -External links:...
as Bürgermeister - Philo Hauser as Herr Schmidt