Themes: Rape & Sexual Abuse, Military Life, Social Injustice
Main Cast: Kirk Douglas, E.G. Marshall, Robert Blake, Richard Jaeckel, Christine Kaufmann, Frank Sutton
Release Year: 1961
Country: CH/US/WG
Run Time: 105 minutes
Plot
Gene Pitney's hit title song for this courtroom drama became a bigger and more enduring success than the film in which it was repeatedly sung. The story takes place in postwar Germany in the village of Neustadt. A group of four drunken American soldiers come upon a teenage girl, Karin Steinhof (Christine Kaufmann), in the woods outside town. She had been trying to seduce her boyfriend, Frank Borgmann (Gerhart Lippert), but the inexperienced young man got flustered and left. The soldiers take advantage of the situation and are charged with rape. Karin's father Herr Steinhof (Hans Nielsen) wants the death penalty. Major Steve Garrett (Kirk Douglas), the attorney whom the military brings in to handle the defense, bullies Karin's parents, warning that he will put her on the stand. He also talks to townspeople and finds out that Karin has a reputation for standing undressed in front of windows as people pass by. Garrett builds a strong case, leading to a dramatic trial and a shocking conclusion. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
Review
Town Without Pity deserves credit for trying to tackle some explosive subject matters -- several explosive subject matters, actually. For a film in 1961 to take on rape, let alone gang rape, let alone gang rape by U.S. servicemen stationed abroad took guts. For it to also take on the hypocrisy and pettiness of a community affected by this heinous act and then to further address the issue of the victim's potential "complicity" took even more guts. Unfortunately, what could have been a truly fascinating, in-depth look at the complexities of these issues comes off instead as overblown and overwrought, a film with a lot of posturing and theatrics instead of a serious consideration of the issues. As a result, much of Town feels exploitive rather than insightful. It's still powerful stuff, mind you, and that sheer power will be enough for many viewers. Gottfried Reinhardt's direction is uneven; when he connects, he makes the material jump, but when he misses, it seriously affects the film's impact. And it was a major miscalculation to use constant voiceover narration, a tactic which quickly becomes grating. Kirk Douglas does a splendid job as the defense attorney trying to save his guilty clients from the death penalty, Christine Kaufmann does quite well as the victim and E.G. Marshall is solid as her lawyer. Perhaps the most surprising work comes from Frank Sutton (TV's Sgt. Carter on Gomer Pyle) as one of the rapists and the best work from a magnetic Robert Blake as one of the other violators. And yes, Gene Pitney's hit song does indeed come from this movie -- unfortunately, played so frequently that it becomes as annoying as the narration. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Mal Sondock - Joey; Barbara Rutting - Inge Koerner; Hans Nielsen - Karl Steinhof; Karin Hardt - Frau Steinhof; Gerhart Lippert - Frank Borgmann; Max Haufler - Dr. Urban; Siegfried Schürenberg - Burgermeister; Alan Gifford - Gen. Stafford; Stefan Schnabel; Teddy Turner; Ingrid van Bergen - Trude; Eleanore van Hoogstraten - Frau Borgmann; Gerd Vespermann; Rose Renee Roth - Frau Kulig; Gernot Duda; Fred Durr
Credit
Rolf Zehetbauer - Art Director, Gottfried Reinhardt - Director, Walter Boos - Editor, Hermann Haller - Editor, Dimitri Tiomkin - Composer (Music Score), Albert Nagel - Makeup, Kurt Hasse - Cinematographer, Gottfried Reinhardt - Producer, Eberhard Meischner - Producer, Werner Achmann - Set Designer, Rolf Zehetbauer - Set Designer, Erwin C. Dietrich - Screenwriter, Jan Lustig - Screenwriter, George Hurdalek - Screenwriter, Silvia Reinhardt - Screenwriter, Manfred Gregor - Book Author
Town Without Pity is a 1961 film American and West German co-produced film starring Kirk Douglas as Major Steve Garrett.
It is also the name of a song from that movie, performed by Gene Pitney and covered by many other musicians, including Ronnie Montrose.
Plot
Four American soldiers are accused of raping a girl from a German village. Major Steve Garrett is assigned to defend them. During the investigation of the trial, Garrett learns the truth of the girl's family's relationship with the other residents of the village. And while he faces his own guilt at having to destroy the poor girl's credibility on the stand, he must also deal with the knowledge that should he fail, the four soldiers will be executed.
