Disc Details
Special Features:	Widescreen format. Chapter selection. Animated menus. Commentary track by director Guy Green. Commentary track by actor Stuart Whitman. The 2000 ASC AWARDS presentation footage by Karl Malden honoring director Guy Green. Behind the scenes gallery. Theatrical trailer. Cast and Crew bios.
Video Format:	Widescreen (1.85:1) [SS-SL]
Languages:	English (Dolby Digital) Mono
Captions:	None.
Sides:	1-Disc Keep Case

Based on the controversial novel of the same name, "The Mark" tells the story of Jim Fuller (Stuart Whitman in an Oscar nominated performance), a man struggling to make his way in society after doing prison time for kidnapping a small girl in order to molest her. The unsavory subject matter is handled with intelligence and understanding. What makes the story of Fuller’s redemption through psychotherapy bearable to the viewing audience is the fact that the filmmakers had Fuller turn himself in before he acted on his urges. Because Fuller admits he is sick and turns himself into the police, the audience can have enough pity on him to watch the movie.

Fuller is released from prison after being declare well by Dr. McNally (Rod Steiger in a powerful performance). With Dr. McNally’s assistance, Fuller gets a job for Mr. Clive (Donald Wolfit) at his public relations firm. Fuller proves himself to be a very good worker. There he meets Mrs. Ruth Leighton (Maria Schell in the third great performance in this movie), the widowed mother of a 10 year old daughter. Clive knows what Fuller was in prison for. Mrs. Leighton only knows that Fuller had been in prison. Fuller and Mrs. Leighton strike up a romance as Fuller rises up the company ladder. Of course, dark secrets have to be revealed. How the characters respond makes for great drama.

Despite the unsympathetic premise, "The Mark" is engrossing drama. You find yourself pulled forward by the excellent script, direction and acting. Stuart Whitman made this movie back to back with "Murder Inc." He turned in excellent performances in both. Shamefully, he was never given the opportunity to shine like this again. His Jim Fuller is a highly conflicted man who wants to live free, but realizes that the dark urges that plagued him must forever be repressed. He would rather be put away for life than act them out. Worst than the pressure he puts on himself is the pressure he would receive from society if his secret past were revealed. On the commentary track, Mr. Whitman states that in this day and age, he believes the public has a right to know who is living in their neighborhood. (I agree). What makes Mr. Whitman’s performance all that more astonishing is the way he got the part. Whitman was in bed with Lee Remick doing a screen test when he was called away to the phone. It was his agent who told him to leave the set and go right to the airport. Whitman was not to call anyone, but to hurry to catch a flight from L.A. to London. He did. He knew nothing about the part he was taking. He just took his agent’s word for it. Once in London he was finally given a script. He read it and was shaken. How would such a role affect his career he thought? It got him an Oscar nomination! He got the part because Richard Burton had to pull out.

Rod Steiger is also excellent as Dr. McNally. The scenes between he and Mr. Whitman are among the best in the film. The sharp script brings to life one of the best representations of psychotherapy ever put on film. I was struck by the similarities between these two characters and the characters played by Timothy Hutton and Judd Hirsch in "Ordinary People." I would be surprised if director Robert Redford had not seen the earlier film, because he owes a big debt to "The Mark." Maria Schell is beautiful and engrossing as the working woman with painful past. She lives for her daughter, but she feels dead inside ever since her late husband’s unexpected death. It is a wonder to see this woman bloom. A wonderful performance. Ms. Schell had a dilemma after this film was released. At Oscar time she had to choose between her co-star Stuart Whitman and he brother Maximillian Schell who was nominated for "Judgment at Nuremberg." Maximillian Schell took home the best actor Oscar that year, but Mr. Whitman’s performance is still a powerful piece of acting.

If you want to be challenged by a movie, try to watch "The Mark" without any bias against the main character. It is hard to do. If you can get past the subject matter you will find this a rewarding movie experience.

Picture Quality: 8/10
I noticed some scratches which seemed to come from the source print during an important scene. It made it seem like it was raining inside the Dr.'s office. Except for this one scene, I didn't notice any artifacts or pixilation.

Sound Quality: 10/10
Even though it is in mono, the soundtrack is very effective. There are several "nightmare" sequences which are aided by the musical score.

Menu: 10/10
Cool surreal design. There is some great Indian music playing over the menu. I don't know what it has to do with the movie but it sounds cool. Easy to navigate.

Extra Features: 10/10
Two, count em! Two! commentary tracks. For a man of his age, director Guy green has a great memory. His commentary track was the better of the two. I did enjoy Mr. Whitman's track. While it wasn't as technically informative as Mr. Green's, it provided a lot of on set gossip. The bios are good, as is the gallery. I enjoyed the American Society of Cinematographers awards banquet immensely.

The Final Word:
This is tough movie to sit through due to the unpleasant subject matter. It is however, a very rewarding experience for those who make it. The DVD by VCI is outstanding. One of their best yet. Well worth the price of admission.

Rusty White