The Mark

The Mark (1961)

A film which doesn't 'protect' you from the truth!

A man who served prison time for intent to molest a child tries to build a new life with the help of a sympathetic psychiatrist.

Date of release
1961-01-26
TMDB
6.2 / 10 (22)
Runtime
2h 7m
Genres
Drama
Director
Guy Green

Casting

Interesting facts

  • Awards: 0 · Nominations: 1

The Mark is a 1961 British drama film directed by Guy Green, produced by Raymond Stross, and starring Stuart Whitman, Maria Schell, Rod Steiger and Brenda De Banzie. It is adapted by Sidney Buchman and Stanley Mann from a 1951 novel by American writer Charles E. Israel. The film concerns a convicted sex offender trying to rebuild his life after a prison sentence (Whitman), but is suspected in the sexual assault of a child.

Production

Each of the three main characters was played by an actor not originally slated for the role. Stuart Whitman was a last-minute replacement for Richard Burton; Maria Schell took over for Jean Simmons, who was supposed to have played Ruth; and the role of the prison psychiatrist was intended for Trevor Howard before Rod Steiger was cast.

According to an interview given by Steiger many years later, he had visited an analyst himself in the 1950s and observed how he conducted himself. He played McNally as an Irishman to avoid stereotyping and added touches to impart more humanity to the character. Steiger claimed that the portrayal was so well received by psychiatric professionals that he was invited to speak at a convention by a psychiatric society.

Though a British production, the film's controversial subject matter led principal photography to take place in Ireland. Shooting at Ardmore Studios.

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