The Men (1950) by Fred Zinnemann: Paraplegia and main protagonists in the rehabilitation of a disability

Abstract

The Men (1950) by Fred Zinnemann and starring Marlon Brando, is a movie that shows the story of Lieutenant Ken Wilcott, who suffers from paraplegia due to a gunshot wound in the back when he was on duty in World War II. With the help of Dr. Brock and his fiancée Ellen he manages to overcome his disability and begin his process of acceptance and rehabilitation. Through the film we can see the process suffered by patients with disabilities, from denial and depression to finally accept their disability and set out to establish a good future. In the same way, we discuss the importance of the main characters and their functions around a disability: the patient, the doctor, the family and society.

Keywords

• discapacidad
• paraplejía
• rehabilitación
• discriminación