Stuart Whitman gives one of the best performances of 1961 (certainly better than West Side Story). Maria Schell and Rod Steiger also give outstanding performances. The mature subject matter held down the audience numbers, as most Americans were much more concerned with musicals such as West Side Story (which was very good) and other fluff. This film is for serious film goers. The story of a reformed child molester is a subject that few studios would have the courage to tackle, but you must give credit for this studio for going forward with the project. I often pictured David Jansen in this role, as the film has a "fugitive" kind of feeling to it. The only part of the film that was disappointing was the ending, which was purely Hollywood, and should obviously have been different, which would have made it even more dramatic. Well worth viewing despite the ending.
Review of The Mark
