Ira Hayes, a young Pima Indian, enlists in the Marine Corps. At boot camp, he is shunned and mocked by everyone, aside from a Marine named Sorenson, who he befriends. They happen to be two of the six marines captured in the famous photograph of Marines raising the U.S. flag on Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima, but Sorenson is killed soon after. Although he is hailed as a hero, Ira's life begins to spiral out of control after the war.
Il sesto eroe, Der Außenseiter, Le héros d'Iwo-Jima, El sexto héroe, O Sexto Homem
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There's no way to ignore Universal Pictures' decision to cast Tony Curtis in redface as Ira Hamilton Hayes, a Native American from the Pima Reservation in Arizona who served with honor as a US Marine during World War II (he was one of the six men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima in the iconic photograph by Joe Rosenthal), but Delbert Mann's film The Outsider does its best to make you overlook that fault as Curtis portrays Hayes with as much dignity as the makeup will allow.
The role is possibly the finest dramatic work I've seen from Curtis, who identified to some degree with his character's traumas due to several of his own painful experiences while growing up;…
This was a little dry but had some really powerful moments. There was a scene of the D Day landing where the two soldiers find a crab on the beach and dig him a little foxhole. I loved that respect for life amongst all the carnage. And the final shot of his frozen hand transitioning to the hand on the statue "Raising the Flag Over Iwo Jima", darkly beautiful.
This version of the story of Ira Hayes was certainly an uncommon movie for Hollywood in 1961. It was also somewhat uncommon for pretty boy Tony Curtis to play such a downbeat and totally sympathetic character. Curtis proved here that he was a first-class actor who could turn in well-rounded performances - displaying a wide range of human emotions. While it could be said the script took some liberties with certain aspects of the facts (but don't they all) it fairly well represents a reasonable outline of this tragic man's life and the dangers of propaganda 'Hero' worship. Fine direction, cinematography and production values maintain the sombre atmosphere needed to bring this realistic drama to vivid life.
The public doesn't…
Ira Hayes’ story is certainly one that deserves to be told and honored, and while Curtis is clearly dedicated to that in his performance it’s really such a wasted opportunity to give an indigenous actor a lead role. Aside from the casting snafu(s - everyone in the film is white), the movie is sympathetic to native Americans and surprisingly critical of the military. I guess by 1961 maybe it’s not all that surprising - but the devastation Hayes faces in being turned into a poster child is rendered so well, so damningly. Standout scenes: Hayes meeting his friend’s mother on a bond tour and having a silent emotional exchange, a notable contrast to everyone treating him like a big deal;…
It's a shame they cast Tony Curtis as Ira Hayes because such "red face" casting distracts from the genuine angst this film elicits. (Curtis does turn in a hell of a tortured performance--he has such an amazing set of eyes.)
Nevertheless, Mann does handy work bringing to life the truly unpleasant story of an American legend.
It's unfortunate and a problem that a white actor was cast to play Native American World War II veteran, Ira Hayes.
However, despite being in red face, Tony Curtis gives a great dramatic performance.
This whole movie is heartbreaking from start to finish-
- When Ira is writing home during boot camp and embellishing the truth about his "friends" to his family, while we see that he's an outsider
- When the song singing "Where Are You" starts playing as Ira is grieving for his friend. Gah
- When he sees his friend's mother and Ira connect
It's all made so much worse that Ira Hayes had a tragic end to his life. Gah
Der Beginn mit Ausbildungszeit und Kriegseinsatz weiß noch sehr zu gefallen. Dann wird ein Säuferdrama daraus mit keinen weiteren Höhepunkten. Das war leider dann nur noch fertigschauen.
Awesome historical bio-pic that takes a good deal of artistic license with Ira Hayes WWII war hero
Tony Curtis in red face as the Native American soldier who helped raise the flag at two Jima. He does well but it’s ridiculous casting that distracts from pretty much everything.
An unfortunately overlooked biopic, which, despite its inaccuracies to its source materials, delivers a powerful story of a soldier struggling with PTSD. The plot is loosely on the real-life tale of the Native American marine, Ira Hayes, who helped raise the flag on Iwo Jima. As one would expect, the title relates to the young man's feelings of isolation during boot camp, where he struggles to complete the rigorous activities and fit in. In true "Full Metal Jacket" fashion, a fellow recruit named Sorensen is tasked with helping Hayes train, and the pair eventually bond. Like the aforementioned Vietnam film, The Outsider's story is split into two parts which are separated by our hero's mounting of the American Flag in…
The Outsider – Strong Drama Based On Real Life
This version of the story of Ira Hayes was certainly an uncommon movie for Hollywood in 1961. It was also somewhat uncommon for pretty boy Tony Curtis to play such a downbeat and totally sympathetic character. Curtis proved here that he was a first-class actor who could turn in well- realised performances - displaying a wide range of human emotions. While it could be said the script took some liberties with certain aspects of the facts (but don’t they all) it fairly well represents a reasonable outline of this tragic man’s life and the dangers of propaganda ‘Hero’ worship. Fine direction, cinematography and production values maintain the sombre atmosphere needed to…
It's got most of the war movie clichés but this is a surprisingly effective film. Based on the true and tragic story of Ira Hayes, a Pima man whose life unraveled due to stress and survivor's guilt, the film does a good job addressing P.T.S.D. and the racial politics that unfortunately Hayes was a victim of. Tony Curtis plays the lead, in redface, which of course is distracting. Some parts of his performance are excellent, especially in the first third of the film where he sets up Hayes' insecurity and social awkwardness. He is awful at playing drunk, however. Nothing essential here, but for what this is, nice picture.
