Strange One, The (1957, U.S.A.)

Legendary actor Ben Gazzara made his feature film debut in The Strange One.  In it, he recreated his Broadway role in Calder Willingham’s gripping “End as a Man.”

Gazzara stars as Cadet Sgt. Jocko DeParis.  He’s a sadomasochistic bully in a Southern military academy.  He uses his magnetism and the school’s own military code to manipulate his fellow cadets and officers. When he engineers the expulsion of a hated rival, his reign of terror begins to unravel.

The film features a solid cast drawn from The Actor’s Studio in New York, including Pat Hingle, Mark Richman, George Peppard (also in his film debut) and Larry Gates.