Disability Happens ™

by Joe Posner

Like ’60s TV, movies in that era were also a reflection of turbulent, sometimes confusing times. When it came to the depiction of the disabled in 1960s movies, it was definitely a good news, bad news situation.

The bad news was represented by “Dr. No,” the first James Bond movie, released in 1962. Directed by Terence Young, from the Ian Fleming novel, it starred Sean Connery, Joseph Wiseman, Ursula Andress, Jack Lord and John Kitzmiller.

When a British operative is killed in Jamaica, secret agent James Bond (Connery), also known as 007, is sent to investigate. It seems the British spy agency suspects a link between the death and mysterious disruptions of Cape Canaveral rocket launches in nearby Florida.

With the aid of helpful local Quarrel (Kitzmiller) and sexy local Honey Ryder (Andress), Bond/Connery eventually meets Dr. Julius No (Wiseman), the man behind the murder AND the disruptions. No/Wiseman is Asian, smart, evil and disabled!

The choice of Wiseman, a Caucasian, to play an Asian via makeup seems inappropriate, in an era when Asian characters were more typically played by Asian actors. Nonetheless, this is neither the article nor the web site for THAT discussion.

After capturing Bond and Ryder, Dr. No explains, over dinner, that he’s messing with the U.S. rocket launches because the West and East have rejected his genius. Huh?

No/Wiseman has metal prosthetic devices, having previously lost his hands in a manner never specified. Although it’s difficult to reach into the mind of deceased source book author Fleming, No’s disability SEEMS to have been included to increase the spooky/ fear factor of the character, particularly in a climactic fight scene between No and Bond in a dangerous nuclear reactor. Guess who wins?

The good news was represented by “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter,” released in 1968. Directed by Robert Ellis Miller, and based on Carson McCullers’ novel, it starred Alan Arkin, Sondra Locke, Stacy Keach, Percy Rodriguez, Cicely Tyson and Chuck McCann.

In the 1930s, in a small southern town, Mick Kelly (Locke), a teenage tomboy, struggles to find her place in the world. Ironically, one of the few people she feels she can communicate with is John Singer (Arkin) a deaf mute who is renting a room in her mother’s home.

Critics have debated for years whether the teenage Kelly or deaf mute Singer are the protagonists of McCullers’ classic book. As far as the movie is concerned, however, Singer/Arkin is the protagonist, despite the fact that both Arkin AND Locke were nominated for Oscars for their respective performances.

Although the film initially seems to be a coming of age story of Kelly (Locke), it ultimately evolves into Singer/Arkin’s story, a triumph and tragic tale of his relationships with all the other characters in the town. Expressing himself via printed signs, facial expressions and gestures, Singer communicates his thoughts and feelings better than anyone else!

Arkin, ultimately, did not win the Oscar for his astounding performance. Nonetheless, Arkin’s Singer, a figure of great dignity and empathy, once experienced, will remain with you forever.

Category : Film