The Strange One

The Strange One is a 1957 black-and-white film about students faced with an ethical dilemma in a military college in the Southern United States. The film is adapted from a novel and stage play by Calder Willingham called End as a Man, and the film is sometimes referred to by that name.

Cadet Staff Sergeant Jocko DeParis

 * Come on. Let's go to college and get some knowledge.
 * Listen, Cockroach, if you don't stop following me around and bugging me, I'm gonna stuff your nauseating carcass into one of those artillery pieces, pull the lanyard and blow you out to sea. Now do you understand me?
 * Well, sir, it's got to be one of two things. Either you're lying, in which case there'd be no whiskey in that tube- or you're right. I did it all, just as you say. Now, if I was such a Machiavellian, crafty, conniving character as all that, would I be so stupid as to leave whiskey in that tube for you to come along and find it? I don't think so, sir. It stands to reason that thing would be washed with loving care.
 * I can't sign that statement. Because there's something in it, that isn't true at all. Sure, Georgie was framed- my hands are clean! Gatt beat him up, those freshmen poured whiskey in him, and Koble carried him down to the quadrangle. And who would believe all this bunk, anyhow? How could I make Gatt beat up Georgie? He's twice my size! And these freshmen, did I hold a pistol to their heads and make them do this? DID I?! Oh, no, no. They're just as guilty as I am.
 * I'll be back! I'll get you guys! You can't do this to Jocko DeParis!

Harold Koble

 * It's wrong to blame this school, Robert. It ain't the school's fault about Jocko. Shoot, that boy'd been the way he is no matter where he'd gone.


 * Well, it's easy for you to talk, 'cause you're plannin' on leavin' anyhow. How about the rest of us? Me and Rog's got a lot to lose. Gonna get s. Credit's gonna be no good at another school. Three years we've spent here ain't gonna amount to a doggone thing.

Dialogue

 * Jocko DeParis: You freshmen seem shocked by our friendly visit. And disturbed by our continued presence here. Now, Mr. Simmons. Do you have any grounds for such an attitude?
 * Simmons: No, sir.
 * Jocko DeParis: And yet we'd all be expelled if we were caught here. Isn't that right, you insidious beast?
 * Simmons: Yes, sir.
 * Jocko DeParis: Well, now. You weren't being logical, were you, Mr. Simmons?
 * Simmons: No, sir.
 * Jocko DeParis: Have you figured out yet who won the Civil War?
 * Simmons: The North, sir.
 * Jocko DeParis: How dare you come down to our Southland and say a thing like that? You lying carpetbagger. Now, which side emerged victorious in the War Between the States, mister?
 * Simmons: The South, sir.
 * Jocko DeParis: So now you're being sarcastic. Trying to make fun of the South in your sly Yankee way, saying the South won the war when any fool knows the North won. Oh, what a conniving character you are. What a sly, crafty, calculating devil you are. [Puts Simmons' own dress uniform belt around his neck] Let's [lynch[]] him, Harold.
 * Harold Koble: [Laughing] Come on, Jock. You're gettin' this poor boy all confused in his mind!
 * Jocko DeParis: I think we should lynch him, Harold. He's probably a communist anyhow.
 * Harold Koble: Jock, he don't look like much of nothin' to me.
 * Jocko DeParis: Well, remind me to lynch him sometime, Harold; he needs it. You insane brutes rest.
 * [Simmons and Marquales go from bracing to standing at rest]
 * Jocko DeParis: We're going to have a little surprise party tonight. A card game. It's been our superb good fortune that I've been able to interest a great wit in joining us; Mr. Roger B. Gatt. His sense of humor, his courtly good manners, his true Southern charm make him stand out from the crowd wherever he goes. Mr. Marquales, you're gonna win about $90 from him.
 * Robert Marquales: I'm gonna win $90?
 * Jocko DeParis: [Pausing to light a cigarette] Mm-hm. That's more or less what he has on him.


 * Jocko DeParis: You wanna know what happened, sir? I'll tell you what happened.
 * Major Avery: You sure will. You'll tell me right now, and then you'll go with me and tell Colonel Ramey.
 * Jocko DeParis: Well, this is what happened, sir. Your son got blind drunk, fell down a flight of stairs, and passed out on the quadrangle. The sad fact is, he's had a nervous breakdown. Well, if you want my advice, sir, then I suggest you put your son in a sanitarium. He's a very sick boy, sir. It would be best for him to be separated for a while from you and Mrs. Avery. You know they say these mental breakdowns often come from a lack of harmony in the home.
 * [''Major Avery, who has been steadily losing his composure, stands up and smacks DeParis across the face, knocking his uniform hat off.]
 * Jocko DeParis: [Backing up] No disrespect intended towards you and Mrs. Avery, sir. I'm sure both of you have tried very hard to be good parents to Georgie.
 * Major Avery: [Smacking DeParis again and again] You liar! Tell the truth! TELL ME THE TRUTH, YOU LIAR!
 * [DeParis is pushed out of Major Avery's office; the cadet Sergeant-of-the-Guard and Officer-of-the-Day are outside, along with numerous other cadets nearby. Major Avery slowly goes back inside his office and returns the uniform hat to DeParis.]
 * Jocko DeParis: Lucky for you, sir, I'm not a vindictive person. You've just done me a terrible injustice.
 * [Major Avery goes back inside his office and closes the door; DeParis goes to leave, passing the cadets who witnessed the incident.]
 * Perrin 'Cockroach' McKee: That was a magnificent performance.
 * Jocko DeParis: [Ignoring McKee, to Harold Koble] Harold. I think we just lost ourselves a Major.


 * Harold Koble: Man, I thought you couldn't stand that guy. I never knew you liked him...
 * Jocko DeParis: I don't.
 * Harold Koble: What was he doin' in here, anyhow?
 * Jocko DeParis: He was reading me a book. [Suddenly furious, Jocko picks up a chair and hurls it across the room.] Cockroach writes.


 * [Jocko DeParis has been trapped in a restaurant he frequently visits, and led upstairs by Marquales. A large group of cadets, including several holding rank, is waiting for him in the room. The senior cadet present is Cadet Colonel Laurie Corger, the regimental commander.]
 * Jocko DeParis: Well, fellas, this looks like quite a party. Am I invited?
 * Laurie Corger: You're the guest of honor. [Gestures to a chair in the middle of the room] Sit down on that chair.
 * [DeParis goes to the chair but turns to face Corger, defiantly planting one foot on it instead of sitting down.]
 * Laurie Corger: DeParis, the men in this room, and the men outside, don't intend to let you get away with what you've done to Major Avery.
 * Jocko DeParis: Well, he hit me. And I must say, I used every bit of restraint- refraining from knocking his head off. [Steps forward, staring around at the cadets] Who do you think you are, the Ku Klux Klan? Now, look- if I've done something wrong, Corger, why haven't I been reported to a regular Honor Court?
 * Laurie Corger: Because an Honor Court couldn't make you sign this statement. We can.
 * Jocko DeParis: [Smirking] You guys really do think you're the Ku Klux Klan, don't you? Do you realize that what you're doing is completely illegal?! Every one of you guys could be expelled for this!
 * Laurie Corger: For what we're doing to you, we could get a lot worse.
 * Jocko DeParis: You certainly could. I've been abducted in a public restaurant! I think you're all out of your minds!
 * Laure Corger: [Holding out a piece of paper and a pen] All right, DeParis. You read this- and sign it.
 * [DeParis takes the paper, then drops it to the floor without reading it. Angered, a number of cadets get up and step towards him.]
 * Laurie Corger: Read it!
 * [DeParis hesitates, but bends down and picks up the paper. After reading it for a moment he starts laughing.]
 * Jocko DeParis: [Whacking the paper with one hand] This is crazy! I never did any of this. Who says I did this?
 * Laurie Corger: Go ahead and sign, DeParis. You're not foolin' anybody in this room.
 * Jocko DeParis: I deny these charges, and I challenge you to prove them!
 * Laurie Corger: Witnesses have testified against you! Now, you better sign while you're still able to.

Tagline

 * "THE STRANGE ONE" IS A STRANGE ONE! (original print ad - all caps)
 * You'll never forget BEN GAZZARA as the louse, "Jocko"
 * The Most Fascinating Louse You Ever Met!

Cast

 * Ben Gazzera - Cadet Sgt. Jocko DeParis
 * Pat Hingle - Cadet Harold "Harry" Koble
 * Peter Mark Richman - Cadet Col. Laurie Lorger
 * Arthur Storch - Cadet Simmons
 * Paul E. Richards - Cadet Perrin "Cockroach" McKee
 * Larry Gates - Maj. George Avery Sr.
 * Clifton James - Col. M.N. Ramsey
 * Geoffrey Horne - Cadet George Avery Jr.
 * James Olson - Cadet Roger Gatt
 * Julie Wilson - Peonie (aka "Rosebud")
 * George Peppard - Cadet Robert Marquales