The Visitors (1972 film)

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The Visitors
Film poster
Directed by	Elia Kazan
Written by	Chris Kazan
Produced by	Chris Kazan Nicholas T. Proferes
Starring	Patrick McVey James Woods
Cinematography	Nicholas T. Proferes
Edited by	Nicholas T. Proferes
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date	February 2, 1972 (1972-02-02)
Running time	88 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$160,000^[1]

The Visitors is a 1972 American drama film directed by Elia Kazan and starring Patrick McVey. It was entered into the 1972 Cannes Film Festival.^[2] Kazan used an article written by Daniel Lang for The New Yorker in 1969, and Lang's subsequent book Casualties of War, as a jumping-off point for this film.^[3]

Plot

Bill Schmidt and his long-term girlfriend Martha Wayne and their young son Hal live in a small Connecticut farmhouse owned by Martha's overbearing father. One snowy winter Saturday, two of Bill's ex-army buddies, Mike and Tony, arrive. A few years before, they had all served together in Vietnam in the same platoon but later ended up on opposite sides of a court-martial. Bill has never told his girlfriend what happened in Vietnam or at the court-martial. The story slowly unfolds. Under orders in Vietnam not to take any prisoners, and faced with potentially hostile civilians who might attack them if left behind, Mike kills a civilian after raping her. Bill testifies against him and Mike is sent to the stockade (military prison) for two years. He is angry. There is sexual tension between Mike and Martha. The tension builds and culminates in a fight and a rape.

Cast

Patrick McVey as Harry Wayne
Patricia Joyce as Martha Wayne
James Woods as Bill Schmidt
Steve Railsback as Mike Nickerson
Chico Martínez as Tony Rodrigues

References

^ Champlin, Charles (May 13, 1972). "Cannes Entries Rated by Talking Geiger Counter". Los Angeles Times. p. k1.
^ "Festival de Cannes: The Visitors". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved April 16, 2009.
^ "There is Yet More to Casualties of War". phoenixnewtimes. Archived from the original on August 8, 2010. Retrieved October 26, 2010.