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The Outsider (1961)

Rate: 3
Viewed: 8/25

8/25: Most are familiar with the famous image of six men raising the flag on Mount Suribachi in Iwo Jima but not the individuals involved in that.

One of them was an American Indian named Ira Hayes (his exact position is all the way to the left). That happened almost at the end of WWII, so it made things easier for him to get out of the Pacific Theater and be in the United States to promote goodwill of the military and help raise money to pay off the debt through war bonds. At the same time, Ira Hayes was suffering from PTSD and alcoholism and couldn't handle his newfound fame well. He died on January 24, 1955, at age 32.

I didn't know any of this until I watched The Outsider. Unfortunately, it's a very dull biopic. The role calls for an actor with strong theatrical background, and that's not Tony Curtis who's a 100% movie star. There's a huge difference. As a result, he gives an ordinary performance by failing to dig deep.

Making matters worse is the Indianfaced cast of white thespians. It's very embarrassing to watch. Had Hollywood waited another decade to find the right people like Graham Greene along with better filmmakers, the story of Ira Hayes would've been treated appropriately to prevent it from being so forgotten. As a matter of fact, Clint Eastwood took on the task through Flags of Our Fathers. By the way, you can see the real Ira Hayes in Sands of Iwo Jima, a John Wayne picture.

All in all, The Outsider is a disappointing bore that does Ira Hayes grave injustice.

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