Whenever I hear the name Lee Marvin, the first films that come to mind are ‘The Dirty Dozen’, a favourite of my dads who would watch it every time it came on the telly (as do I now) and ‘Point Blank’ a crime thriller directed by John Boorman. In the first Marvin plays Major John Reisman who is tasked with the turning a dozen Second World War rogue soldiers, all about to be hung or begin 20-year minimum jail sentences due to various wartime misdemeanours, into a fighting unit ready to take on a near-impossible mission behind enemy lines.
The second sees Marvin play ‘Walker’ who is seeking revenge after being conned, abandoned and left to die by a crime partner. Please note fashion watchers that Lee wears some natty threads in this one, including a pair of Florsheim Imperial brown grain cordovan leather longwing brogues, that still get men of a certain age to act all unnecessary when seen on screen. They are now owned by film director Jim Jarmusch trivia fans.
Lee Marvin certainly had a presence on screen, often brooding and serious in the main, and he gave off a vibe that warned he was not one to be messed with.
He was born in New York in 1924, the son of middle-class parents who named him after General Robert E. Lee, a distant relative of years gone by. Lee grew to be a troublesome kid, who ended up expelled from many schools on many occasions.
This rebellious streak was finally channelled in military service when he joined the US Marines, seeing active duty in the Second World War in the Pacific conflict where he was awarded the Purple Heart medal. Rising to the rank of corporal, before being demoted due to bad behaviour, he was finally medically discharged as a private first class after a year of treatment in a naval hospital.Whilst working at a local theatre as a plumber after the war, he was asked to step in when an actor called in sick. He then used his GI bill to then study acting as he found he enjoyed the craft.
Early TV work soon followed, as well as small parts on the stage. His first film ‘You’re In The Navy Now’ took him to Hollywood where Marvin decided to stay to see what work he could find.
He soon became a popular choice for roles in both war and western films due to that presence on screen, mentioned earlier. In 1953 he appeared in directors Fritz Lang’s film noir hit ‘The Big Heat’. In this, Marvin became notorious for throwing scalding hot coffee in the face of co-star Gloria Grahame. In the same year, he appeared in ‘The Wild One’ alongside Marlon Brando and he caught more attention in 1955 with his work on ‘Bad Day at Black Rock.’
His first leading role came via the TV series ‘M Squad’ in which he played Chicago policeman lieutenant Frank Ballinger in 100 episodes from 1957 to 1960
1961 sees him act with John Wayne in the ‘The Comancheros’ and they team up again in 1962 for ‘The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
His years as a supporting actor were soon over, however, when he
picked up a Best Actor Oscar for his work in the 1965 western ‘Cat Ballou’ (remember the drunk horse? Of course you do..)
In the film, Marvin played both gunslingers ‘Tim Strawn’ and ‘Kid Shelleen’ in a dual role.
The aforementioned ‘The Dirty Dozen’ was next in 1967 and that elevated him to the level of A-Lister. Starring alongside the likes of Telly Savalas, Donald Surherland, Charles Bronson and John Casavetes, this Robert Aldrich classic went on to be a box office smash.
Marvin was now a huge star and wielded decent power on what roles and films he appeared in. He used this to good effect starring as ‘Walker’ on ‘Point Blank’, also from 1967, personally selecting British director John Boorman to make the film.
‘I want my 93 grand…’
He was due to work on the 1969 film ‘The Wild Bunch’ but had a dispute with its director Sam Peckinpah, so instead ended up in the musical ‘Paint Your Wagon’ as gold miner Ben Rumson. This became one of the most expensive films ever made.
Marvin, now earning a million dollars a film, also became an unlikely pop star with the number one hit ‘Wand’rin Star’ from the film.
Politically Marvin was democrat down to his bootlaces, coming out as anti the Vietnam War, and he was an early advocate of the gay liberation movement as early as 1969.
The 1970s were a quieter time on set for Marvin, for although he was in plenty of films, none of them became big box office. He had turned down the part of ‘Quint’ in ‘Jaws’ refusing to play opposite a ‘dummy shark’.
He was busier offset however, as various lawsuits hit him hard, and he earned a reputation for a hard-drinking tough guy.
He went into partial retirement in the late 70s/early 80s preferring to spend his time fishing rather than in Hollywood.
He died of a heart attack, after suffering intestinal problems in 1987 aged 63.
As befits someone who served with distinction, he was buried with full military honours at Arlington National Cemetery, in a plot alongside boxing legend Joe Louis.
The Mumper of SE5
