Perhaps he looked at the characters differently than you. I didn't see the other movie you referenced, The Mortal Storm, but it's possible Young didn't see that character as a bad guy.
The sad thing about what happens during times of war is that good people follow orders and do horrendous things they wouldn't necessarily do on their own. They follow what are often ruthless and evil leaders not because they support or even accept their ideology but because they happen to live in the country that leader rules or they find him to be a charismatic leader.
On the other hand, Larry, the character in this movie, acts on his own accord. He's not motivated by a false sense of patriotism or nationalism; he's not serving his country or anyone other than himself. While the character you spoke of may be doing bad things he does it, probably, thinking he's doing a greater good. Larry may not commit crimes but he behaves in ways that are destructive and harmful to others. He has a clear disregard for anyone other than himself.
In claiming his wife was in the car with him instead of Verna, he covers his own tracks. He supposedly loved her but he let Verna's remains to be cremated and sent to Gretta's family. He did it to collect Gretta's money. When he found her, he had no concern for who she had been and what she had done for him. He just shoves her into water and lets her go on rotting like an animal.
Janice, too, was a stepping stone for him. When events got in the way he simply turned his back on her; leaving her to deal with the repercussions on her own. It's always about what is best for him. That's why he told her what he did at the end and then did what he did. As he said it didn't matter what anyone else thought, he had judged himself and found he could neither forgive himself or go on living with himself.
Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]
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pmiano100
8 years ago
"The Mortal Storm" takes place before World War II began. His character is not a draftee in the German Army. He is a willing volunteer in Hitler's SA, the Brown Shirts. He is a dedicated Nazi. He starts out a fairly decent guy but he turns rotten. His sense of patriotism is false to you and me, but not to him. His motivations are immaterial. He is a villain. I hope you see the film someday and then we can discuss it on equal terms.
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stiffarm-43601
8 years ago
His character was a willing Nazi and the events of the film take place long before WWII started. In fact, they even take place before Germany annexed Austria in 1936. I'm sorry, but he was a follower of Hitler by choice from the beginning. That alone makes him a villain. If Robert Young didn't see Marburg as a "bad-guy," it was probably because he was uncomfortable about the role. Marburg wasn't "all bad" like the characters of Dan Dailey and Ward Bond, but he wasn't good enough. He was no better than Larry.
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