Not Only Strangers (1979)

Duration: 0:23:57

Year Published: 1979

Sound: sound

Description: PLEASE NOTE: This film depicts a sexual assault and describes rape trauma, which may be triggering or unsuitable for some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised. Not Only Strangers is a 1979 short film directed by Academy-Award nominee Edward Dmytryk that tells the fictional story surrounding the rape of Sara, a student at the University of Texas at Austin, one Friday night. In so doing, the film challenges viewers to take a closer look at the culture that surrounds and supports sexual assault. As Dmytryk illustrates, stereotypes concerning who may fall victim to such a crime, who may commit such a crime, and where an event like this may occur do not always portray reality. Dmytryk gained notoriety in 1947 when he was listed as a member of the Hollywood Ten, a group of blacklisted film industry professionals accused of holding communist ties. The director’s experience arguably influences the film, with references to The End of Ideology: On the Exhaustion of Political Ideas in the Fifties, a book by Daniel Bell that discusses prominent ideologies such as Marxism, liberalism and conservatism. Sara also meets her rapist at a class lecture about American culture and media. Dmytryk taught film and directing at the University of Texas during the 1970s. Sara’s friend Jennie is played by Academy Award-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden (credited as Marcia Harden). Not Only Strangers was the first film Harden appeared in while studying theater at the University of Texas. She is best known for her roles in Into the Wild (2007), Mystic River (2003), The Mist (2007), and Miller’s Crossing (1990). Aside from his renown as a blacklisted director, Dmytryk is known for his film noirs, including Murder My Sweet (1944) and Crossfire (1947). Bill Mackie was a professor in the Radio-Television-Film Department at the University of Texas.