Sergeant Ryker (1968)

Starring Lee Marvin as a U.S. Marine accused of treason during the Korean War. As the military court-martial unfolds, doubts arise about Ryker’s guilt, revealing deeper questions about loyalty, justice, and the fog of war. Originally made as a TV movie in 1963 (The Case Against Paul Ryker), it was later released theatrically, showcasing Marvin’s intense performance and the era’s moral ambiguity surrounding wartime decisions.
[Scene 1: Rural 1800s landscape, a man arrives in a small village]
Narrator: "Meet John Macauley—a Protestant who moved into a tight-knit Catholic community known as the Burrow."

[Scene 2: Macauley marries a Catholic woman; villagers whisper and frown]
Narrator: "He married into a Catholic family... and let’s just say, he wasn’t exactly welcomed with open arms."

[Scene 3: Macauley scowling, villagers turning away; words float: 'Vindictive']
Narrator: "He didn’t like them much either—and his neighbors knew it."

[Scene 4: Brooks Hotel appears, handshake with Macauley]
Narrator: "In 1872, Macauley landed the local post office franchise from the Brooks Hotel in Low."

[Scene 5: New post office sign going up—‘VENOSTA’]
Narrator: "He named it Venosta, after Visconti Venosta—an Italian diplomat known for helping oust the Pope."

[Scene 6: Shocked Catholic farmers, Macauley smirks nearby]
Narrator: "As The Martin Letters put it, he picked the name just to needle his Catholic neighbors."

[Scene 7: Freeze frame on Macauley with a sly grin, text: 'VENOSTA']
Narrator: "John Macauley—postmaster, provocateur."