PAPER MAN (1971)

Director: Walter Grauman

Writers: James D. Buchanan, Ronald Austin, adapted from Anthony Wilson’s story

Producer: Anthony Wilson

Cast: Dean Stockwell, Stefanie Powers, James Stacy, James Olson, Tina Chen, Elliot Street, Ross Elliot, Jason Wingreen, Dan Barton, Len Wayland, Dean Harens, Marcy Lafferty, Robert Patten, Sue Taylor, Johnny Scott Lee, Bob Golden, Craig Guenther

A credit card issued to a Henry Norman is mistakenly sent to the university address of Joel Fisher (Elliot Street). The young college student shares the instant credit with his campus friends Karen McMillan (Stefanie Powers), Jerry (James Stacy), and Lisa (Tina Chen). Joel commemorates their good fortune by assembling an effigy out of computer paper sheets representing the anonymous Henry Norman. Then the four students all use the credit card to go on a modest spending spree. Apparently, the bank realizes their credit card mailing address mistake and mails a request for more information to confirm the identity of the Henry Norman the students have appropriated. Jerry convinces computer science student Avery Jensen (Dean Stockwell) to use the university’s massive, time-sharing computer to establish a complete identity for Henry Norman that will satisfy the bank. However, the four students soon notice an unknown “Henry Norman” is making additional purchases on their credit card. Then they are soon being targeted by a series of deadly, computer-directed mishaps.

The Flashback Fanatic movie review

The Frankenstein syndrome is an affliction we have had centuries of warning about; that which man creates can destroy him. It is not just the reckless shenanigans of the lone mad scientist we need to be wary of. The efficiencies of man’s computerized infrastructure can delete us if we are not careful. Unfortunately, as with other man-made threats to our very existence, we may reach the point of no return before we get serious and make a concerted effort to control what we create. After all, in the meantime there are still more bucks to be made and more blogs to write, dammit!

Even though I have not turned one lousy cent infesting the worldwide web with my digital drivel, I will do my penance by spreading more technophobia. We get all too many reminders of how the internet that has ensnared our civilization can be exploited by scammers and hackers to steal our money and identities. That will be the least of our worries if AI becomes truly sentient. Movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970) sounded the alarm by extrapolating the dangerous consequences of computer technology. 1971’s CBS network television movie Paper Man also does so on a more intimate level.

This is one of the earliest television terrors I dimly recall seeing as a kid. Most of it went right over my head. Back in 1971, computers were remote tech to the general public. Those electronic brains were always housed someplace else for mysterious government and business purposes. We still had the comfort level of treating computers as that Buck Rogers stuff which was not going to intrude too personally into our lives. Paper Man gets personal.

This is a slow burn story that sets the stage with a very down-to-earth scenario. College students without decent credit ratings can charge purchases with the credit card they mistakenly receive due to a computer glitch. The lucky accident allows them to buy now and pay later. Soon, they are going to pay much more than they bargained for.

Director Walter Grauman helmed quite a few made-for-TV thrillers. Based on this film, I look forward to discovering more of his work. There is an effort made to light things with more shadows and contrast than a lot of the bland cinematography found in assembly line television productions of the day. During some intimate or tense dialogue exchanges, the lighting of faces helps focus our attention on the characters. One really bravura sequence uses a succession of corridor lights turning off to suggest someone is being stalked by technology.

Former child actor Dean Stockwell stars as the introverted computer genius and grad student Avery Jensen. The contrast of his long, curly hair with his suit-and-tie wardrobe makes for an eccentric presence. We eventually find out why he is such a repressed personality. It is probably his social awkwardness and isolation that make him amenable to the flattery of the pushy Jerry and the friendliness of the beautiful Karen.

Stefanie Powers achieved her greatest fame co-starring with Robert Wagner as the rich, husband-and-wife team of mystery-solvers in the Hart to Hart television series (1979–84) and in eight additional made-for-television movies from 1993 to 1996. In Paper Man, Powers’ character of psychology major Karen McMillan is intrigued by the reclusive Avery Jensen. She could easily hook up with handsome med student Jerry, yet she finds the mild-mannered computer scientist an interesting challenge to connect with.

The persistent and manipulative Jerry sends Karen over to Avery’s apartment to persuade him to work more of his programming wizardry to bolster their fraudulent Henry Norman credit identity. Actors Stockwell and Powers work wonders with this low-key scene. The introverted recluse immediately impresses his unexpected guest with the neatness of his apartment, and he has a great finishing move of serving the lady beer in a glass. Couldn’t have done better myself. Then Avery one-ups me by explaining computer binary code to Karen. Her gentle reaction of amused incomprehension causes a subtle flicker of social defeat to pass over Avery’s face. This tells us so much about this poor guy’s inability to connect with people. Nevertheless, Avery wins over Karen. Man, just what brand of beer was he serving?

Another nice performance is James Stacy as Viet Nam vet-turned-medical student Jerry. Initially, Jerry seems like the charismatic leader of the pack. His interest in Karen is stated early on, but he is never too pushy about it. As the story develops, we notice an opportunistic aspect to his character that is off-putting, but he still doesn’t seem absolutely despicable. We just see a seemingly ideal guy reveal some flaws in his character that create friction within his clique.

Joel (Elliott Street) and Lisa (Tina Chen) round out the group of small-time credit fraudsters. It is Joel’s good fortune mistakenly receiving the credit card that leads to misfortune for all involved. Lisa is featured in the movie’s creepiest sequence.

James Olson is an interesting casting choice. He had been heroic leads in two worthy sci-fi flicks: Moon Zero Two (1969) and The Andromeda Strain (1970). Here, Olson is cast against type as ineffectual university computer technician Art Fletcher. Once he learns of the Henry Norman fraud, Fletcher expresses concern and tries offering advice to the scamming students, but he is consistently ignored. This defiance leads to grave consequences.

Paper Man is suspenseful fun, but it is also quite a forward-thinking film that predicts the malevolent uses of computer technology we now hear about every day. The film also suggests some of the out-of-control actions technology may be capable of in our not-so-distant future. Back in 1971, we thought computers were just the province of the eggheads in labcoats and the rest of us could live in blissful ignorance of technology we did not use or understand. Nowadays, too many of us still live in blissful ignorance embracing the convenience of this technology we have become dependent on. However, most of us still have no more understanding of how this stuff really works than we do about the radios we listen to, the televisions we watch, or the automobiles we drive. Just being comfortable using technology will not keep us safe when it can think for itself.