Prof. Andrew Patterson (Glen Ford) has it all: distinguished position at a private college, nice house, beautiful wife, daddy-in-law with money. He's worked hard to get what he has, but the good professor also received a little help on the way up. You see, he's also a member of an exclusive fraternity within a fraternity: The Brotherhood of the Bell. It seems Patterson was recruited twenty years ago when he attended a prestigious college. Now it's his turn to sponsor someone into "The Bell".
This MTV movie begins with the induction ceremony where Patterson introduces the new pledge to the "Senior" who had recruited him. After a few words about the importance of The Bell and it's lineage, the new recruit (Dean Jagger) faces the sunrise with the other two men and swears his oath. He is told of the necessity of obedience to the order. The inner sanctum is dominated by a huge oriental bell. Afterwards, Patterson tells the new initiate that he is now "the establishment".
Later, Patterson is given an assignment by The Bell: prevent a dissident linguistics professor from accepting a position at another college. He is to do this by any means necessary. The means given to him is a list of names which could be damaging to the academic. The method will be blackmail. When he protests the assignment to his Bell contact, Patterson is reminded of his oath of loyalty. So he carries out his mission and the target commits suicide.
Horrified, Patterson attempts to tell people about The Bell secret society. He tells his connected father-in-law about it, so dad takes him to a meeting with a government agent. The agent claims the feds know all about the Bell and have been following it for years. However, when Patterson tries to contact the agent's office, he's told no such agent exists. And dad explains the meeting as put-on to alleviate sonny-in-law's paranoia.
Soon Patterson has lost his position, his wife, social respect, and even his own father. How far will the Bell go to punish a renegade?
We never actually get to see behind the mirror in this movie. No shadowy figures discussing how they will eliminate the traitor, no smoke-filled rooms with pulsating music. Because the viewer never sees much of The Bell, or even learns it's history,this becomes all the more frightening. Many of us have heard stories of rich and powerful secret societies. Could they be real? Just what the heck is going on at that Odd Fellows lodge?
The best scene in the entire film has Patterson facing off against William "Cannon" Conrad. Conrad plays a talk show host who likes to bring on extreme guests and insult them. Not only does Patterson have to endure the host, but a cavalcade of conspiracy nuts take the podium to proclaim their beliefs as well. Pushed to the breaking point, Patterson attacks the host, accusing him of being an agent of The Bell.
Although the movie has a cop-out ending, it's still worth watching if you can find it. I can only imagine how it would play today if remade. No, I shudder to think how it would get bastardized if remade.
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