i watched this again because i wanted a 13-yr old kid in my charge to understand that heroism is about making the right decisions in precious moments, that there are certain inviolable limits to the subordination of individual responsibility, and that his country, our country, is a great nation founded on great principles. i was not disappointed.
i have always regarded mr. reiner and mr. sorkin's masterpiece as a better allegorical comment on the nazi question (how could this happen? who was to blame? how can we stop it from happening again?) than any directly philosophical drama. it addresses the relations of man to country and of man to man in a purely american way, complete with conservative litany, judicial review, and the possibility of honor in private life. this movie may very well grow to replace john wayne westerns and wwII movies as peak american patriotic cinema.
i should say that i do not enjoy mr. nicholson or mr. cruise in any of their other works (not a single one), and i often have trouble with ms. moore's artistic sense and mr. bacon's depth of characterization. mr. guest and mr. sutherland have never been favorites. in this movie, no doubt thanks to mr. reiner, i would not hesitate to give each actor a standing ovation.
as good and as celebrated as mr. nicholson and mr. cruise are in this movie, the crucial work is from the supporting cast: ms. moore's dewing eyes -- what more can society give to the hero when he risks it all for what is right? mr. sutherland's annoyance at having to undergo moral examination and his confused self-righteous anger as lt. kendrick, "did you give the order?", "no I did not," -- see how he looks away? mr. bodison's sympathetic treatment of lance corporal dawson, whose thoughts and feelings are so clearly announced with barely a word, who desperately wants to resolve the conflict between being a good marine and being a good man -- he represents us in this script of course.
would this movie work if even one of the interlude shots of an american monument were removed?
i have always regarded mr. reiner and mr. sorkin's masterpiece as a better allegorical comment on the nazi question (how could this happen? who was to blame? how can we stop it from happening again?) than any directly philosophical drama. it addresses the relations of man to country and of man to man in a purely american way, complete with conservative litany, judicial review, and the possibility of honor in private life. this movie may very well grow to replace john wayne westerns and wwII movies as peak american patriotic cinema.
i should say that i do not enjoy mr. nicholson or mr. cruise in any of their other works (not a single one), and i often have trouble with ms. moore's artistic sense and mr. bacon's depth of characterization. mr. guest and mr. sutherland have never been favorites. in this movie, no doubt thanks to mr. reiner, i would not hesitate to give each actor a standing ovation.
as good and as celebrated as mr. nicholson and mr. cruise are in this movie, the crucial work is from the supporting cast: ms. moore's dewing eyes -- what more can society give to the hero when he risks it all for what is right? mr. sutherland's annoyance at having to undergo moral examination and his confused self-righteous anger as lt. kendrick, "did you give the order?", "no I did not," -- see how he looks away? mr. bodison's sympathetic treatment of lance corporal dawson, whose thoughts and feelings are so clearly announced with barely a word, who desperately wants to resolve the conflict between being a good marine and being a good man -- he represents us in this script of course.
would this movie work if even one of the interlude shots of an american monument were removed?