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Reviews
A Bridge Too Far (1977)
A damning indictment of arrogance and incompetence
It is said that there's little more difficult or frustrating than trying to wage war with allies. ''There is only one thing worse than fighting with allies, and that is fighting without them!'' Churchill said.
Britain ruled much of the world for a couple of centuries but by the 20th century had been bled almost white fighting global conflicts often very badly. Operation Market-Garden is a perfect example of bad British generalship combined with the miracle of American wartime production capability. Ryan captures failure after failure from mission concept to ignoring vital intelligence to the pure hubris of men who were never in danger of directly facing the consequences of their flawed concoctions. Take away the victories of Gen George Patton and the war in Africa,Sicily, Europe would have looked a lot different. As it was it was littered with other debacles such as depicted here. A reminder that men pay with their lives from bad leadership.
Rules of Engagement (2000)
Following impossible orders
All too frequently combat-trained soldiers are sent to perform ill-conceived missions in distant lands with few clear cut rules of engagement...or rules so convoluted that it defies reality as to how accomplish the mission without getting wounded or killed. The military is at the mercy of its civilian commanders and too often serve as pawns in geo-political struggles where there are seldom clear rules to follow. And sometimes those civilian masters prove to be unworthy of the power they wield over life and death. It is easy to become cynical when one considers all the political forces at work. Particularly when all too frequently money is at the root of the issue. And politicians do not like to accept blame, even when justufued. They'll find a fall guy.
Detective Story (1951)
Wyler's brilliance
Plots, sub-plots, humour, dark humour, drama, anger, love, passion....post-WWII....a day in the life of a New York police detective squad room...quirky personalities and scenarios.....wise-cracks and poignant situations....direction, script, casting...all happening at the 21st Precinct.....the human condition represented various ways involving a wide range of stories...tough as nails one moment, achingly tender the next...in later years the inspiration for the brilliant sitcom Barney Miller...the exact template for a very successful TV program...and as an homage to the film, all happening in the squad room of 'the 'old One-Two'...the 12th Precinct.
Tunes of Glory (1960)
In case of war, break glass
A remarkably well-presented depiction of a Highland regiment in post-war years. Impeccable location and brilliant casting make this stirring tale a joy to watch, led by the Oscar-worthy performance of Alec Guinness as self-made and totally visceral commander of his Scottish battalion. A realistic blend of Brits and Scots, smooth career staff-type officers and gritty hands-on war fighters. As Lt Col Jock Sinclair, Guinness continues to lead his men as though still at war and finds his old-school, blue-collar values rub many the wrong way. Particularly when passed over for promotion and permanent command, to be replaced by an upper-crust product with the best British-pedigreed background, portrayed at a sharp edge by the legendary John Mills. With predictable results. A superior view of the oft-experienced clash of battle-hardened veterans when reined in by peace-time martinets. A superior film.
Force of Arms (1951)
Anything but another war flick
It would be easy to pass off Force of Arms as just another post-WWII action/romance movie until you're a few frames into viewing it. Surprisingly realistic with actual combat footage interspersed with filming. Strong yet sensitively-understated performances by Holden, Olson, and, in a supporting role, Frank Lovejoy. An inspired and superior script helps convey the chaos of combat, its effects on those who are scarred by it, and the powerful force of love that can somehow emerge in the midst of the sheer will to survive. A classic that feels as real in 2017 as when it was filmed.