For my new “Present Tense” column at Film Comment, I wrote about Marlon Brando and David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest. Because one led me to think in a new way about the other. This was a fun one.
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Morning, Sheila,
This is totally out of left field, and not about Brando at all.
I just read your commentary in Film Comment re “They Were Expendable” and I loved it. I came to both John Ford and John Wayne late because I got distracted by their politics. (I was a hippie growing in the East Village in the 60″s after all.) After going through all of the westerns and The Quiet Man, I caught “They Were Expendable” and you hit the nail right on the head. The movie is almost hard too hard to watch and compelling at the same time. As you say, its heroic and sad and tragic and so real.
As an aside, I think an interesting trilogy for anyone to watch would be “They Were Expendable” , “The Longest Day”, and “The Best Years of Our Lives” to compare and contrast our view of WWII after the war.
Hey Carolyn! oh wow – I didn’t realize that They Were Expendable piece was up yet! I’m so happy to hear your thoughts on this incredible movie.
// The movie is almost hard too hard to watch and compelling at the same time. //
Absolutely.
and it’s really tough-minded. No sentimentality. I mean, Donna Reed’s character … she’s just lost in the fall of Bataan, she’s out there somewhere (or maybe not, maybe killed, maybe a POW). This was the reality.
I don’t mind the “jingoistic” stuff in other war movies – time-and-place, etc. – but there’s almost NONE in this movie. It’s dark and real. I love it so much!
and I love your triple bill idea.