This is one is definately a ‘must see’ for those interested in the US Army in the Pacific.
As I was listening to the Hymn to the Fallen, theme from Saving Private Ryan, on Classic FM this morning, I was reminded of a comment I heard on the radio one time or other when The Thin Red Line was first released. He described the film as ‘The thinking man’s Private Ryan’. What a load of tosh! Yes, it does get the old grey matter working, along with the emotions, but didn’t S.P.R. have that effect?
Anyway, The Thin Red Line.
This is a remake of an earlier black & white version I seem to recall seeing some time ago. I remember the older one scene only, where one of the G.I.'s is insisting that he must get hold of a pistol for close-in work (and does he use it in this remake!).
The new version stars: Woody Harrelson, Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, John Travolte, Penn, Ben Chaplin, John Cussack and on and on.
The film covers one Battalion’s operations on Guadal Canal and moves on to other operations. There is both great drama, with some fabulous performances from the cast, as well as some incredible Battle scenes with the G.I.'s, at first pinned down and terrified; getting their act together and fighting through the Japanese position. One of the, perhaps, more basic but still graphic, scenes is of a G.I. breaking a cigarette and placing the pieces into his nostrils to filter the stench of decay.
This film does not glorify war, it portrays it in all its colourful gore. If you thought S.P.R. was a good film, then this is one for you!