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Reviews
Task Force (1949)
Gary Cooper and CV 6
This past week I watched "Task Force" on Turner Classic Movies. What a great movie about US Naval Aviation, before and during WWII. For starters, the actors play their parts masterfully. You can tell that Gary Cooper really enjoys playing this character and telling this Navy story. I also liked how the movie had continuity of time, being that the story spanned many years. Perhaps most of all, I enjoyed the footage of the aircraft carriers themselves. I thought to myself, how the carriers that they were filming on, only a few years before 1949, were the centerpiece of the most horrific combat of WWII. I am sure many of the actors and those who saw the film remembered vividly when the news from the Battle of Midway and Okinawa reached home. So many young Americans died. What brought a tear to my eye, was the video at the end of the movie when the USS Enterprise is returning to NY City. The camera man at the time in 1945, films the damage with NYC icons like the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge in the background. It is amazing footage. I thought to myself how the young veterans in the audience in 1949 must have reflected on their war fought only a few years before. Therefore, I love how this movie of history is indeed history itself.
Local Hero (1983)
My Favorite Movie of All Time
This is my favorite movie of all time. I was a teenager in the 1980's when I saw it for the first time. Burt Lancaster quickly became my favorite actor of all time and Mark Knopfler for musician. In our dog eat dog American way of life, this movie brought fresh air with human compassion and mystery. Juxtaposing the natural beauty of the night sky to that of the oil industry is perfect. Also, when this movie was made, we were still in a cold war with Russia and I liked how they brought the Russian fisherman into the story as a good and descent human being. It made me think. It made me think that not all the world was horrible. Maybe there are other ways for one to live a life. Maybe I'll find my own adventures and mystery along the way.
The Sullivans (1944)
Heroic and Touching
The USS Sullivans is now anchored in a Naval Park in Buffalo, NY. This destroyer was named in honor of the Sullivan Brothers who all lost their life during the battle of Guadalcanal in 1942. After Pearl Harbor they all enlisted in the Navy with the condition of not being separated. While serving on the USS Juno they perished together. Shipmates reported that three of the brothers, when out of harms way, returned to the burning ship for their brothers when it went under. When news of this tragic loss was learned, the government instituted the rule that stands today, no brothers will serve in the same combat theatre. This was due to the Sullivans.
I saw this movie one night with my mother on late night TV in 1981. Let me tell you, the very memory of the ending of this movie brings me to tears. A mixture of pride and sorrow. Do not hesitate, purchase, and watch this film.
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
Timeless Story of Soldiers Returning From War
I saw this movie on a fall day some twenty years ago and since that time I think of it often. It tells the story of three servicemen returning home after WWII. Today I work for the Department of Veteran Affairs and treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, the psychological trauma related to combat. An Air Force Officer having nightmares. An infantry NCO returning to the business world. A sailor disabled for life. Along with the emotional impact on family and friends. I recommend this movie to all generation of veterans as a means to normalize the bewildering experience of coming home. From WWII to Iraq all of these soldiers identify with the characters in this movie. It is a timeless story of soldiers coming home from war. A must see.