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July 2000, Week 4

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Subject:
From:
Timothy Shary <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 24 Jul 2000 13:13:29 -0500
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Nathan,

        I've always thought the Spanish-American war could be covered more
in films, and it now offers a fascinating parallel to the Gulf War. The
S-A war began brewing in 1895 with the Cuban rebellion against Spain, but
the war itself only lasted from the spring of 1898 to early 1899, with the
U.S. routing Spanish troops in just a few weeks during the summer of 1898
(in both the Caribbean and the Phillipines). Like the Gulf War, the U.S.
was excessively dominant (boasting of great "kill ratios") and committed
gross atrocities that the press did not report. Like the Gulf War, the
current President (McKinley) boosted the public's patriotism with the
thrill of a fast, "successful" battle that cost few American lives (at
least in combat). And also like the Gulf War, afterward the U.S.
government was faced with the debacle of how to help the tortured citizens
of the areas that they had so effectively helped to "liberate", leading to
years (if not generations) of tension between those nations and the U.S.

        You could also argue that the S-A war helped to unite the U.S.
against a foreign enemy in the generation after the internal divisions
created by the Civil War... not unlike the way that Pres. Bush made so
clear the Gulf War would unify the U.S. against a foreign enemy in the
generation after the internal divisions created by the Vietnam War. The
parallels go on and on; the "Splendid Little War" of 1898 could have been
the same title used again in 1991.

        The only problem, from a moviemaking angle, is that despite the
intrigue of these wars, people don't like to think about them. Not only
were the heroes of these wars quietly embarrassed at their nation's
brutality, but the press and public seemed to realize that the carnage was
also extreme (on the part of the U.S.) and thus celebrating the victories
carried a certain level of guilt and shame.

        As for films already out there, "Three Kings" did a great job of
touching on the absurdity of the Gulf War through its maverick characters,
and I know "Courage Under Fire" addressed the war too, but I doubt that
any studio wants to tackle the true politics of that war. As for the S-A
war, I'm sure that some films address the legend of Teddy Roosevelt and
San Juan Hill, but I don't know of any that really portray the war.

        This is probably all more than you were looking for... Good luck
with the project.

        Tim Shary
        Clark University

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