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If you've followed THE AMERICAN CINEMA series on PBS (a very mixed bag,

to say the least), the "Combat Film" episode made much of the influence of

John Wayne on young male fantasies of wartime heroism.  Fair enough--the

book and film BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY is only the best-known testament

to the Duke's influence.  But the episode then showed an Officer's class

screening SANDS OF IWO JIMA and the instructor exclaiming, "How about that

John Wayne, taking that hill on his own!" (or somehting like that) to a

roar of approval from the class.

 

The thing is, though, I'm sure I've seen that same classroom footage

elsewhere--and the instructor goes on to debunk the Duke at failing to

be a Team Player and for being a likely candidate for a quick, useless

death.  Am I misremembering, or is the series playing fast and loose with

this footage?  (It wouldn't be the first time.)

 

The series has been slowly unwinding on Twin Cities Public TV, and I have

to acknowledge the very valid criticisms that have been made of the whole

thing.  It strikes me, though, that the episodes that deal with the

business of Hollywood (the structure of the "American Cinema," the episode

on the studio system) have been better than the ones that focus on genre.

The latter seem often incomplete and often resort to gimmicks like cute

montages like the stuff Disney's been doing for specials for decades.

 

I'm puzzled by some of the omissions of what seem like obvious factors to

me, at least--Why, for example, no mention at all of TOP GUN in the Combat

Film sequence and its role in the revival of a military career as

desirable (especially interesting for the way that film focuses on the

need to be a Team Player and virtually ignores Patriotism as a motivating

factor) or why the episode on the Western pays so much attention to

PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID and none to THE WILD BUNCH, which is much

more important (and a better film to boot).  One positive thing about the

Combat Film episode, though, was the way it drew acknowledged wartime

experience influencing directors from Ford to Zanuck and particularly the

contrast it drew between THE LONGEST DAY and Sam Fuller's films.

 

I'm curious to see what they will do with (or to) film noir, which airs

this Friday.

 

Other thoughts?  Or has this subject been beaten to death already?

 

--Don Larsson, Mankato State U., MN