Susan Crutchfield wonders: "This question is making me think again about the narration from various points of view (and from different motivating circumstances) of the "heroic incident" in *Courage Under Fire*. More than anything, the multiplicity of narrators and stories suggests that all points of view are unreliable (especially in a stressful, combat situation). The problem of truth--what really happened in the desert--looms large here. Of course, the final narrative of the "incident" is privileged as the truth of what happened--it is the version of the story used as evidence in persuading the govt. commission to award Meg Ryan's character a posthumus medal of honor. A question: How is this privileging accomplished after point-of-view, and more importantly the camera's ability to show us one undeniable truth, has been called into question, perhaps even undermined?" I'd have to see the film again to be sure, but I think the "privileging is motivated as the mental reconstruction of the event by Denzel Washington's character. The other flashbacks all accompany narratives by different characters who had been eyewitnesses and the conflicts in their testimony call them into question. Once Lou Diamond Phillips' character has committed suicide, the way is clear for a full reconstruction of events. (But I'm not certain about this exact sequence.) In any event, I've been rather surprised at the way reviewers and others were comparing the film to RASHOMON and other problematized narratives (favorably or unfavorably), when the film actually has a very clear mystery structure. Compare Lumet's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS for a similar structure, one that is certainly common in Agatha Christie's works--the need to smoke out lies and to establish and clear and "true" narrative. Don Larsson, Mankato State U (MN) ---- To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]