THE WAR AT HOME
US, 1996, 119 minutes, Colour.
Emilio Estevez, Kathy Bates, Martin Sheen, Kimberly Wilson, Carla Gugino, Corin Nemec.
Directed by Emilio Estevez.
The War at Home is a film set in the 1970s, towards the end of the Vietnam War. It is based on a play by James Duff who wrote the screenplay – and, with so many personal interactions in the dialogue, some of the stage origins are evident.
The film shows Emilio Estevez as a young man returning from Vietnam, experiencing strong post-traumatic stress, caused by a commander forcing him to execute Viet Cong soldiers. However, he has family issues, especially towards his father, finally revealing that when he shot his first victim, he imagined he was shooting his father.
The film is strong in its focus on a seemingly normal American family and the underlying tensions. The film is very strong in its dialogue, enhanced by the fact that Emilio Estevez is acting with his actual father, Martin Sheen. Sheen gives an interesting performance, a very respectable man, very conservative in his approach, especially to family and obedience, gradually revealing a hardness and a harshness that audiences might not have anticipated. Kathy Bates is also very good as the dominating mother. Kimberly Williams portrays the sister, given some scenes of very strong antipathy towards her brother’s behaviour. Carla Gugino in an early role appears as a former girlfriend.
The film belongs to Emilio Estevez, giving an intense performance. He had previously directed other films including Men at Work and Wisdom. He had also appeared with his father in several television films.
The film came rather belatedly in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, it would have made a great impact in the 1990s on the grandparent generation, urging them to look back on how they treated their sons returning from Vietnam.
1. The title of the film? The title of the play, Home Front? The Vietnam War, the American war and American war history? The credits and the acknowledgment of so many of the American involvements in war since the Civil War? The impact of the film for the 1990s?
2. Emilio Estevez and his career, working with his father?
3. The audience and the attitude towards the Vietnam War? The retrospect of the 21st century? The overview of wars?
4. The re-creation of the scenes in Vietnam, warfare, bombardment, the Viet Cong, the foxholes, executions? The repercussions on individuals? The harshness of commanders?
5. The 1970s, the decisions about war in Vietnam, the politics, the draft? The young men and their facing Vietnam or escaping to Canada? The young men, their parents and their sense of honour? The impact of the return, trauma, their needs? Their not being understood?
6. The character of Jeremy, Emilio Estevez’s performance? Coming home, sullen, his age, the war experience? His studies, the music, his talent at the piano – and not wishing to play, but playing Fur Elise before leaving? His class at university, his meeting Melissa, their past relationship, the discussions, the hurt, her asking him to back off? To move from the class, his doing so? At home, the attitudes of self-pity, the occasions for the hallucinations and memories of war? Karen and her clashes with her brother? Her telling him off, the hurtful things she said? His mother, fussing, criticising, dominating? His father, seeming genial, his emphasis that it was his house? The gradual revelation of the relationship between father and son, the episode of the peanut brittle? The possibility of jobs? The preparation for Thanksgiving, the dinner, his wearing his uniform? His medals? His refusing to change clothes? His father’s orders? The gun? The inquiries about the bus to Alaska? The build-up to the finale with the gun, recounting the orders to kill, imagining his father as the Viet Cong? The possibility of exorcising these memories and his attitude towards his father? His father’s fear, then ousting him? Karen taking him to the bus? The trauma, the ending, talking with the little girl in the bus station, the photo of himself as a cowboy, the gift? What future? Even as he tried to embrace his father and was rebuffed?
7. The mother, a strong woman, her ways of doing things, orders, running the household, cooking, the peanut brittle and hiding it? Her religious attitudes, very proper, the comments about Ingrid Bergman and her life? Her relationship with her husband, his dominating of her, telling her what to do and not to do? Preparation for the dinner, wanting Jeremy to change his clothes? The visitors, the meal, the tensions, the gun? Her tears? Her demanding the respect for a mother? Her expectations – but her grief in seeing her son go?
8. Bob, his age and experience, the war experience, his being a salesman, his attitude towards his son, his house, the head of the family, the dominant attitudes yet his seeming quietness? Ordering Karen and her mother about? The gradual revelation of his harshness? His standards, giving Jeremy the money and Jeremy’s refusal? The dinner, the command about the clothes? The gun, his fear, his son’s hatred for him? His ousting his son?
9. Karen, her age, relationship to Jeremy, not understanding, her anger and outburst against him, her apology? Her trying to understand? Her father’s domination, calling him Sir?
10. Melissa, the past, the class, her new relationship?
11. Jeremy at the bus station – and his future? The characters like Jeremy and how they survived the 80s and into the 90s when this film was made?
