SHOOT
US, 1976, 92 minutes, Colour.
Cliff Robertson, Ernest Borgnine, Henry Silva, Helen Shaver.
Directed by Harvey Hart.
Shoot is a serious anti-war fable. It is an allegory of war - two groups of middle-aged Americans, hunters, go out and find nothing to shoot. They meet each other and someone is trigger-happy. There is a death. Instead of reporting the incident to authorities, each group prepares to confront the other. There is large-scale armament, confrontation and death. The central character, played by Cliff Robertson, blinded in the fight, comments that if he had the chance to do it again, he'd get it right.
The film shows the stupidity of war, the escalation of armament, the aggressive males wanting to have some conflict and prove themselves. The film highlights the buddy system. Ernest Borgnine has the opportunity to mouth criticism. But eventually, out of loyalty, he joins in the attack. The film is directed by Harvey Hart, director of many telemovies and films including Fortune and Men's Eyes, The Sweet Ride.
1. An anti-war allegory? Interesting? Entertaining? For sober reflection?
2. Location photography, the forests? City and home? Combat? Special effects? The sombre musical score?
3. The title and the focus, war, violence, death? Hunters and shooters? The film as an allegory of war? How well did it work as story. allegorical fable? The message too clearly? Or not?
4. The focus on Rex, his leadership, the war experience? His relationship with his wife, tender and callous? His going on the hunt? His followers? Lew? Support? The group and their driving, chatter, joking? Camaraderie? The hunt and no game? Frustration? The discovery of the other group? The firing incident? Rex's leadership? His inquiries during the week, the widow of the dead man and his talk with her? With his wife? with the ordnance officer to get more ammunition? The clashes with Lew and the reasons for going to battle? Recruiting? The night before and the relationship with his wife? The hunt, stalking the enemy. the comrades and their desire for battle, the men not in the know? Lew and his joining and Rex receiving him back? The ambush, the bloodshed? The blindness of Rex, it being visualised in the hospital, his regrets, the voice-over that he would have got there earlier and done it properly? A portrait of an esteemed citizen of society, a warmongerer?
5. The contrast with Lew, good friend. hunter. war experience? The incident and his reaction? His wanting to back out, his stating antiwar statements. telling the truth about their wanting to be violent and vindictive? His change of heart and joining? Comradeship as being strong? His death?
6. Zeke and his presence in the group, firing and killing the opponent. his warmongering attitudes? Death?
7. The members of the group. their friendship, war background, motives for hunting, love of guns? The hunt, frustration. the ambush? The battle? The opposing hunting group in the same situation as the original group?
8. The sketch of the dead man's wife? Her relation to him, her lack of grief, her attraction towards Rex? The parallel with Rex's wife? The place of women and marriage in this hunting-minded society?
9. The ordnance man and his supplying the weapons, their availability, his sales on the side?
10. The battle sequences - and mini- ' vision of escalation of arms, warmongering, battles and deaths?
11. The irony of the opening sequence with the focus on the gun? The conclusion with the effects of the gun?
