TANK

US, 1984, 113 minutes, Colour.
James Garner, C.Thomas Howell, G.D.Spradlin, Shirley Jones, James Cromwell.
Directed by Marvin Chomsky.

Tank is an odd mixture of the tongue-in-cheek and the serious. It is quite gung-ho – yet shows the brutality of southern whites and their antagonism towards people from the north. James Garner is a military sergeant who actually owns a Sherman tank. He clashes with people in a Georgia town, especially the dictatorial sheriff who runs his own prison and prison farm (an effective G.D. Spradlin). The film shows life in the American army. However, it also shows the generations – a touch of ordinary people where a younger son is still resentful of what he assumes is his father’s favouritism towards a dead older son. C. Thomas Howell is the son, Shirley Jones the mother.

In order to get back at the sergeant, the sheriff sets the son up as possessing marijuana for sale, imprisons him and sends him to the farm. The father decides to use his tank to blast the sheriff’s headquarters and then to rescue his son from the farm. With a young prostitute whom the sergeant had defended, the three take the tank through the back ways and along the highways of Georgia to the Tennessee border, becoming media folk heroes as they confront the sheriff.

The film is an odd mixture of humour and seriousness, of gung-ho American attitudes, of a critique of prejudice, of relationships in families.

1.Entertaining action adventure with a touch of comedy? Families?

2.The Georgia settings, the military camp, the small town, the back roads and the countryside? The special effects with the tank? The musical score?

3.The title, the focus on the tank, symbol of Zack? The use of the tank for the action?

4.The portrait of Zack: James Garner and his amiable style, relationship with his wife, with his son, the dead son? His pride in his tank? Arriving at camp, friends, his lecture to the soldiers, training them in the early morning? Home life? Going into town, the encounter with the prostitute, talking with her, the deputy slapping her, his hitting back? His going to the authorities? The revenge of the sheriff? The frame-up for his son? Going to deal with the sheriff, the forbidding of lawyers, the getting of the money, the selling of the boat? His wife’s hostile reactions? His son and the talk about favouritism? His son in prison? The talk about the farm, the threats of homosexual attack? His decision to take the tank, confronting the deputy, stripping him and tying him up in the town, the prostitute joining him, going to the prison farm, using the tank, the escape? Through the back roads, defending the man who had given them petrol? The TV coverage, communications? His injury, Bill driving the tank? The build-up to the confrontation, the final pulling of the tank by all the people, crossing the border and hoping for justice? Becoming a folk hero? The gung-ho attitudes – and putting them into practice for his son?

5.Bill, the younger son, the building of the tank, his studies? His suspicions of his father? Resentment about the episode with the prostitute? Talk with his father, the frame-up by the sheriff, beaten up, in jail, pleading with his father? At work on the farm, the escape, antagonism towards the prostitute, her explaining things, the reconciliation with his father, driving the tank? The family group at the end?

6.La Dona – Shirley Jones, the mother, love for her husband, the tension with the story about the prostitute, love for her son, getting the lawyer, the clash? Watching TV, besieging the governor and threatening him? The reconciliation?

7.The sheriff and his deputy, the deputy in the bar, control over the prostitutes, slapping the woman? His resentment against Zack? The sheriff, his manner, controlling the town, the initial interview with his deputy about the injury? Going to the military, despising the black officer? The threats? The counter-threat of making the town off-limits? Wanting revenge? Setting up Bill? The interview in the office, wanting the money? The stories about the farm? The rescue and his reaction? Deputising posses? Pressurising the governor but left to himself? Going to the military head and having the Constitution quoted against him? His vindictiveness, the pursuit, inciting people to riot? The effort backfiring? The confrontation at the border, the weaponry, the shooters? The tug-of-war with the tank? Feeling victory, yet falling in the mud? The humiliation of this kind of southern arrogance? The deputy, the yes-man to the sheriff – and his humiliation? The good ol’ boys in the posse and their antagonistic and racist attitudes?

8.The military, the general and his friendship with Zack, his not helping the sheriff, being there at the end? The black officer and his friendship? The confrontation with the sheriff and threatening him? The humorous episode with the cook confronting Zack – but grateful for the admiration for his food?

9.The prostitute, the come-on in the diner, Zack’s reaction, her being slapped, his defending her and her hostile reaction about losing her job? Helping him in the attack, in the tank, reconciling Bill with his father? La Dona and her acceptance of the prostitute?

10.The governor of Tennessee, ambiguous reactions, advisers, not wanting to make a decision? The confrontation with La Dona and her threatening him? His joining in the tug-of-war?

11.The popularity of the story, the appeal to the women, the bikies helping out, the tug-of-war and the pulling of the tank out of the mud?

12.A piece of Americana – heart on its sleeve? Themes of justice, persecution, revenge? Family values?