THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA
US, 1950, 108 minutes, Colour.
Richard Widmark, Jack Palance, Karl Malden, Robert Wagner, Neville Brand, Richard Boone, Richard Hylton.
Directed by Lewis Milestone.
The Halls of Montezuma is a tribute war movie of the 50's, as the name suggests, for the U.S. marines. It is a good one, directed by veteran director, Lewis Milestone, who made such excellent war films as All Quiet on the Western Front and A Walk in the Sun.
This time he has been more ambitious, presenting not effects only but also the background of the fighting men and why they fight as they do. The result is a more realistic look at the difficulties of war, more in keeping with the harshness of anti-war sentiment of the 60's. The techniques used are a blend of graphic war sequences and flashbacks by a number of stars who were just beginning to make their mark.
1. Do you think this was just another war tribute or was there something more in the film?
2. How effective was the structure of the film - the main unity of the mission, incorporating flashbacks from similar actions or gestures from present to past?
3. Was the film glorifying war or did it present war realistically?
4. Were the men in this mission presented as ordinary types or extraordinary?
5. What did the film show of fear in war, friendship, mistakes, heroism?
6. Why did Andersen act as he did - his fear and migraine, his hardness on others, his morale-boosting and loyalty?
7. was the doctor right in helping Andersen to pills? in his written assessment of Andersen?
8. Discuss each of the main characters as persons. Did the flashbacks help you to understand them?
9. What was the attitude of the film to the Japanese - ordinary soldiers like others? Those who showed off; the pride of the major; their attitude towards death?
10. What did the film show of conditions under fire? At headquarters; the commander with his cold giving orders; the constant bombardment? The initial landing; advancing; the mission; the snipers; individual combats; nervous tension; burying the dead?
