UNBROKEN
US, 2014, 137 minutes, Colour.
Jack O’ Connell, Domhnall Gleeson, Garrett Hedlund, Finn Witrock, Jai Courtney, Luke Treadaway.
Directed by Angelina Jolie.
Unbroken is based on the life story of Lou Zamperini, son of Italian migrants to the United States, who went on to acclaim at the 1936 Olympic Games, winning a gold medal in distance track, then a bombardier in World War II, prisoner in Japanese prisoner-of-war camps. While the narrative of the film ends in 1945, Zamperini had another almost 70 years of life, dying as late as 2014.
The film was directed by Angelina Jolie and has received mixed reactions from critics and audience, some of which, judging by the harsh spirit in which they were written, seem to be reviewing Angelina Jolie herself ( and alleged limitations) rather than her film. In fact, this is her second directorial film. The first was the unfortunately little-seen film, Land of Blood and Honey, a sometimes harrowing picture of the war in the Balkans in the 1990s, focusing on the treatment of women, abuse, rape, victimisation. Angelina Jolie seems to be interested in presenting the more harrowing aspects of life and of human nature.
This film is almost four films in one, the director showing a talent for an aerial warfare film, a sports film, a lost-at-sea film and a prison camp film. This means that it is quite demanding on the audience, an invitation to share in the continuing hardships of Zamperini, especially in the camps.
As a matter of interest, while the film setting is the United States and Japan, the film was made in Australia, most of it in Queensland.
The star of the film is the British actor, Jack O’ Connell, who gives the film his all and will probably ensure constant employment in films in the years to come.
The film opens with a close-up of a group in a bomber, going on a mission to do destroy a factory, set upon by Japanese fighter planes, the film showing the detail of the role of each man, pilot and co-pilot, bombardier, the approach to the target, opening the bomb bay doors, letting the bombs go, but coping with a Japanese attack, some of the men wounded, and the drama of a crash landing at the airbase on return. There is another aerial action sequence, but this time the mission is to find pilots adrift in the ocean, but after crashing into the ocean, three of the men find themselves adrift.
The aerial action is interrupted by flashbacks to Lou’s childhood, a cheeky and problematic child, from fervent Catholic family (with a sequence of homily by the parish priest about creation, the dark in the light, and being faithful to commitment). Fortunately, Lou’s older brother, Peter, a runner, takes Lou in hand, trains him, overcomes his low self-image and encourages him so that eventually he is chosen for the 1936 Olympic team (with the screenplay noting Jesse Owens’ achievement at those games).A winner, he has achieved a goal and developed his better self.
After this, the film moves into the lost at sea drama, three men surviving a crash into the ocean, over 45 days on life rafts, with few rations, trying to keep their minds active in conversation, fishing, surrounded by sharks (with a Jaws moment that makes us leap from our seats), being strafed by a Japanese plane. This is a close-up of the will to live, endurance and survival.
But there is still more demanding narrative. Zamperini and his friend, Phil (Domhnall Gleeson) are captured. The sequences are in the prisoner-of-war camp in Tokyo and then the prisoners removed towards the end of the war to work on the wharves, loading coal. While audiences are familiar with Japanese camps and the frequent cruel treatment, humiliations, brutality, there are some distinctive sequences here which bring into focus the treatment of prisoners by the cruel Japanese, a young sadistic commander who has not received the promotion he anticipated it has a fixation on Zamperini, and some moments trying to cultivate his friendship, even allowing him to broadcast on Tokyo radio to tell his parents that he was alive – though he refuses any collaboration for radio propaganda and is punished by the demand that every prisoner punch him in the face. He is frequently beaten, taunted by the commander, and made to hold aloft a wooden beam with the threat of execution should he drop it.
Life in the camp, its highs and lows, are brought vividly to life.
Woven into the screenplay (with famous writers and directors collaborating on it including the Coen brothers, Richard La Gravanese and William Nicholson) are issues of belief in God, the role of prayer, the nature of faith, and pledges to God for commitment after survival. The experiences of Zamperini dramatise the power of the human spirit, and its indomitability in the face of suffering.
Information is given at the end of the film – including the fact that Zamperini went back to Japan after the war, worked towards friendship and reconciliation (except for the commander who refused to meet Zamperini on his visits) and that forgiveness is all important.
1. A story? The indomitable spirit? The Louis Zamperini's, as a boy, young man, sports achievement, or endurance, post-war?
2. The title, Zamperini and his endurance? His whole life, dying at 97?
3. Angelina Jolie and her interest in this story, directing style? The group of writers and their contribution?
4. Four film styles in one: sport, aerial combat, lost at sea, prisoner-of-war?
5. The impact of the aerial sequences, the plane, crowded, the crew, the mission, the target, the dropping of the bombs, the Japanese plane attacks, injuries, Louis and his care, the bomb bay doors not closing, the danger, the decisions, the crash landing?
6. Insertion of the flashbacks about Louis, Italian family, migrated to America, family life, mother and the cooking and his watching her and the stern father, the difficulties of language, Catholic background listening to the sermon on the creation of light and dark? His shoplifting, mischief and name-calling by the boys, his being bashed, with the police? Peter and his skill in running? The challenge to Louis, training, and the success, competitions, skill, Louis chosen for the Olympics? The farewell to Peter, the family’s listening to the radio, the nod to Jesse Owens? His bowing into the Japanese athlete? His run and strategy review, winning gold?
7. The rescue mission, searching the ocean, going down, the deaths, the survivors and the rafts, the limited chocolate, the limited water, Mac and his attitudes, eating chocolate, issues of survival and death, the numbering of the days, the bird landing, their being sick fishing, nourishment, the circling sharks, the surprise Jaws moment, beating the record of number of days at sea, the attack of the sharks, heat, the effect on the men, the attack by the Japanese planes, shots, diving overboard? The rain? Talking to make sure that their minds worked? Mac and his death, Louis comforting him, putting his body to sea? And Japanese ship?
8. Prisoners of war, the bond between Louis and Phil, on the plane, Phil as the pilot, his decisions, at sea, his wound, his support? Being transferred to the sheds, isolation, Louis’s identity as an Olympian, humiliations, thinking they were to be executed, removing their clothes, being washed? The separation?
9. The camp, the commander, his personality, not having a promotion, having to supervise the enemy, his treatment, his language and English, his wanting eye contact with Louis, the flirtatious attitude, his bamboo and the beatings, taunting?
10. The situations of the men, in the dormitories, the range of prisoners in all, wanting to outlive the war and defeat the Japanese? The different nationalities?
11. The brutality, everybody subjected to it, the maps, radios, food, the Cinderella concert and impersonation, Louis and the invitation to speak on the radio, his message and text for his family, the offer to broadcast propaganda, the meals, his being tempted? His return, the commander and getting every soldier to punch him in the face? The seasons passing?
12. Moving camp, the seasons, the driving into the mountains, arriving at the wharves, loading the call, covered in soot, the men carrying the loads, the accidents and deaths, the new commander, the repeat of his attitude towards Louis, eye contact, making him pick up the beam and hold it, intimations of Christ figure? Louis and his defiance? The others willing him to succeed? All believing that they would die? The end of the war, the American planes?
13. Issues of religion, faith, prayer, promise to do good if surviving?
14. The return home, San Diego, family, the embrace?
15. Louis’s long life, almost 70 years more? Information about Phil’s wedding, Louis and his marriage, family? His returning to Japan? The theme of forgiveness? Meeting the guards, but the commander refusing to see him? As an old man running for the Olympics? His mission to forgive?
