WHEN TRUMPETS FADE
US, 1998, 95 minutes, Colour.
Ron Eldard, Zak Orth, Frank Whaley, Dylan Bruno, Dan Futterman, Steven Petrarca, Dwight Yoakam, Martin Donovan, Timothy Oliphant, Jeffrey Donovan, Bobby Cannavale.
Directed by John Irvin.
When Trumpets Fade is a war movie made for television, being released at much the same time as Saving Private Ryan and Terrence Malik’s The Thin Red Line. Though brief, the war scenes and the action in the Ardennes, during the Battle of the Bulge, weapons, flamethrowers, tanks, and many dead stand the test of vivid visualising of war (as was later in Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge)
As with many war films, the focus is on a small group, Ron Eldard at the beginning carrying Jeffrey Donovan who has been wounded, and attempt to get to safety. When he returns alone, he asks his commanding officer, Martin Donovan, for leave because of mental disability. His request is refused and is put in charge of several missions, sometimes with very young and inexperienced soldiers.
There is a glimpse of the Germans – who seem to be in much the same situation as the Americans, more interested in the cigarettes from the American that they capture than in action.
There is a cumulative effect of the war scenes, small skirmishes, bigger action, and a final push on a bridge with hand grenades and flamethrowers.
Modest in size and production, with a group of several young actors at the beginning of their careers, this is a substantially successful World War II film. .
1. A very strong war film? 1944, the Battle of the Bulge? The small infantry unit?
2. A film made for television, production values, Hungarian locations, recreation of the war and battle sequences? Guns, tanks, flamethrowers? The dead? The musical score?
3. The title, the issue of patriotism, the issue of survival? Manning and his trying to save Bobby? Bobby’s death? His discussions with Pritchett, the emphasis on saving his own life – and the comment from the medic about saving him?
4. The background of World War II, 1944, the Germans moving back, the battles in the Ardennes, the American troops, the heavy losses, the Germans and their losses – and the taking of the prisoner but wanting his cigarettes…?
5. Setting the tone, the comments about war?
6. Manning, Bobby, Bobby being carried, desperate, Manning’s decision, his death?
7. The focus on Manning, the discussions with Pritchett, his wanting to be relieved because of mental disability, Pritchett’s refusal? Manning being promoted, in charge of the group? His own personality, the experience of war, dealing with the authorities, Lucas, the number of deaths, is trying to save the men? The various missions? His objective attitude, the bespectacled soldier, hiding from the Germans, surviving, but Manning willing for him to be captured or dead? The further missions, his discussions with the authorities? The battles, the flamethrowers, the grenades, taking out the guns? The arrival of the tanks? Manning and his men, his survival?
8. Pritchett, in command, with Manning, refusing his request, promoting him, explaining that this was the situation, the further missions, promising him his dismissal? His own experience of war, coping with the dead, with commands?
9. The authorities, the commands, the desperation, the willingness to risk lives, the number of the dead, the visuals of the number of the dead? Wise decisions? Not?
10. The ordinary men, new recruits, the soldier with the spectacles, fear, going out, surviving with the Germans listening but walking past him? His return? Further participation, men asking him how he felt?
11. The range of men, ordinary men, the introductory, hand-to-hand battle, weapons, continued threats, in the forests? The medic?
12. A portrait of World War II, memories of battles 50 years earlier?
WHEN TRUMPETS FADE
US, 1998, 95 minutes, Colour.
Ron Elgar, Zak Orth, Frank Whaley, Dylan Bruno, Dan Futterman, Steven Petrarca, Dwight Yoakam, Martin Donovan, Timothy Olyphant, Jeffrey Donovan, Bobby Cannavale.
Directed by John Irvin.
This is a little-known World War II film, made for television by HBO at the end of the 1990s. While it was seen at the time on television, it had no cinema release and not a wide audience.
However, it is well worth seeing.
It is based on an actual battle on the Belgian-German? border before Christmas, 1944. The film opens with extensive footage of the allies entering Paris, the liberation of Paris, the enthusiasm, and the hopes of end of the war before Christmas.
But, then it moves to the battle, alone soldier carrying the wounded soldier on his back, setting him down, the wounded man not wanting to be carried anymore, but wanting his companion to stay as he was dying. Then a shot is heard. The soldier, David Manning (Ron Eldard) reports and wants to be excused from action. The captain, Martin Donovan, refuses and promotes him to be a sergeant, wanting him to lead a small squad of young rookie is in a plan to take a bridge and hold it.
Manning is taunted by some as being a coward because he was the only one to survive, uninjured, and attack. However, he perseveres with the young men, disciplining them, testing them on patrol, not popular with them, still wanting to be relieved.
When the pushes to take the bridge lead to many deaths and injuries, German canon continually firing on the troops, Manning suggests that he takes his squad behind the lines and attack the cannons from the back. On the whole, the strategy works – and is later repeated though with some deadly consequences.
In the film ends as it began, this time the wounded Manning being carried by one of the young soldiers…
The title indicates that there is far more to war than the trumpeting of propaganda and morale and gives some information at the end that historians agree that the casualties of this action or out of all proportion and the military decisions were in error.
1. The title? The enthusiasm of war? Reality? Disillusionment? Self-sacrifice?
2. A World War II film over 50 years after the events? The impact for the end of the century? Memories of war? Acknowledgements of war, self-sacrifice, unnecessary deaths? Tribute?
3. The tone of the opening, the footage of the liberation of Paris? The enthusiasm? The songs? The troops, the people? The hopes for the end of the war by Christmas?
4. The events based on an actual historical episode? The battle of Hurtgen Forest? Christmas 1944?
5. The tone of the first sequence with David Manning, carrying Bob, Bob dying, suffering, on the ground, not wanting to be carried further, but not wanting Dave to leave, the plea, David his gun? His arriving back at headquarters? The loss of all the other men? His survival? Talbot and his continuing to needle Dave, yellow streak, cowardice?
6. Dave wanting out, the discussions with Captain Pritchett, the promotion, his refusal, the arguments between them? His being made sergeant, going out to his new squad of
men, their being rookies?
7. Dave and his friendship with the medic, their discussions, help, in the field, under fire, the rescues, the injured and dead? The medic overhearing Dave wanting to opt out? His comment about putting life at risk?
8. The authorities, the Lieutenant and his strong attitudes, the discussions with Dave, willingness to help, the lieutenant under the bridge, under the bombardment, the dogtags of all his massacred troops, his attack on the commander?
9. The range of authorities, the strategies, the plan to take the bridge, the number of pushes, the casualties? The final information and the criticism of such unnecessary deaths?
10. Dave, with the young men, their talking amongst themselves, their Christian names and surnames, Warren and his spectacles, Baxter and his being cheeky, the going off on the
mission, beyond enemy lines, Warren set on patrol, hiding from the Germans, his return, Baxter calling out, Dave slapping him? The effect of the experience? Dave explaining that they had experience?
11. The pushes, the bombardment from the tanks and cannons? The authorities demanding the taking and occupying of the bridge?
12. Pritchett and his wanting to leave, the interview, his being commanded to continue? The attack, the effect on him, the authorities seeing him as wounded, sending him away? The issue of the deal he had done for Dave and his getting out? Talbot telling Dave the news of Pritchett’s injuries?
13. Dave and his idea, Pritchett approving, taking the young men, going behind the lines, the attack from behind, shooting, the flamethrowers? The deaths?
14. The sense of disaster, the authorities demanding the holding of the bridge? The tank reinforcements? Dave, the young men going again, not within orders? The attack, the trucks with the ammunition, the explosions? German shooting? The deaths? Dave being wounded?
15. The repetition of the opening, Warren carrying Dave, Dave dying on his back?
16. A retrospective perspective on battles in World War II?
