THE GREAT RAID
US, 2005, 132 minutes, Colour.
Benjamin Bratt, James Franco, Joseph Fiennes, Connie Nielson, Robert Mammone, Sam Worthington, Martin Csokas, Kenny Doughty, Jerome Ehlers, Nicholas Bell.
Directed by John Dahl.
The Great Raid is based on an episode at the end of World War Two in the Philippines. The film begins with a black and white prologue with archival footage moving into action showing the history of America’s involvement in World War Two and the difficulties in the early years after Pearl Harbour. It shows Mac Arthur and his moving to Australia and his vow to return to the Philippines. The film also shows American prisoners of war being treated brutally in the prisoner-of-war camps.
The film is set over several days in January 1945, the invading Americans deciding to liberate about five hundred prisoners from a prisoner-of-war camp, with the Japanese facing defeat and lower morale, though vowing to fight to the death.
The film veers between showing the invading group and the prisoners in the camp. The leaders of the group are Benjamin Bratt and James Franco. The leader of the prisoners is played by Joseph Fiennes. There are also sequences in Manila, life in the city under Japanese occupation, the hospitals – and the Philippine Resistance. Connie Nielson plays a Lithuanian nurse who decided to stay in the Philippines and help during the war.
In many ways the film is conventional, though there are far fewer films about the War in the Pacific than there are about the European war. The film is also very patriotic – although it does not hesitate to show the torture of prisoners, an escape being punished by the death of ten hostages, the torture of the nurse in Manila. While there is a triumph in the achievement of the raid and the freeing of the prisoners, the film itself does not have a neat happy ending.
The film was made on Australian locations and has a supporting cast of Australian actors.
The film was directed by John Dahl, better known for dark thrillers including Kill Me Again, Red Rock West, Unforgettable and perhaps, his best, The Last Seduction.
1.Audience knowledge of the War in the Pacific? A tribute to those who fought and died?
2.The Australian locations for the Philippines? The prisoner-of-war camps, Manila itself during the war, the jungle surrounding the camps and the city? The musical score?
3.The action sequences, the planning, the raid, the attack on the camp, the deaths of the Japanese, the fight-back, the freeing of the prisoners?
4.The prologue, the archival material about America in World War Two and the Pacific, segueing into the action? The final credits and the archival material of the soldiers freed? The final information about the fate of the leaders, their decorations?
5.The situation in January 1945, the prisoner-of-war camp and the treatment by the Japanese, the invading Americans and their aims?
6.The discussion about the prisoner-of-war camp, the general, the plan for the raid, the strategy? The short time? The situation with the Japanese, lowering of morale, the impending defeat?
7.The leaders of the expedition? Colonel Mucci, his personality, force of character, relationship with Captain Prince, with the other members of the team? The discussions as to who should go? The training? Interaction with the other officers? The decision to go, the leadership, the waiting? Mucci’s role in the attack? Achievement? Captain Prince, young, his abilities, strategies? The place of married men going on the expedition? Himself being married, deciding to be the last out? The interactions with Mucci, the advice of the Resistance, delaying the attack? His participation in the attack? The rescue of Major Gibson, carrying him out? Firing the flare to say that the mission was a success?
8.The variety of men in the expedition, action, interactions, past friendships, clashes? A sense of realism about the men and their characters?
9.The prisoner-of-war camp, Major Gibson, command, interactions with the Japanese commanders? Advising caution and not giving them satisfaction? Anger but controlled? His getting malaria? His relationship with Margaret, her husband, the memories? The taunting by the Japanese leader? His writing the letter to her? His being carried out? His death? The reading of the letter by Margaret?
10.The other members of the camp, the officer wanting to escape, discussions with Gibson, saying he had no regard for the others, Gibson trying to persuade him not to go, the threat of ten hostages being executed? The man keeping watch and going to sleep, the escape, the capture? The ruthlessness of the commander in choosing the ten men, their execution?
11.The Japanese, the soldiers, the cruelty in the camp? The leader, his watching the torture, watching the deaths, his comment about the soldiers dying soon? The threats to Gibson? His executing the hostages? The finale, his trying to escape, the mortar and the damage, the fight and his death?
12.The Philippine Underground, the explanations, the past history with the Americans, solidarity with the war, the Underground? The hospital staff, getting quinine and other drugs to the prisoners? The nurses, Margaret’s role? The betrayal by the nurse, her not informing on Margaret, the others being executed?
13.Margaret, Lithuanian, marriage, staying in Manila, estrangement from her husband, his death? Her love for Major Gibson? Working in the hospital, getting the drugs? The young woman being followed, her struggling with the pursuer? Her arrest, interrogation, torture? Her being freed? Going to the Underground, escaping with the help of the priests? The end of the war, the letter from Major Gibson?
14.The atrocities suffered by the Filipinos, the massacres in the village? The priests and their role in the Resistance?
15.A perspective on World War Two, on the War in the Pacific, the Japanese as enemies, their cruelty? The role of the Americans and the liberation of the Philippines?
