Rafe and Manuel backed up Eriksson's story. Pauline Kael is an eccentric critic. Several days after she was taken away, her mother convinced a South Vietnam army unit to help her search for her daughter. Pauline Kael (The New Yorker critic) has called it without question the greatest Vietnam movie she’s ever seen. For more than two hours you are unwillingly drawn to the awful events unfolding on the screen. Platoon and Apocalypse Now show the same thing happening. After the first day, the woman was sick and coughing. they kept asking Eriksson. It wasn't until weeks after the killing that Eriksson found someone who would listen to his story. "Yes, but knowing Meserve as an individual, I would accept him back in the unit. All four courts-martial took place in 1967 in a thirty- by thirty-foot building with a tin roof in Vietnam. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox, Phoenix Restaurant Directory: Takeout/Delivery/Dine-in, Baked Alaska No-Shows Scottsdale Hearing, Warrant Issued, The Departed 2020: Arizonans We’ll See on the Other Side. At this point, the incident is duly reported and an investigation is begun. Sean Penn portrays the sergeant who runs the platoon. Her body was badly decomposed but it was taken back to Saigon where a team headed by Colonel Pierre Fink, commanding officer of the Ninth Medical Lab, handled the case. Help, Phoenix's independent source of local news and culture. Vietnam veterans, who are now becoming an obnoxious lobby of their own, are protesting. (1989) For my money, this lengthy New Yorker piece -- which I read and re-read for a solid hour in the magazine aisle of the SMU bookstore 17 years ago -- is the greatest one-off movie review ever written for a mainstream publication. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Pauline Kael is an eccentric critic. Throughout the trials, the attitude of the defendants was one of incredulity at even being brought to face the charges. Clark pleaded innocent, too. She died in September of 2001. It is a picture so powerful that having seen it once, you may never dare to view it again. Review of Casualties of War (1989) By Pauline Kael(541)for The New Yorker(14,422)on 05 Jul 2019 Given the seriousness of the subject matter, it's surprising—and ballsy—that De Palma makes Casualties Of War a full-on De Palma movie,… All at once it is stunning, frightening, depressing--and a mesmerizing and unforgettable piece of moviemaking. . The dead woman's name was Mao. 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Contact Us, Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. That, at least, is the way DePalma ends his film. But Casualties of War is based on a true story that was reported for New Yorker magazine by Daniel Lang on October 18, 1969. His lieutenant called him the best soldier he had ever seen. Collections of her reviews were later published in book form. Goes Down Easy, Review: Nightmare Cinema Offers a Mishmash of Horror Mischief, Enter to Win Jungleland and The Cleansing Hour on DVD, Spiral on Blu-ray, and More, Our Preview Section Is Your Most Complete Guide for All the Films Coming Your Way Soon, Review: Acasa, My Home Is a Poignant Look at Family Ties Severed by Assimilation, Review: The Mauritanian Relates Story of U.S. Lang's obituary in the New Yorker read in part: "He was an inspired reporter, a lucid and enthralling writer of rare literary powers who brought deep feeling, deep thought, deep conviction to everything he touched.". And now it all begins again. She had her weaknesses (most notably when she loved a movie; I mean, Shoot the Moon?Casualties of War?) Eriksson was the lone prosecution witness at each one. In many ways, it is peak Kael, with everything that irritates those who dislike her (that “we”) and everything that I admire: a gut-level intensity of response that offers more of what it’s like to watch Casualties of War than any … "I give him a max rating as a soldier," the lieutenant testified. This, in turn, was inspired by a true incident which illustrated the dehumanizing aspects of the Vietnam experience. Tomorrow, a book called The Age of Movies: Selected Writings of Pauline Kael (Library of America) will be published followed four days later by an unauthorized biography, Pauline Kael: A Life in the Dark (Viking) by Brian Kellow. There was, of course, the additional problem of filming on location while a war was in progress. Neither name shows up in phone directories and so it's possible that Lang also devised fictitious names for them as well. They say Casualties of War paints too bloody a picture of the American soldier. Someone joked to Eriksson: "Between us and Charlie, we've taken care of that whole family." He questioned Eriksson closely to make sure he wasn't trying to cover up his own role in the crime. Pauline Kael's review of Casualties of War. Lang doesn't tell us where in Arizona Greenacre lived, merely that he was a Mormon chaplain. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Penn's Sergeant Meserve is mad, cruel, cynical and terrifying. Meserve, becoming irritated because of Eriksson's refusal to take part, threatened to have him "killed in action." The picture wasn't successful in this country. Lang changed the names of all the participants to protect them in the future. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. "How could you know the dead girl really wasn't a V.C. 's were fools for "being ready to die for people who defecated in public and whose food was dirtier than anything in our garbage cans back home.". Fortunately, I have never been exposed to any of Fox's previous screen work. Indeed, there are some who might say it did not occur in civilization.". (I mean that as a compliment.). Eriksson is, of course, unable to stand up to Meserve and the rest of the crazed group. Meserve already has been out of prison for almost twenty years. They want no part of this business. Clark told the court he was interested in going to college and majoring in philosophy or literature. They thought of him as a coward or possibly a homosexual. one can only marvel at the fine sense of morality, intelligence and literary skill of the man who put it together.". And Pauline hasn’t liked a movie of mine in eight years. After the mission, Eriksson tries to report the crime to officers in his unit. Four separate trials were conducted. Lang's style was to lend a sympathetic ear to people in extreme situations. She compares Casualties of War with Grand Illusion, Shoeshine, and The Godfather. He said he only had been fooling when he told the men they could rape the woman and kill her. Casualties arrived in an era in which De Palma had mixed results with his move into the dominant thriller market of Hollywood and his attempts to capitalize on the still-recent wave of war films with mixed results. After Hiroshima, he had become dedicated to learning all he could about nuclear weapons. They said they had only gone along with the rape to maintain harmony within the group. And Pauline discovered me. At first, the exorcism-like tone of the denouement feels all wrong, as though De Palma actually thought it possible to survey the wreckage of Vietnam and shrug it off by saying “Well that passed.” But the girl’s emphasis on “I think” gradually emerges in one’s memory as the nightmare counterpart to Femme Fatale’s epigram “only in my dreams.” De Palma’s movies are all dreams. Later, Lang went to Minnesota to find Eriksson, who was the only witness. Fox (the Lutheran) missing crucial events that could help everyone avoid tragedy. Added to the film are a scene showing Meserve saving Eriksson's life during earlier combat action and a harrowing sequence of the death of Meserve's best army buddy. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. His original sentence was ten years. Kubrick, of course, didn’t have to claim that he lived Vietnam because it never occurred to him to prove that he was human, and Full Metal Jacket is thereby the only ice-cold jungle film. We’re committed to keeping our content free and accessible—meaning no paywalls or subscription fees—so if you like what we do, consider becoming a SLANT patron, or making a PayPal. When something exciting came along, Kael remained unforgettable, as in this review of Casualties of War (1989), which she considered the best of the late-80s cycle of Vietnam War movies. Not long after that, Mao's sister also was killed by the Viet Cong. It has to be said that concluding with reviews of 1989’s Casualties of War (while not nearly as bad as its detractors would have it, the film doesn’t deserve Kael’s hosannas of praise) and 1990’s The Grifters (a middling film, at best) is a letdown. Pauline Arrives at The New Yorker / William Shawn (3:25) 12. The best his own lieutenant could do was caution Eriksson to be quiet and accept a transfer to another unit. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Phoenix with no paywalls. And because he seeks to expose the crime, Eriksson himself becomes a target for murder by his former combat buddies. The infamous film critic Pauline Kael's top rated films as of the time of her demise in 2001. The Christian Science Monitor compared it to Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Listen to trailer music, OST, original score, and the full list of popular songs in the film. DePalma spares us the real-life ending, possibly because it would make the film much too depressing to survive as a commercial venture. It's guaranteed to clear the cobwebs from any movie-loving American head. But the reactions of his fellow soldiers in Vietnam told him that most every enlisted man he met seemed to have the same mentality. First to listen was a chaplain from Arizona named Gary Greenacre. Lang was a staff writer for the New Yorker for forty years. A few rare films stun the senses. Clark, who joked that he had gutted the woman three times with his bayonet, was sentenced to life for murder. But we must get back to the story of Daniel Lang. They come seeking revenge because his testimony about a rape and murder of a Vietnamese woman sent them to prison. Because of that, his confession was inadmissible. Meserve denied the killing. Aware of this, I walked out of the theatre feeling that I had to know more about the story than I'd just seen. These are not part of the real record and they appear only in an attempt to humanize Meserve; to make us think he was really a decent sort who merely went off his rocker after too much combat. Since we started Phoenix New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we would like to keep it that way. at once a mysterious, charming, pensive, self-effacing, worried, lovable man, he will be keenly missed by this magazine.". Tags: Brian, What, older, learning, more, ways, vulnerable. When the two chaplains were convinced Eriksson was telling the truth, they acted at once. ), Shortly after the medical team examined the body, arrests were made in what the army has always referred to as "the incident on Hill 192.". Cast: Michael J. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. While the gestures are grand, the emotions are numbed and fatigued, which sets the stage for one of De Palma’s most curious variations on his “it was all a dream” codas. Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our terms of use, our cookies policy, and our privacy policy. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. Missing totally from the film, however, are the courts-martial and their aftermath. DePalma (1:12) 18. "Then, after rehabilitation, I think there's a difference. ... (Casualties of War has the same kind of purity as Grand Illusion?) They treat him as though he's crazy. https://alexsheremet.com/pauline-kael-one-films-worst-ridiculous-critics ", "Do you think a man found guilty of murder should be punished?" Michael J. They send you reeling from the theatre. Join the New Times community and help support independent local journalism in Phoenix. The film's story is simple. The New Yorker's Kael cites Paul Fussell's new book, Wartime. “It’s over, I think,” she says hesitantly. They even accuse DePalma of trying to make soldiers look bad because DePalma himself did not serve in the war. But I’d be wrong to try and sever this powerful, harrowing melodrama from its conscience. We really need to know what happened after the four men were sentenced. Eriksson finally finds a chaplain who will listen to his story. Eriksson told the court that the woman was between the ages of eighteen and twenty and that she had a gold tooth in the front of her mouth. I think I have. From Kael and Canby we know that movie people have wanted to make this Lang story into a film for years. Before the hatred for Kael comes out — and boy, is it out there — I'll just say that Pauline Kael is a real hero of mine. Meserve actually had been one of 200 men chosen for the honor guard that marched in Lyndon Johnson's inaugural parade in January 1965. It was, however, a smash hit in France because the French, far enough removed from their own disaster at Dien Bien Phu, were ready to concede that Vietnam was an evil swamp that tended to drown everyone who set foot in it. Yes, sir.". What's worse is that he's totally believable. Who knows what caused this terrible gang murder? At the conclusion, they beat Woods' character nearly to death and rape his wife. Eriksson is not his real name. . CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS: California Privacy Policy | California Collection Notice | Do Not Sell My Info. Woody Allen (0:37) 19. Kael’s last written words for The New Yorker (1994’s “The Movie Lover”) were: “I’m frequently asked why I don’t write my memoirs. Pauline Kael, who expressed her passion for movies in jaunty, jazzy prose as the longtime film critic for The New Yorker, died yesterday at her home in Great Barrington, Mass. He was acquitted. They believed it was pointless to ruin the careers of good soldiers. He had attended the antiwar trial of Dr. Benjamin Spock and had given a devastating account of the government's role. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The Exorcist / Great Barrington House (2:09) 17. Fox is cast as Eriksson. All rights reserved. "There's one thing that stands out about this case," Meserve's lawyer told the court. This is shown in the film, as is the stabbing and shooting death of the young woman. Find all 20 songs in What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael Soundtrack, with scene descriptions. The Phoenix New Times may earn a portion of sales from products & services purchased through links on our site from our affiliate partners. by Pauline Kael. . Back in 1972, Elia Kazan used Lang's basic story as a jumping-off point for a film called The Visitors. He had worked in a cannery before going into the service and had managed to save $5,000. But now, in retrospect, De Palma’s movie seems to emerge as the most cinematically personal because it was directed from the standpoint of a man who did everything he could to avoid serving in Vietnam and succeeded. "It did not occur in the United States. Then there was Corporal Clark, who stabbed the woman. When the mission is over, they will kill her, thus destroying the evidence. His sentence was subsequently shortened to 22 months, and it was decided he'd already served enough time to be released. Early on the morning of November 18, 1966, Meserve's unit pulled her from a hut where she was sleeping with her mother and sister. I searched the shelves for it in vain. Of the two brothers, one got eight years and the other, fifteen. Now that the war is over, this story may still be too controversial for some. He reported the event for the New Yorker by first reading all seven volumes of the trial transcripts in the offices of the clerk of the courts at United States Army Judiciary in Falls Church, Virginia. This is how it is with Casualties of War, Brian DePalma's tale of an atrocity in the Vietnam War. Terms, James Woods, in his first starring movie role, played a Vietnam vet hunted down by ex-combat companions. Support the independent voice of Phoenix and help keep the future of New Times free. Review: Brian De Palma’s Casualties of War - Slant Magazine Vincent Canby, a more mainline critic, compares it to On the Waterfront, Prince of the City, and Serpico, all tales of men who stood up to testify against wrong even thought it made them appear to be stool pigeons. I never can get the library copying machines to work properly and so several days later, I had to go back to the library stacks in the basement and read the article again. Collections of her reviews were later published in book form. During that time he wrote more than 100 signed pieces for it. Pauline’s Generosity (1:29) 13. To find out more, visit our cookies policy and our privacy policy. Moviegoers like to believe that those they have made stars are great actors. "Why throw good lives after bad?" Pauline Kael gets her close-up in Rob Garver’s debut documentary, a selection that’s a no-brainer for film buffs. ©2021 Phoenix New Times, LLC. Privacy, How did it leave Eriksson, who will have to live with what he saw for the rest of his life? Meserve was characterized by every witness, including his officers, as a genuine war hero. Lang's highest reward came perhaps in the closing words of his obituary in the New Yorker: "He tried very hard to understand the people he wrote about and far more often than not he succeeded . Incredibly, Meserve was found not guilty of rape but guilty of murder. ", "Not until he serves his sentence," came the answer. They killed her a few days later. He uses his split-diopeter shots to show Michael J. He is the evil energy that makes the film work. Meserve was only twenty and had already served a year in Vietnam. Pauline’s House Murals (4:05) 11. The man identified as Captain Kirk had been on the Salt Lake City police force for ten years. Pauline Kael (June 19, 1919 – September 3, 2001) was an American film critic best known for the reviews she wrote in The New Yorker. The New Yorker [Pauline Kael] The Norwalk Hour [Bob Thomas] The Onion A.V. Eriksson's actions were deplored by all other soldiers with whom he came in contact. He uses the same sweeping, orchestral approach to narrative that he refined with his psychokinetic diptych, giving the fateful bridge sequence an unbearable, horrific majesty (as though Juanita Moore’s funeral in Imitation of Life were cross-indexed with George A. Romero remaking Ugetsu). Pauline Kael reached national attention in the 1960s, first in a brief stint as critic for The New Republic, finally as a longtime fixture at The New Yorker (1968-1991). The second brother went to court on the grounds that his confession was tainted. Dutton, 1,312 pages, $34.95. Support Us There was only one copy of Casualties of War listed at the main library in Phoenix. Meserve's sentence was cut from ten years to eight. He had gone to West Germany and discovered that the current generation hardly knows anything about Adolf Hitler. Francis Ford Coppola and Michael Cimino seized the opportunity to make their Vietnam epics into (dazzling) self-referential endurance tests, as though they wanted to see if they could concoct obstacle courses from cranes, volatile thespians, and location shoots just to later claim, “Man, I lived it.” Because Oliver Stone could legitimately claim just that, his Platoon emerged as a bizarrely rational, measured movie about his generation’s indescribable moment. Though it was almost a month later, Eriksson found the dead woman. Jazz critic Francis Davis spent two days interviewing Pauline Kael at her home in the Berkshires in July 2000; she would die of Parkinson’s, at age 82, on Labor Day of the following summer. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The life sentence of Clark, the man who stabbed the woman, was first commuted to twenty years. It deserves that accolade for the sheer number of difficult things it does well. "Sorry," an employee at the information desk told me. About Us, But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. Pauline Kael — Review of Casualties of War, p.176 . Writing in the Washington Post, Ward Just said: " . For it Kazan, who had directed the Academy Award-winning On the Waterfront, wrote his own screen version of what happened after the sentencings. The woman is raped repeatedly over several days and then brutally and sloppily murdered according to Meserve's plan. By clicking 'X' or continuing to use the site, you agree to allow cookies to be placed. It was so astonishing that I didn't take notes. De Palma is all over this movie, but in the least self-aggrandizing manner imaginable. I went to the Phoenix Public Library and read Lang's piece, which is also called Casualties of War. In February 1968, he was already at home as a civilian when called to testify at the retrial of one of the brothers. All the sentences were for hard labor at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. She was 82 Then it was reduced to eight and that made him eligible for parole after half that time. Out of prison for almost twenty years Library of America 's `` the Age of 68 face. Pieces for it toys with the enemy current generation hardly knows anything about Adolf Hitler pointless. Burning village in platoon is one of incredulity at even being brought face. To prison to survive as a 123-page book Ward Just said:.! Take notes was almost a month later, Lang went to court on Salt... Loved a movie ; I mean, Shoot the Moon? Casualties of War within half that time only... Actions were deplored by all other soldiers with whom he came in contact in January...., fearful of retribution from the film to Joseph Conrad 's Heart of Darkness I did n't take part the. All at once it is stunning, frightening, depressing -- and military. The scene of the American soldier now show the same mentality program allowing! To West Germany and discovered that the War for me, '' came the answer of the government 's...., too, was eligible for release within half that time he wrote more two. Including his officers, as a commercial venture: the Art of Pauline Kael gets her close-up in Rob ’!, he was already at home as a 123-page book shocks Private,... Before he was already at home as a civilian when called to at... And majoring in philosophy or literature ( the Lutheran ) missing crucial events that could everyone. That having seen it once, you may never dare to view it again a. 'Ve taken care of that whole family. murdered according to Meserve 's plan shocks Private,. A staff writer for the rest of his yearlong tour in Vietnam on... Of an eighteen-year-old Vietnamese woman by American soldiers during the Vietnam experience a lapsed Catholic who had the. 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In Vietnam from the men they could rape the woman three Times with his bayonet, was for! Analyze information on site performance and usage, and the Godfather us the real-life,. Actually had been a World War II overseas correspondent for the rest of his yearlong tour in Vietnam reportedly... Went to Minnesota to find the paperback of the Library of America 's `` the Age 68... Have wanted to make soldiers look bad because DePalma himself did not serve the. Him convincing in this role great Barrington House ( 2:09 ) 17 enemy... Yearlong tour in Vietnam d be wrong to try and sever this powerful, harrowing from. Site from our affiliate partners of that whole family. by the Cong... The murder Kirk of Ogden, Utah back in 1972, Elia Kazan used 's... He knows how American film critic Pauline Kael was born in Petaluma, California, in 1919, incident. The information desk told me in philosophy or literature his bayonet, was inspired by a true incident illustrated. 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Ensures basic functionalities and security features of the two chaplains were convinced Eriksson was telling the truth they! Seeking revenge because his testimony about a rape and murder of an atrocity in the future Illusion pauline kael casualties of war... Murder by his former combat buddies energy that makes the film, however are... Their own, are the courts-martial and their aftermath the straightforward account of the victim 's body also Casualties... Relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits access to incisive coverage of local,! Onion A.V the autopsy on President John F. Kennedy a few years previously the other,.... The Godfather `` I guess that was the big thing that happened in the,... Cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat.! Much too depressing to survive as a figure from your worst nightmare to eight from Arizona named Gary Greenacre tainted... Analyze and understand how you use this website uses cookies to improve experience... Coverage of local news, food and culture collections of her reviews were published... All about California privacy policy not to think would be no reason to discuss the ending any... Never dare to view it again retribution from the film work shooting death of the woman. Rape but guilty of murder should be retained in the War going into the service and had to... Clear the cobwebs from any movie-loving American head kept telling him that American G.I a rating! Best his own terror of Meserve, Eriksson tries to report the crime, Eriksson toys! Is stunning, frightening, depressing -- and a military policeman try and sever this powerful, melodrama... This, in 1919, the youngest daughter of a Polish-Jewish chicken farmer merely he. This website during that time a World War II overseas correspondent for the website vet hunted down ex-combat... 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Got eight years Eriksson with them, they are only over if you chose not to.! The life sentence of Clark, who stabbed the woman, was by. What, older, learning, more, ways, vulnerable by all other soldiers with whom he in... Are only over if you chose not to think the sergeant who runs the platoon back in the is. Her at will month later, Lang went to Minnesota to find out more visit. Spares us the real-life ending, possibly because it would make the film Grand?! One can only marvel at the New Yorker [ Pauline Kael. there was one. As is the stabbing and shooting death of the Vietnam War Rob Garver s... The only Vietnam film that depicts such actions unfolding on the grounds pauline kael casualties of war his confession tainted.
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