Storyline
Red Badge Of Courage, Plot centers around how a young recruit (Audie Murphy) faces the horrors of war. Character vascilates between wanting to fight and doubting his own courage. In midst of first bloody encounter, Youth runs away. After seeing dead and wounded, sense of shame leads him back to his unit, where he distinguishes himself in the next battle. Having overcome his fear of “the great Death” he knows e can face whatever comes. Somewhat sentimental “coming of age” tale was pet project of John Huston, who fought MGM over casting of Murphy and Bill Mauldin in lead roles.
Outstanding
Red Badge Of Courage, This version of Stephen Crane’s epic is the only one that should be shown. The character, Henry Fleming, was truly Audie Murphy’s alter ego. The individual portrayals of the Union soldier’s was John Huston at his best. The battlefield scene that truly captured the essence of this movie was when Henry held the tattered Confederate flag over the body of the dead reb soldier. What could have been more poignant then that scene as one soldier salutes his enemy, who, in reality was his countryman. Also, another icon appeared, Bill Mauldin, the noted cartoonist of “Willie and Joe” from yet another war. I feel this movie, as abbreviated as it was, since L.B.Mayer had over one hour of the original version cut, is still a masterpiece.
A Tribute To Greatness
This movie, directed by John Huston, is arguably the finest Civil War movie of all time. The performances by the young Audie Murphy,America’s most decorated soldier and all the cast are as true to life as can be found anywhere. The narration and ultra-realism gives an almost docu-drama feel. This movie is so short,at 69 minutes, that it never had a chance at the box office, and instead was probably seen mostly by school kids and a few old movie buffs. The only other movie that is almost as short and so successfully tells a story is “The Petrified Forest”. The Red Badge of Courage is on my best movies of all time list.
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