The good news first – there’s no pinko sucker punch in The American despite the presence of chatty progressive George Clooney in the title role.  Sure, there’s a tiny bit of the hackneyed “American learns about life from the earthy foreigners who truly know how to live” cliché, but not much.  Now the bad news:  Not only is there no sucker punch but there’s no punch at all.

—–

This is a technically well-written script by Rowan Joffe that tells a story that made me want to lick my finger and stick it in a socket to jump start my soul.  Stop me if you’ve heard this before, which pretty much means stop me now.  Clooney plays a hit man who “wants out” and hides in an Italian village while he puts together his One Last Job.  He interacts with a few locals, sips coffee, acts paranoid, and awaits the series of twists and betrayals everyone sees coming a mile away.  Arrivederchi, two hours of your life.

I almost wish that the script had empowered Clooney’s Hollywood lib instincts so I could have felt something while reading the script other than the same exhausted ennui that the main character is supposed to feel.  Yeah, he’s burned out and morally and emotionally bereft.  We get it.  I mean, we’ve only seen this movie and this character, what . . . 500 times?  Except this one is hiding out in the same soul-regenerating village Italian countryside we’ve seen in, what . . . 500 other movies? 

Call it Clash of the Cliches.  Too bad they never actually unleash the kraken.

Let’s catalog some of the other clichés:

Car chase through village?  Check.

Envelope of cash handed over at restaurant?  Check.

Covert bad guy following anti-hero who could not be more obvious if he wore a neon sign reading “Hi! I’m Jeff, the disposable evil hit man coming after you!”  Check.

And we get lots of scenes of Clooney’s character making a special assassination weapon of a very specific make and model that is utterly inappropriate for the detailed specifications the plot provides.  I note the trailer shows him with a different, much more appropriate type of rifle.  So it’s got that going for it.

The rest of the script though . . . .  Clooney goes to a café.  Clooney does exercises.  Clooney talks on a pay phone.  Clooney trades portentous, pseudo-significant insights with a priest.  Yeah, you’re burned out.  Yeah, you’re morally empty.  Yeah, we get it.  Now will somebody please freaking DO SOMETHING BESIDES SIT AROUND TALKING ABOUT THE SAD STATE OF HIS SOUL!

We never find out much the anti-hero’s back-story, which is okay because we really don’t care.  His tattoo reveals that he is ex-Special Forces, because, as we know, all Green Berets leave the Army to join that giant high-priced international hit man industry we somehow never hear about in real-life.  If in reality half as many people were employed as high-priced, professional assassins as Hollywood movies depict, the unemployment rate would only be 9% and the Administration would point to it as evidence the stimulus is working.

Maybe it’s time to stop making movies about the trials and tribulations of a group of people that doesn’t really exist.  Most real-life “hit men” seem to be border-line degenerates shooting somebody’s husband or another petty criminal for $2,500 bucks which they never get to spend before the police round them up.  Unless I’ve missed the epidemic of politicians, international businessmen and such being eliminated by uncatchable pros, stories about the moral turmoil and emotional troubles of a secret breed of jet-setting assassins seems kind of pointless.  Maybe instead we can get some equally relevant movies that dare explore the secret lives of unicorns or delve into leprechaun relationship issues.

So, the story is boring – though the script is technically proficient and evocative, meaning that I could clearly and fully visualize all of the tired, hackneyed clichés.  On the plus side, other than the “You Americans don’t know how to live life” crap, it’s not political.  It’ll be equally dull for adherents of every political stripe. 

Also a plus, it will be directed by the talented Anton Corbijn, last seen directing the very cool Joy Division movie Control (for a sample of Corbijn’s visual style, check out its awesome trailer).  Terrifyingly, a true story about a Goth band and its lead singer’s eventual suicide has more laughs than this script does, which is to say at least one.

And there’s another upside – there’s a hot Italian girl character in it and pretty much every scene she’s in has her taking off her clothes.  I don’t mean just once or twice.  I mean this gal makes Lindsay Lohan look like a particularly repressed Amish chick during Sunday school.  So, Clooney gets to pick up a big paycheck for hanging out in the Italian countryside surrounded by hot naked girls (yeah, there’s more than one), so I can see what was in The American for him.  Unfortunately, I still can’t see what’s supposed to be in it for the rest of us.

Some of the Navy folks talked about bringing out a veterinarian.

08 July 2009

(Filed from Afghanistan)

The fight in the southern Philippines varies in intensity and technique. Commanders in the AFP (Armed Forces Philippines) will say that the fight consists of about 80% carrot and 20% stick. The relationship between U.S. and AFP forces seems good but there are differences of opinion. Our folks fully understand the 80% part, but on the 20% we often know the whereabouts of the enemy and would like to see faster action. Nevertheless, my gut instinct after having a tour about the place is that progress is being made. A guerrilla commander told me that he had been fighting since 1976, but came out of the jungles with 34 fighters on 20 April this year. Publicly it’s called a “surrender,” but on the ground it seemed more like a mutual agreement to stop fighting and do something constructive.

Mindanao

And so in addition to other tours on Luzon, Sulu, and Mindanao, we flew to this airstrip on Mindanao and were heading to the village where the recent guerrillas lived with their families. U.S. Navy and a couple of Green Berets picked us up. I was escorted most steps of the way by Philippine Army Captain Enrico Ileto, and/or U.S. Air Force Captain John Hutcheson and U.S. Navy Lieutenant Lara Bollinger. All three worked for public affairs. This practically never happens in Iraq or Afghanistan; many folks think that writers are shadowed constantly in the wars, but this might occur 1% of the time with Americans, more so with Brits. I didn’t mind the shadowing in the Philippines and found it helpful as an intro; we got things done quicker (such as flights) and the meetings were nearly continuous. For a short embed, this was fine but for long-term work, it would not work.

During the seven days, I saw no direct signs of fighting other than one small bomb crater and bridge damaged by explosives. The enemy here is not as clever with explosives as were the Iraqis.

We dove over the smaller bridge while repairs were underway on the larger, damaged bridge.

Around the periphery of Mindanao Island are many Christians and plenty of churches. Before leaving the ring-road and heading into the jungle interior, we stopped in a small community to wait for AFP soldiers to take us into enemy territory. Hopefully, it was “former” enemy territory. We had no armor or body armor and wore no helmets, unlike on Sulu where everyone wears “battle rattle” as if they are in Afghanistan or Iraq. The kids in the area were friendly and never asked for candy but they smiled at us a lot. They especially smiled at Lt. Lara Bollinger and brightened up even more whenever she smiled at them. A pretty girl stopped to take photos. Captain Ileto, whom I called by his first name “Enrico,” had lost a number of his men nearby during heavy fighting, and I was told that he was awarded a medal for courage under fire. (I asked for that citation but was told that it’s “classified.”)

While we waited for AFP soldiers, concern seemed to grow on Enrico’s face that we had been there too long, maybe 15 minutes, and he thought we might get hit if we didn’t move out.

So our convoy drove into the interior jungle. Altogether, the trip would take about two hours, much of which was on the unpaved jungle roads. The weather was dry and temperature was pleasant. As we moved further inland, there were more and more mosques in the villages. The kids, men and women were very friendly. Laundry was hanging out in every village, and so lots of the little kids weren’t wearing any pants. Our troops call laundry day “no pants day.”

New Lawyer posters. The men waving from the window.

The ambush country was as good as you’ll see just about anywhere. Decent guerrillas could have taken a heavy toll on us. Luckily, every single village seemed friendly. The sign’s for “Attorney Muamar Andamama Sarip Guyo,” whose name will forthwith be seen in at least a hundred countries.

They sure seemed proud of their new lawyer.

No pants day at the country store.

Navy Lt. Lara Bollinger waves her arm off. All of us were waving, but Lara, who does Crossfit, was getting a workout.

Enemy kids playing basketball in village by old sign.

We finally made it to our destination: The enemy village where the 34 fighters had come with their families. Some of the men here were wearing camouflage and though the people were friendly, there was edge in the air from some of the younger men. I didn’t feel any danger but this wasn’t a beach party, either.

Far better to be delivering building supplies than JDAMs.

The AFP and our folks helped unload some lumber, cement, and other supplies, and the men expressed much thanks.

Always wave and smile but keep your eyes out. AFP soldiers with American Green Beret.

The village of Barangy Old Poblacion Munai. A couple of the younger Moro fighters kept scowls on their faces, such as the man with hands in pockets.

The only true litmus seems to be the kids. It’s not a 100% thing with the kids, though. In Iraq, foreign fighters in particular would attack straight through crowds of kids, but the kids seemed to be the truest reflection of the community.

Most of the people seemed welcoming, but some held back.

Moro Mother, Wife of Commander

Enrico and Moro Commander.

At first Enrico was standoffish with the Commander, whom he said might have been involved in killing his own men, but the fact is, we are destined to perpetual war if we drag blood feuds through the decades.

'Che' imitated his t-shirt, until Navy Lt. Wurtz saw the irony and went for the handshake. After that, Che seemed to lighten up. It was ironic, however, to see one of ours shaking hands with a Moro guerrilla wearing a Che shirt!

Numerous AFP soldiers extended a hand to the Guerrilla commander and he took each hand with what appeared to be a genuine smile.

Guerrilla Benjie Lucsadato, commander of the '102nd Base Command,' and his wife. I asked how many wives he had and she burst out laughing. They chattered for a few sentences and Lucsadato said he only has one wife, and she confirmed, like it was the dumbest question on the planet that only a child would ask. Commander Lucsadato answered all my questions, saying he had been fighting in the jungles since 1976, and he couldn’t afford to have two wives while he was fighting. Commander Lucsadato said he has seven children and four are going to school. He hated the AFP (Armed Forces Philippines) before because they treated people badly and were unprofessional. He said they were arrogant. He said that the new AFP is professional, friendly to the people and bring projects. For instance, in this village, they are helping with fishponds. Commander Lucsadato said that the AFP treated his relatives well, and this began to persuade him to surrender, and so he came from the jungle with 34 fighters on 20 April 2009. I asked the Commander if he was in contact with other guerrilla commanders, and if they would also surrender. The Commander said he was in contact, some would not quit fighting, but others are waiting to see how his village is treated. If the AFP treats them well, others are ready to surrender, he said. I asked Commander Lucsadato what he thinks of the United States, and he asked me to send warm sentiments back to America. His translated words: 'send appreciation to U.S. forces and AFP for support and this is same sentiment of other fighters.'

More thanks to our navy folks.

Since going to British tracking school in Borneo, I pay closer attention to feet. The Taliban normally wear running shoes that often are not available in local Afghan markets. One British soldier wrote that he took inventory of all the shoes sold in his Area of Operations (AO) in Afghanistan, and subtly photographed all the men’s shoes so that he could build a library of footprints in his AO. His men avoided at least one bomb due to his tracking skills.

The AFP soldiers were mixing, too. Most of the women were fine with having their photos taken but a few avoided the camera.

Since there was a pose going, Enrico and the commander wanted to show again that they were shaking hands. The village is under death threat from some other MILF commanders who refused to surrender, but Lucsadato also said that other MILF leaders are waiting to see how this village is being treated; they want to surrender too. If this village is treated well, others will surrender, he said. Civil Affairs teams probably save more lives than body armor.

Muslim Guerrilla commander Benjie Lucsadato with American soldier.

The AFP troops held themselves like experienced soldiers. The were respectful and professional, but watchful. Made sense because I had a camera, but I also had plenty of time alone with the villagers and they could have dropped a hint if this were just a dog and pony show, but none did. This seemed like 'what you see is what you get.' The soldiers weapons were immaculate and kept on SAFE. They could use some better armor, though. It’s great to win a village, but far greater to win it and tell the world.

The U.S. and AFP rebuilt the village fishponds, and helped with other agricultural revenue sources.

Green of the village. This island can grow bananas because it rarely gets hit by typhoons, which flatten banana trees on many of the other islands.

Fish and rice covered by banana leaves.

Filipinos call these meals 'Boodlefights' because everyone fights for the food, more or less. The Muslims in the village waited respectfully for the Christians to pray before eating. Up close, things are often very different. (Just yesterday an Afghan apologized in advance and asked me if I hate Muslims.) The fish was scorching hot and burned my fingers. We often stand up like this in Iraq and the Iraqis usually don’t wash their hands until afterward. In Afghanistan we usually sit on the floor, but in all places Christians and Muslims can eat together.

The fish was succulent and we went through it like piranhas.

After the feast

Lower ranking soldiers wait for officers and guests to eat, and they finish off the rest. This would cause a mutiny among U.S. forces where senior leaders often are expected to eat last. (Depending on the situation.) But we were in the Philippines and that’s the way they do business.

Accidental Pepsi commercial after the feast. Naval officer Joe Wurtz, in the middle, was very helpful and is another believer in the great value of Civil Affairs.

Adrian Berghamer, U.S. Navy, also seemed to love her job. There is something fulfilling about knowing your little part makes a big difference, and all the Navy folks seemed to think like that. The U.S. Navy has recently started taking Civil Affairs seriously. The old school Green Berets (using strollers these days) will tell you that Civil Affairs was their secret weapon. Why fight your way into a village when you can walk in and build a school and have tea?

Lt. Lara Bollinger behind the lens.

This Green Beret seemed intent on winning the next election in the village. The kids loved him. An elder woman walked up and he gave a respectful greeting.

What in the world does this guy do with those pretty boots? He saw the camera and chuckled.

Tom Maxwell was the Navy team leader for Maritime Civil Affairs Team 'DET 103.' He was another kid magnet.

Photo of the day: The Moro Commander, Benjie Luscadato, introduces this baby to the Americans.

Some women liked to have photos taken. They were like Iraqi women; some were okay with photos, some not, but if they had a baby they wanted that photo taken! Some Afghan women don’t mind, either, but I’ve seen Tibetan women run away screaming.

More schools, less bombs: More Civil Affairs teams would be very helpful for us in Afghanistan.

In closing on the Philippines, it was clear during my approximate ten days in country that progress is being made, albeit at a slow and frustrating pace. Yet even that progress is endangered by potential cuts to the U.S. force structure as more attention is diverted to Afghanistan. We saw what happened when we ignored Afghanistan to focus on Iraq, and we could do well to remember that the war in the Philippines is a matter of high stakes. The AFP is doing all the fighting, but they need our support. Even now, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is running dangerously short on artillery and mortar ammunition, and they may completely run out this summer.

Dear Reader,

I am back in Afghanistan.   There is progress on many fronts, but in sum, we are still losing the war at an increasing rate.   All is not hopeless, but it’s not looking good.   The fighting promises to be far more deadly for our troops here than we ever saw in Iraq.   The big media has done an abysmal job of covering the latest fighting.   Yes, there are many stories from Afghanistan, but if you look at the bylines, many are filed from places like Kabul.   When you see “Kabul,” think “Saigon” or “Green Zone” with hotels and bars.   I’m heading back to combat and will be right there, up close, in the middle like usual.   The risks are severe and expenses such as insurance skyrocket when in combat.   I can maintain this pace for long periods, but only if you have my back.   Nobody else does.   Your support is crucial to this front-line reporting.   This site accepts zero advertisement.

If you want hardcore, frontline reporting, stay tuned and please support this mission by making a direct contribution.   Without your support, this mission will end.   Thank you for helping to bring untold stories from the struggles for Afghanistan, Iraq, the Philippines and elsewhere.

Thank you and God bless.

Your Writer,
Michael Yon

Wayne surely wasn’t the most skilled actor ever, but he played a much wider variety of roles than is commonly acknowledged, and he brought his characters vividly to life with a force of personality very few, if any, other performers have even approached. A tall, powerfully built, former college football player, Wayne was a huge presence in the motion picture industry, and a superb actor whose skills were consistently underrated by the critics and still are.

Audiences, however, knew just how great he was, and they made his movies nearly automatic successes at the box office.

Even more important, his films bore good and serious meanings, and that was so because he worked hard to make it happen. He was an unmatched success in the marketplace, and his films strengthened Americans’ appreciation for freedom and markets at a time when those ideas and institutions were under furious assault from big-government centralizers both at home and abroad.

Critics and social analysts should devote much more attention toward John Wayne’s singularly impressive career and accord positive recognition to the images he brought to American life and culture. The strong, stolid, but usually easygoing and often humorous hero he created is an American archetype, and although he had plenty of models on which to base it, he added much to it and made it his own. Wayne produced his own films for many years, ensuring that he could tell the stories he wanted to tell in the way he wanted them told.

Wayne was thoroughly of the right politically, but in the great twentieth century tradition of American classical liberalism. He was a Reagan-style Republican (and a friend of Reagan), strongly opposed to both communism and to big government in general. His movie characters were almost always on the side of the good, and they were often a little personally troubled but chose to fight through the adversities. They struggled hard not only to do the right thing but also by doing so to make their part of the world a little better.

That is a legacy of which to be proud, and John Wayne has rightly been seen as an American hero himself. His reputation took quite a few knocks as the devaluation of all values hit American culture and society with increasing strength over the past few decades, but only thorough cynics can deny the truth and goodness of what John Wayne and his movies stood for.

The following are some of Wayne’s best films, which provide a superb overview of the man and his great and well-spent life:

Rio Bravo - Director Howard Hawks, with whom Wayne worked regularly, despised the 1959 Fred Zinneman film High Noon, which Wayne and Hawks correctly saw as historically false and deliberately anti-American. Hawks was an intensely American man, rightly known for depicting in his films the beauty of personal devotion to “action and duty and bravery–and more importantly, the relationship between all three,” as John Nolte cogently expressed it. That’s what Rio Bravo is all about, and its underlying message of the goodness of ordinary people is a perfect rejoinder to the cynical elitism of Zinneman’s film. What’s more, Rio Bravo is true Big Hollywood, so darn much fun it’s likely to be made illegal soon. Hawks was absolutely brilliant at creating believable, complex, eccentric, immensely interesting and likable characters, and Rio Bravo is full of them, including Wayne’s Sheriff John T. Chance, Angie Dickinson as reforming dance-hall girl “Feathers,” Dean Martin as reforming drunkard deputy Dude, Ricky Nelson as hotshot gunslinger Colorado Ryan, Walter Brennan as the hilarious sidekick Stumpy, and Ward Bond and Claude Akins in likewise memorable roles. Rio Bravo is truly one of the greatest westerns of all time, and it features a wonderfully subtle and evocative performance by the Duke.

Hatari! - This is another great Duke film directed by Howard Hawks, released in 1962. Wayne leads a team of hunters in Africa who catch wild animals for zoos. Like most Hawks films, Hatari! is great fun, features impressive action scenes, and is very thought-provoking in observing the various characters’ relationships and personal problems. Like Rio Bravo, Hatari! has a somewhat rambling plot that allows plenty of time for Hawks to observe the various characters’ relationships and personal problems, which he does with both sympathy and discernment, never allowing the characters to get away with self-pity or escape judgment–what we now call tough love. The film brilliantly proves that we can and should judge others without being judgmental.

Stagecoach - A classic Western from 1939, directed by John Ford. A disparate group of people are thrown together in a crisis, and the Duke leads them out. It spawned dozens of imitators over the ensuing decades, and made Wayne a star.

Tall in the Saddle - Wayne’s character fights political corruption in the old West, while romancing a strong, courageous, and attractive female ranch owner played by Ella Raines.

The Flying Tigers, Sands of Iwo Jima, The Fighting Seabees, They Were Expendable, Back to Bataan, Flying Leathernecks, The Longest Day - Nobody was better in war movies than John Wayne. Nobody. His characters show determination and courage while always avoiding grand but foolhardy gestures.

The Big Trail - An early classic Western of the sound era, directed by Raoul Walsh and released in 1930. It is a grand story with impressive visual compositions, and Wayne’s persona is already very much in place here. Unfortunately, the expensive film failed to make money, and Wayne was relegated to B Westerns until his success in Stagecoach.

The Telegraph Trail - A quickly paced B Western from 1933, The Telegraph Trail includes some surprisingly thoughtful insights into economics and politics. Wayne’s character thwarts a greedy businessman who is attempting to stop technological progress (the telegraph) in order to protect his position.

Rio Lobo, True Grit, El Dorado, The Comancheros, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - As the Western changed styles and forms during the late 1950s and after, Wayne continued to make superb films reflecting sound values, and retained his immense box-office appeal.

The Searchers - Critics greatly respect this Western for its thoughtfulness and complexity, and Wayne’s superb characterization of the emotionally disturbed protagonist, Ethan Edwards, is central to the film’s success.

The Hellfighters - Wayne portrays a character based on Red Adair, who led a team that made their living in the hazardous occupation of extinguishing oil-rig fires. Although directed by Andrew V. MacLaglen, the film takes the Howard Hawksian approach of using the dangers to reveal the personal character of the various individuals involved.

The Alamo and The Green Berets - Wayne had immense respect for America’s fighting men, and he stuck his neck out to defend their honor when it began to be increasingly questioned during the 1960s and ’70s. The Alamo and The Green Berets are both excellent portrayals of men in combat and are highly moving at times. Wayne directed them himself, which suggests how important these films were to him. Each of the two films has some uncomfortably sincere and direct moments which snide, smug people can and do deride as hokey, but anyone with any respect for decency and honor can appreciate the real beauties of these films.

Donavan’s Reef - With one of Wayne’s warmest, most appealing performances and a great example of his skill at comedy, this 1963 John Ford comedy tangles with some serious issues and wins. Race, class, duty, family loyalty, the responsibilities of business owners, the role of the church in society, and other serious issues arise in a boisterous romantic comedy set in contemporary Polynesia and featuring superb supporting performances by Lee Marvin, Jack Warden, Elizabeth Allen, Cesar Romero, and Dorothy Lamour. Wayne’s ability to connect with other performers onscreen is strongly evident in this film.

The Quiet Man - Raucous comedy, heartfelt, drama, a beautiful setting, and one of the greatest fight scenes of all time; directed by John Ford and released in 1952. Wayne plays a character suffering a great amount of inner turmoil, and his understated, subtle characterization, which avoids both sentimentality and phony psychology, is central to the film’s power.

It takes a good deal of time just to watch Wayne’s best films, and even longer to delve into some of his more formulaic early movies which also have their rewards, but it will be time very well spent for those who choose to explore the cinematic accomplishments of this great movie star who was indeed a truly great actor.

S. T. Karnick is editor of the American Culture,