Breaker Morant

Breaker Morant

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DVD Reviews of Breaker Morant

DVD Review: Scapegoats of War: Is Patriotic Always Political?
Summary: 5 Stars

When to the combatants go "too far" in engaging their minds to the task before them? Protecting their own, perhaps putting the enemy at some risk (psychological or physical) doing so? Saving lives. Is war never acceptable as a form of handling conflict, and what should be the consequences of going "out of bounds?" Where is the rulebook? Who does it apply to? This question is as fresh today as at the near-end of the Boer War, a hundred years ago and on the other side of the world, but not further from the questions it raises than nightly news reports on NBC, CBS, ABC, and other media that "report."

I chance upon this film during a late night (or should I say early morning) showing about five years after its release, and have considered it one of my top ten films of all time. It is engaging, the script is excellent, the portrayals of these actual soldiers and their superiors (including Lord Kitchener) during what no one knew then were the waning days of the British Empire, the soundtrack, all would be worthy of "Oscar" nominations even in the Politically Correct climate today.

We see south African blacks treated as nonexistent, the pride of "colonials" as part of the Empire, the arrogance of "true Britons"--all with counterparts in every conflict.

A highly political "court martial" is held for three Australians serving in the Bushveldt Carbineers--a unit using recently developed "commando" techniques. It is a new word applied to war, and something quite different from the Napoleonic tactics seen not only at the entrance of the 19th century, but repeated again and again in armed conflicts throughout.

These three men applied their intelligence and their compassion (for the death of their commanding officer) to the reduction of casualties, and psychological (propaganda) techniques aimed at the Boers, Dutch colonials living in South Africa.

It was a highly political occurence...after all, the Kaiser (Emperor) of Germany, recently united and no doubt ready to enter a "real" conflict, was the late Queen Victoria's grandson!!! If three Australian "colonials" were to be sacrificed in that pursuit, what of it? With stiff upper lips (camouflaged with mustaches for the most part), we see this tragedy laid out in the most "civilized manner" possible.
You will have strong feelings for and about the men involved.

The United States of America appears to be the last land-occupying miltary superpower (does the sun set on the "American Empire"?). Given the paradoxes and tactical problems encountered in dozens of "humanitarian" and "military" conflicts following the first Gulf War, the lessons of "Breaker Morant" are no less compelling than in any other time in the history of warfare. In fact, this drama makes draws one to surmise that many "military tribunal" concoctions--in legal language, "off point." Thankfully, the DVD edition of this classic is crisp, compelling, and produced to the highest standards. I recommend purchasing it--you will watch it more than once!

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