[TML] Killer instinct (was Re: Navel Silliness)

[Richard Aiken]

On Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 3:49 PM, Jerry W Barrington
<jerry.barrington at gmail.com> wrote:
> I read a synopsis, and in the movie at least 6 people died to save that one,
> and when they got to him, he *refused* to be saved!  He knew they war was
> worth the sacrifice.

SPOILER SPACE

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IIRC - and the movie told the truth - his (the rescuee's)
seriously-understrength unit had been assigned to hold a vital bridge,
to keep the Germans from blowing it up.  He refused to leave because
doing so may have made the difference between holding it and losing
it.  Since he wouldn't leave, the unit sent to get him elected to stay
and help hold the bridge.  They succeeded, but most of them (including
the commander, played by Tom Hanks) died in the doing of it (there was
a Panther IV or two involved . . .).  After his unit is relieved by
reinforcements, the rescuee does agree to go.

And that ties back to the films intro, where we saw a very aged
veteran (surrounded by children and grandchildren) crying at the side
of the Captain's French war grave, asking (paraphrased): "Was it worth
it?  What you did for me?"

-- 
Richard Aiken

"Never insult anyone by accident." Robert A. Heinlein