One of our most esteemed readers, RiNS, suggested or ordered me to do a movie review on Hacksaw Ridge. Yessir! I don’t do movie reviews so I thought I’d give it a shot and see how it works out.
The movie in a nutshell. It tells the true story of Desmond T. Doss, a young man from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia who served as a medic during World War II. As a Seventh Day Adventist, and also the legacy of violence from his veteran father, Doss refuses to even pick up a gun. However, he feels guilt that he gets to stay home while his brethren are fighting the war, so he enlists. Eventually, the military brass allow him to go to battle unarmed as a medic. In the process he literally saves about 75 wounded American soldiers, which eventually earns him the Medal of Honor.
Before we get into the meat of the article I would beg you to watch this five minute clip, and let this True American Hero tell you his story in his own words.
While the main story in the movie is historically very accurate, quite a few of the details are not true. You and I would call this “bullsh*t”. Hollywood calls it “artistic license” … can’t tell a good story with a little bovinepoo spead around. For a really good read regarding Gibson’s movie fact-vs-fiction, click HERE
Let’s now ask some questions about the Morality Play under-girding this movie as it is depicted by Mel Gibson. In other words, I’m going to treat the movie as if all the scenes are historically accurate. After all, I’m reviewing the movie’s version of Doss’ life. In that sense, this is as much a review of how Mel Gibson views war and pacifism, as it is that of Dawson’s own views. We’ll look at it from three perspectives; emotional, intellectual, and logical.
(Emotional) How should society treat conscientious objectors (CO)?
Once his fellow soldiers realize that Doss refuses to even touch a gun they turn against him, first with ridicule, and then with violence. The officers even incite the platoon to turn against Doss, which culminates in the scene where about half a dozen soldiers beat the living crap out of Doss. (In reality, the beating actually never occurred. It is Gibson’s style to evoke gut-wrenching emotion whenever possible, even if “facts” need to be manufactured.) Here, Gibson paints the soldiers as violence loving bullies, the anti-heroes, and Doss as the Suffering Servant just as Christ suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane. If only we could just all love one another. But, how realistic is that in real life?
In real life we might not actually physically assault the CO, but surely many of us silently approve those who do, or at least we look the other way because COs disgust us. Well, at least that’s true for me.
My parents made friends with the H’s shortly after we arrived in the USA. They had a son, Bobby, my age, and we grew up best friends in Newark. I joined the USAF when I was 18. Bobby found a new girlfriend the same year. I didn’t meet up with Bobby again until four years later when I was discharged. He had gotten married by then. I couldn’t figure out why I hadn’t heard from him in four years, nor why he hadn’t contacted me since my return. So, one day I just popped in. What a day it was.
In short order we got to talking about politics and some of my experiences in the Air Force. This was in 1975 and Bobby wanted to know if I was a “baby-killer”, and even if I was not, then how could I associate with people who are. WTF?? In my absence he had somehow turned rabidly anti-war even to the point where he said he’d rather go to jail than to defend America, even if enemies landed on our shores. I called him a fucking coward. I asked him how he could sit there so smugly on his couch taking his freedoms for granted … freedoms he had only because other men were willing to die to secure those freedoms he now mocked. I recall asking him why he shouldn’t be shot as a traitor.
Believe it or not, he had plenty of answers. Religious answers. You see, he married a Jehovah’s Witness, and as a result he became a convert. These heated arguments — from politics, to war, to religion (he tried to convert me) – lasted for several hours. Exasperated that the conversion wasn’t going anywhere, Bobby’s wife finally intervened, and ordered me to leave the premises. As I was walking toward the door she gave me one final ultimatum; she said I was no longer welcome in their home. I looked at Bobby, my best friend for 25 years. He merely shrugged his shoulders. I wouldn’t speak to Bobby again for almost 30 years.
Probably to my shame I still have negative opinions about COs to this very day. It’s also a major source of cognitive dissonance;
— I am sick and tired of America’s endless wars … none of them since WWII can be remotely considered justified even under a most liberal interpretation of the “Just War Theory”.
— If everyone was a CO, then clearly this would be the end of all wars.
— Jesus would almost surely be a CO. From a strictly New Testament perspective, it is much easier to argue against taking up arms than it is to advocate for war.
— In a free country one must make room for COs! The very essence of freedom is the freedom to choose. Take away that freedom – even if it means the freedom to not defend your country – then freedom is already lost.
So, why don’t I embrace COs? Why do I still have animosity towards them? Because their blood-less stance is possible ONLY BECAUSE of the blood of others. It may be principled. It may be the right thing to do. But, at the end of all arguments, it still appears to me to be (with some exceptions such as Doss) …. cowardly. I just can’t get past that.
(Intellectual) What is the REASONING behind conscientious objection?
Two events in Doss’ life propelled him to become a CO.
1)- The first event has to do with his home life. The movie depicts Doss’ father as a violent alcoholic resulting from his father’s service in WWI. One day his father is beating his mother when Doss intervenes by pointing a gun at his father’s head, and only his mother’s pleadings keeps him from pulling the trigger. From then on he vows to never touch a weapon again. This is pure fiction. Here is what actually happened according to the ‘fact vs fiction’ link I provided above;
“When Desmond Doss was a boy his father and uncle were drunk and got into a fight. His father pulled a gun on his uncle but his mother stepped in. She called the police and told Desmond to hide the gun. After doing so, young Desmond returned just in time to see his father being loaded into a black police wagon in handcuffs. Desmond believed that his father would’ve killed his uncle if his mother hadn’t stepped in. Desmond vowed that would be the last time he ever touched a gun.”
2)- The second event has to do with his religious convictions. The movie actually gets this right. From Desmond’s own words given in an interview, which the movie almost quotes verbatim:
“My dad bought this Ten Commandments and Lord’s Prayer illustrated on a nice frame, and I had looked at that picture of the Sixth Commandment, ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ There’s a picture that had Cain and he killed his brother Abel, and I wonder how in the world could a brother do such a thing? I’ve pictured Christ for savin’ life, I wanna be like Christ go savin’ life instead of takin’ life and that’s the reason I take up medicine.”
In the movie Doss’ commanding officer inquires why Doss won’t pick up a gun. Doss’ simply answer is that the Bible says “Thou shalt not kill.”. The officer states that he is a Christian also and gives the correct retort (imho) that that verse is talking about murder, and that killing in war is permitted in the Bible. Doss simply stands there without response. He is but a simple country boy, not well educated in the finer nuances of Biblical theology. For him, and millions like him then and now his beliefs boil down to this; “The Bible says it, I believe it, and that settles it!”.
Except there’s one little problem with such a stance; How do you know, REALLY know, if the Bible actually means what you think it means? What if it actually means something different? In other words, how does one know about knowing?
Many subjects in the Bible are open to multiple interpretations at best, and truly ambivalent at worst. The simple minded (not meant as an insult) solve this conundrum by avoiding such questions altogether. The Bible says THIS (the one thing I choose) and not THAT (the multiple other possibilities available to me), and that settles it (no more thinking required). So, folks like Desmond Doss are never burdened with even becoming slightly familiar with the tremendous volumes of work dedicated to the “Just War” theory written by the great sages, such as, Augustine of Hippo or Thomas Aquinas.
If there’s anything that Mel Gibson could have expounded upon – even fictionally – it would have been to explore what makes Desmond Doss tick. After all, isn’t character development an important aspect of good film making? Isn’t the audience deeply interested in what truly motivates the leading character?
What Gibson gives us instead is almost a caricature of the hero. Doss literally has no flaws in this movie version of his life. In Gibson’s movies (Braveheart, Apocalypto, Passion) the hero is always a man of indisputable, uncomplicated virtue, — the reluctant super man or Savior — who fights on the side of honor, but only after having been pushed to his limits in tolerating evil. In one scene Doss is being lowered down from the ridge on a stretcher while the camera cranes below him, giving us the feeling of his being lifted to heaven, a Christ figure having obeyed the Father and given up his life for his friends.
I’m not suggesting that Gibson should have made a theological movie, and neither do I want to turn this review into a theological treatise. My point is that Dawson’s pacifistic raison d’être is given a total of about five minutes in this movie. It’s almost as if Gibson has no interest at all in the ‘whys’ of what motivates a man. Gibson is not interested in converting anyone to pacifism (and neither was Doss in real life). After all, there’s a war to fight, and lots and lots and lots of blood and gore to smear on the screen.
(Logical) How committed REALLY are conscientious objectors to non-violence?
Let me conclude this already too long movie review with a few quick observations. Mike Tyson is accredited with saying that everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face. Let me modify that by saying a pacifist is only a pacifist because he hasn’t yet been punched in the face enough times. Everyone has a breaking point.
There is one scene where during basic training a fellow soldier takes Doss’ Bible which also has a picture of his fiancée in it. The soldier is possibly getting ready to rip up the picture. There is pure fire of anger in Doss’ eyes as he orders the soldier to return the picture. The soldier backs down and returns the picture. But, there is zero doubt that had he not, that Doss would have ripped him to shreds. Everyone has a breaking point.
There is a scene near the end of the film where Doss’ courage is the very fuel that drives his fellow soldiers to finally finish of their Japanese enemies. The soldiers are waiting to scale the cliffs until after Doss first prays and reads the Bible! One wonders what he prayed. Did this man who would not kill …. pray that his fellow Americans would achieve victory, meaning that THEY would kill many?
In many other scenes, Doss allows his fellow soldiers to cover him by returning gunfire. Near the end of the movie, Doss doesn’t technically activate a grenade, but he causes it to explode near his enemies killing several of them.
Why is OK to not kill an enemy yourself, but it’s OK that as a medic he saving soldiers so that they can hopefully go back to the battlefield and kill again?
The bottom line regarding these inconsistencies is this; how can a man work for an army that is waging war while being against war? Another reviewer said this and I totally agree; — “if you help a nation win a war, whether or not you personally eschew violence, you’ve lent your support to the cause of a nation at war and to the just war theory, whether you intend to or not.”
Conclusion and Lessons Learned
None of the above is meant as a direct criticism of Desmond Doss. His is a story of courage and love in the face of great obstacles and real persecution. It is an extremely moving story and only the stoniest of hearts will remain unmoved. It doesn’t matter that he was a simple man. It doesn’t matter that his beliefs contain inconsistencies. What matters most is that unlike most men, this man LIVED his convictions, even to the point of risking his own life. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”. And that’s exactly what Doss was willing to do … truly an American hero.
“Please Lord, help me get one more” — Doss’ Prayer
If a good war movie; 1) has exciting and realistic action scenes, 2) moves you emotionally, and 3) makes you think …. Then this is a GREAT movie. Go see it.
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It doesn’t appear to have Tom Hanks in it, so I’ll consider seeing it.
Stucky,
Funny. I was thinking a few days ago that it had been a long time since you had written something and that I should give you a hard time about it. Maybe another pictorial essay or some such to mix things up around here? I missed Rob’s comments to you but this was great. A really honest assessment and nicely done. Guess I need to go and see it. Thanks for writing.
Hey, I wrote lengthy articles about painting cabinets, cleaning roofs, and staining concrete!! I’m trying to turn this joint into the top DIY site on the internet.
True. But I wanted something fun. Reading your renovation pieces brings back a lot of painful memories. My old man and I have renovated more houses and yards than I can remember at this stage. It’s not fun anymore. And now Mrs. Marion wants me to do it again. With the exception of gardening and general upkeep I am all reno’ed out. Sorry bro but I just can’t read them.
Doss was different from many COs .He did go into combat and what I have read was a good solider and medic .He showed loyalty to the fighting men around him and I’m sure he earned their respect.He didn’t disgrace the Army or country.He was an exception.Most COs are cowards trying to rationalize their fear and betrayal of country.I have never served in the military but would have if called upon in times of war.
When the pro-enlistment films start showing up in the theater and pro-women in combat Democrats get the nod for cabinet posts, you know war is on the horizon.
Pretty good review, Stucky.
I took the 9 and 13 year old to see it- got a lot of strange looks from the rest of the audience.
My kids are not strangers to death or blood, that wasn’t my concern. It’s part of life. I know enough about Mel Gibson’s past work to know that he uses it to advance the plot, not to shock or titillate like most Hollywood productions. I knew the Doss story from reading a history of all the MOH winners actual battlefield citations (much less dramatic, but very detailed). I wanted them to understand what combat is about, not the motivations of the governments or the historical angle, but the men under fire reality.
You raised a very interesting point that was almost the polar opposite of what I was trying to teach my children-
“My point is that Dawson’s pacifistic raison d’être is given a total of about five minutes in this movie. It’s almost as if Gibson has no interest at all in the ‘whys’ of what motivates a man.”
My question to them was “What could possibly motivate normally peaceful, decent human beings to participate in mass murder and wholesale slaughter of people against whom you have no quarrel?”
I can’t think of many war movies that have given that question as much as one minute. The closest was Terrance Malick’s The Thin Red Line but that was too cerebral for most adults, Gibson has a talent for simplicity in his storytelling that I thought would be a good fit and they enjoyed both The Patriot and Braveheart, so this seemed like a good opportunity.
They found the film to be “the saddest and at the same time the most hopeful” film they’ve ever seen (that’s the 9 year old’s view and his sister nodded her agreement).
I thought it was a bit superficial as well in regards to Doss’s convictions, but I don’t think many of us ever really understand the motivations we ourselves are driven by when it comes to valor or supreme acts of self-sacrifice, let alone someone else. Most people run from confrontation while those who assume that responsibility do it for reasons that are more socially driven than as individuals.
I also saw in it a lot of Mel Gibson telling his own story through Doss, as a metaphor for redemption. He made the case repeatedly, not through Doss and his words, but the constant repetition of the other characters telling Doss that they “were wrong about him”.
Seems to me the best way to avoid war would be to attach a real cost to it for the people making that decision (right now there is no cost at all, and in fact most profit by it.) All the members of Congress who vote to go to war and the President should all have to sacrifice someone in their family. They could also do the honorable thing and instead of sacrificing a loved one, commit seppuku on the White House lawn.
“If everyone was a CO, then clearly this would be the end of all wars.”
I am not learned enough to use the right wording, but that is just emotional tripe, as it does not relate to reality of the human animal.
Forgot to Add: Stucky was impressive with this post and I always love the humor.
I saw the movie and was really good, I along with others don’t get the i can’t fight crap, After being in one war hard tpp like them, Most of us believe in the bible but we go to war for all reasons that we don’t know but our leaders say we need to. Your friend was a shit and friends are like the wind always never the same from day to day.
Greetings,
I grew up in a place that bordered Amish Country. It was not that uncommon to see their black horse drawn wagons on the county roads just outside of town. As a child, I remember there being animosity between the sons of factory workers that had to go off to Vietnam and the Amish that had no such obligations.
I also know that occasionally some Amish young man or group of young men would take those face punches you were talking about but to the credit of the Amish, they did not respond to these assaults.
The courage to do your year in Vietnam and the courage to live your entire life in 1849 are probably not that much different. Both require determination. In so far as the Amish go, I’ll give them their CO status without complaint. After all, they walk the walk.
Stucky
Much appreciate time and effort. A most excellent review. I have typing and rewriting for an hour or so but keep deleting. Will have to go and see the movie now and might be more to say afterwards. Maybe. I do respect the man’s courage but can’t help but see for Doss the Moral Paradox of being a part of that war machine.
I am not a pacifist but maybe that is the message. We’ll see.
Thanks for the article, well written and heartfelt, thanks.
I think one of the generals said (approximately) I do not do this because I am the best at it. I do not do it for glory, decorations or because I am enamored of killing. I do not do it for the cheers of the populace, the veneration of history or the desire to be feared.
I do it because everyone else I know would be worse at it than I am, and cause more needless death and destruction that I would. If I could go home and live in peace, I would; but I am needed, and here I am. Let us fight this war to restore the peace, and if my death in battle comes yet peace is restored, then let it come: no price is too high to bring peace to my countrymen, and let the youth grow up to know life without war.
If anybody can find that (or close to it) and remind me who said it, I would appreciate it; it was a passage from junior high / high school history class, and after fifty years or so I’m probably botching it horribly, but I would like to give credit where credit is due.
That’s a wonderful quote. No idea who said it but, for some reason it sounds like something someone from the Civil War era would say. Maybe Robert E Lee.
Not too many comments. But, those who did comment submitted some very good ones.
I wrote most of this very early this morning. Had to leave at 9AM to take mom to the cardiologist for some tests. So, I ran out of time and missed out saying two additional things.
1. H_F already alluded to the first; the level of violence is extreme and gory … perhaps the goriest of any war movie ever. Of course, Gibson revels in blood and guts on the big screen. What I can’t decide is if the violence is necessary to advance his point, or if it is gratuitous. Ok, so you get a close-up slow-mo pic of some guy getting both his legs blown up …. hold on, not enough! … you get to see him being drug across the battlefield …. hold on, not enough! … let’s do that three or four more times! Seems gratuitous, almost mind-numbing after the fourth time. Then again, mabe he’s just genuinely interested in showing the horrors of war. I don’t know.
2. There were three elderly gentlemen sitting in front of us. After the movie ended and as we were leaving I heard one of them say something to the effect of “yea, those Japs were real bastards”. Now, perhaps they were WWII vets and, so, the sentiment is understandable. To be honest, I actually felt the same.
And I didn’t like that. It’s not because I am pro-Jap, or anti-American, or any combination thereof. It’s because in Mel Gibson’s world there is no such thing as gray. Everything is black and white. You’re with us, or against us. You’re either good, or evil. You’re either a hero, or a demon. For me, the world doesn’t work that way. Lost on him, and perhaps even the three veterans, is that the Japs also had children, wives, or lovers waiting for them. Unfortunately, that would make the enemy much too human for Gibson. He prefers demonization.
That’s all.
When I read or watch something I usually try and find some lesson to apply to parallels in my life. I have never been in combat. Never killed anyone or anything. Directly or at least because of my intent. That is the thing that interests me about this movie. Did Pvt. Doss realize that he was still participating in this symphony of death and destruction. A willing bystander but standing just the same.
I haven’t seen the movie yet but that is how I am framing it. Sometimes inadvertent actions have fatal consequences. How much should intention matter in the metrics of morality.
It is a question that I have been tossing about for some years.
I think Mel Gibson tried to give a glimpse into the life of a Vietnamese soldier and remind us that as you said they had mother, wives, and children as well in We Were Soldiers.
My dad felt bad after the fact, but he still said that at that moment in time — he was calling them worse than bastards and wishing worse on them.
Why? “Because they were trying to kill me.” — which is the greatest of responses.
Secondly, “they chopped my friends up; chopped pieces off of them” — which is the second greatest response.
Third, “because I saw what those _____________ did to some civilians” — third greatest response.
After the war was over, then he said he felt he could calm down a little bit — but never forget, and thus never trust. My dad was a good man in the sense that he didn’t go around saying “Jap this” and “Jap that”, but he’d tell you straight up that at that time and in reflection, he didn’t care about their families — worried about his own — and he was happy to be alive.
My husband feels the same way about Somalis and Afghans; my two daughters feel the same way about Iraqis and Afghans; I’m not greatly fond of any of the Balkans…because they were trying to kill people I loved, and they did kill people I love, and my own selfish grasp on life. It’s not really personal…it’s just the business. Time and space away from it relaxes you a little bit, but at the time…
A nice, very fair review. My main takeaway is that there is a way to be a legitimate C.O. & still serve your country and your god. Personally, I am more of the “if theres gonna be a gun fight I want a gun” type of guy myself. But if a medic is a pacifist and walks into hell next to me un-armed, he’s ok in my book.
Stucky,
In 1973 I had a helicopter crew chief, a squared away exceptional Marine who married a Jehovah’s Witness and converted. He sought an early release as a CO. In the eyes of the Sgt Major and Commanding General he suddenly became a shitbird. I never saw it that way, he was the same Marine, he just believed he could not bear arms against another human. He performed his duties with the same dedication and skill as before, yet he was now shunned by most. The last time I saw him was outside the General’s field tent requesting Mast. The Command Sargent Major was in his face spewing insults and profanity. The young Sargent just stood his ground requesting his right to Request Mast. Eventually he did get his general discharge. Unlike many, I never questioned his bravery, loyalty, or patriotism. My understanding of a CO is that some are true believers and some are just shitbirds.
I saw Hacksaw Ridge last night and it was worth seeing. Brought back the memories of that young Sargent. BTW, that young Sargent is now the owner of a small, but viable trucking company with 3 grown children, (1 doctor, and 2 engineers).
My dad was a WWII scout-sniper, served on four beach head campaigns in the Pacific and a couple of minor mop-ups in rear areas, which weren’t fun but not a beach head assault. I’ll take his advice.
He never liked medics or COs when he was a young man — but later he said his thoughts changed (age cools youth and brings wisdom) — if a CO is like Doss, and is willing to go out there, unarmed, as a medic? No problems with him. Dude could have gotten seriously shot the ____up, so ok. He’s squared away; maybe crazy; maybe even a better person in some ways (that would seriously take some brass ones to go out there unarmed).
He also wasn’t too angry about someone who was willing to go to prison for it (prisons were a bit different in the 40s) — fair enough; you feel that strongly, ok. At least you’re willing to do that for your convictions.
The ones he really hated were draft dodgers…now that was a whole other ball game.
As for Mel’s movies; they’re a little heavy on the preachy stuff, but at least they have some sort of moral lesson to them…unlike some of the junk we get now. Heck, we’ve got Miley Cyrus as a freaking celebrity and “role model” for young women…I’ll give Mel a pass on the preachy stuff.
Hagar / Jenny
Enjoyed the personal aspect of your stories. Thanks for taking the time.
BTW, I have nothing against Mel. He makes great movies, this one included. I don’t know how to write a movie review if all I say is “this was great, that was great, this other thing was great, etc.” …. so I nitpicked.
Stucky
I don’t think you nitpicked.
I was one of the best reviews of a movie I have read in quite some time. I am serious when I say that. The problem I see these days with movie reviews is they are written like a facebook post. Full of virtue signalling and trolls for likes. For me deeper meanings have much more value than Cole’s notes that I see used so many times. Facebook abhors depth, it is a river a mile wide and an inch deep. And this mentality has seeped into broader mainstream media. I am going to sound like Van Jones but I sense a coming backlash in that people are waking up. Discovering the beauty of depth. Asking questions and pausing longer to listen to answers.
I know that sounds a little Philosophical. Maybe some naiveté, that I have been accused of, coming back to the fore. But I really think 2016 will be seen, by History, as a paradigm shift in the consciousness of public. Being a free thinking outlier, I am hoping, will come again to be in vogue.
Growing up as a military brat I knew from about middle school that I would never leave this country to fight a war. Attack the shores of my country and I’d do everything to repel the invaders.
Given what I know today, that view has not changed except that I now know all wars are banker wars. I’d still fight to defend my physical homeland but there’s no fucking way I’d leave her shores to enrich and empower a bunch of banker scum.
Nice review Stucky. I intend to see this movie but not until I can acquire it second hand. I’m a cheap bastard.