Borgarkeri
A bit overrated, but still an amazing film
SeeQuant
Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction
Marva-nova
Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.
grantss
Set during the Guadalcanal campaign of World War 2, Private Doll is a raw recruit. Recently married, he is determined to survive the fighting ahead. This leads to conflict with his platoon sergeant. The self-preservation instinct doesn't prevent Doll from some heroic actions...Good, but not great. Certainly not in the same league as Terrence Malick's superb 1998 remake (about the only ever remake that is better than the original). Good, gritty action. Sometimes a bit too gung-ho or unrealistic though. I couldn't imagine a real-life First Sergeant taking all that crap from a private.Good performance from Jack Warden. Keir Dullea's performance was a bit grating, as was Ray Daley's.
Phoebe_Raven
This version of James Jones' book follows the plot of the novel closely and actually received very high praise from the author himself. Jones wrote a letter to the director saying "Very rarely does an author get to write a letter to a filmmaker to say that he has captured the author's intention to the highest level possible." Jones was very pleased with the outcome of this movie, while the 1998 version heavily strays from his book. For example, Witt and Walsh in the 1998 version both quote a lot from another Jones novel, called "From Here To Eternity", and not from "A Thin Red Line". The main storyline, namely the clash between the Private and his Captain, is almost completely left out of the Malick film. In making the book into a movie, the 1964 film succeeds. Which is not to say Malick didn't create a riveting film in 1998, he just didn't really turn the book into a movie.
Agent10
This happens to be one of those cases where the original film is not the superior product. While this version of the film sought to follow the story much closer, it proves to be too short and plot driven. Maybe it was because I watched the 1998 version first, or maybe this was too hastily made in order to provide a visual adaptation of the book (James Jones wrote the book in 1962). While people will always put down the 1998 version, this version isn't a definitive piece of work either. A good story, but so inferior to the 1998 version.
helpless_dancer
A battle hardened top kick tries to instill toughness in his men, preparing them for war. His softhearted c.o. tells him to go easier on the troops. Which was right? Had they not been brainwashed into fighting this unnecessary war, neither decision would have had to have been made. This film was a slow starter, but a big bombs and guns finale gave a fine portrayal of war at it's worst.
