Call Him Drunken Ira Hayes

Well folks, I've decided to do a movie review.

Last weekend I went to the theater (for the first time in months) to see a movie. We decided to see the new Clint Eastwood joint 'Flags of our Fathers'. Truthfully I didn't know what to expect from this movie. I knew it was about the battle for Iwo Jima, and the Marines who raised the flag over Mt. Suribachi. I did not, however, know that the movie would focus just as much on a political campaign to raise money for the war effort. At least half of the movie was set in the US and followed the surviving flag raisers as they toured the country trying to sell war bonds. While I do agree that the financial situation of the US and allies in early 1945 was of historical signifigance, I do not agree that it makes a good movie. The stunts that the surviving Marines were asked to do were strange - such as climbing a pretend 'mountain' and planting a flag for a fund raiser at Soldier Field in Chicago - and it was not what I expected to take from the movie.

The actual battle scenes were graphic and realistic, but only a small part of the movie. The battle for Iwo Jima was a month-long struggle which DID NOT culminate in the flag raising on Suribachi - in fact, that took place on day 5 of the 30 day battle. This movie was most certainly not about the fight for Iwo Jima, but about the social signifigance of the picture taken of the Marines on Suribachi. Also, the parts of the movie which were set in the US focussed mainly on how Ira Hayes was constantly drunk. I guess Eastwood wanted to tell the story of the Pima Indian who fought for the US and was then not even given equal status in his home country. It was a sad movie.

As far as war movies go, this one ranks poorly on my list. It was better than 'Saving Private Ryan', but not as good as 'Glory', 'Gods and Generals', or 'The Thin Red Line'.