I haven't had the pleasure of shooting one, but I would like to do so one day.
Posted on 08/30/2016 9:14:06 AM PDT by pabianice
“What happened? What the hell happened!?”
asa663@verizon.net
These are the final words spoken by Jake Holman in the magnificent movie, “The Sand Pebbles.” Holman, played by Steve McQueen, serves as the protagonist in the 1966 movie, a movie about the Chinese Communist Revolution set in 1926 (although about Vietnam). Holman has just been shot to death by Communist soldiers as he gives his life to save his love interest and the lives of fellow crewmen from the gunboat USS San Pablo. Making the movie was a two-year ordeal and McQueen has said that making it “made up for all the bad things he had done in his life.” McQueen’s character – delinquent youth, poor fatherless family, sentenced to the military during World War I to avoid jail -- is a machinist’s mate first class (MM1) and in his Navy career has been obsessed only with being the best engineer he can be, to the detriment of human relations and political awareness. Upon reporting aboard, Holman goes directly to the engine room, looks around with a smile, and says, “Hello, engine. My name is Jake.”
Holman, along with the entire crew, is caught-up in the violence of the early Chinese Revolution and although the ship is stationed along Chinese back-waters, is soon involved. The story accurately depicts river patrol duty being done by the U.S. and European countries at the time. Because of his naiveté, Holman is unjustly accused of murder by the Communists and the following events spell his doom. But the bewilderment of the situation very well mirrors the state of the United States in this election year. “What the hell has happened?”
Today’s voters are far more bewildered by events than in the past. Politics has supplanted thought. Political affiliation is no longer to a party, but to whatever cult appeals more to the voter. Hillary Clinton, after 40 grasping years of avarice and congenital lying has her voters who are uninformed, bigoted, and want lots more free stuff from the government (re. us taxpayers). They are oblivious to fact or reason. Donald Trump, who spent 40 years single-mindedly amassing as much money and property as he could, now asks voters to “help make America great again” by essentially returning civic and government discourse to 1958. Trying to move a sense of country back in time is bound to allow progressive opponents call him every nasty thing in the book. From the relatively small number of independent thinkers we hear, “What the hell happened?”
At 240 years, the government of the United States is one of the oldest in the world. Is its time running out?
“Holman come down. Holman come down.” “Live stem.”
It was “Homang, come down.”
And it was “No more live stim, all dead stim.”
“No ploppa wowwel.”
One of my favorites, but the only thing that bothers me, and it may just be an artistic message that I’m missing, is at the very end, when Holman lies dying, the camera pulls back for a shot of the courtyard and all the dead commies that were lying there before are now gone.
1958 is a good year to take, in the middle of Ike's second term, Korea and McCarthy in the rear-view mirror, big fins on the cars, still a couple of years from the 'Sixties.
I usually cite 1960, but that's probably not as good as '58.
Thanks for posting this- I don’t remember ever seeing this movie, but I will now.
LOL! I like your inflection better.
Yes, the Death of a Thousand Cuts was a great scene.
“Usurpation Day” I coulda sworn it was Immaculation day.
Yep. They know they’re facing an existential threat from the left, but they still think it’s too unfashionable to join the only viable opposition, so they do nothing, and we all lose.
The Boxer Rebellion was in 1900.
Actually what he said was that 47% receive government benefits, and that we would never get their votes. That’s a bit overblown though, since that 47% includes social security, veteran benefits, etc, not just welfare entitlements. We will probably never get most of those votes, but there is a significant slice of that 47% that are probably loyal Republicans.
“Why was the circus so important to the Romans?
Was it really necessary for them to be entertained?
Does man have an inherent need for gaudy spectacles?”
You must not have turned on the television much in the last decade if you really have to ask that question...
I haven't had the pleasure of shooting one, but I would like to do so one day.
So I’ve been told. Over and over....
This terrific, excellent movie is about clashing and changing cultures. Steve McQueen reaches greatness as a screen actor, in this very complicated, heartbreaking, story!!! I completely disagree with the poster and the analysis put forth. This was about the growth of a China to come and evolve from a torrid cast of culture into the current environment of a budding, building nation. The same goes for the USA as it slowly matures into the most powerful nation in the world. The shortcomings of both the “Chinese & Americans” is truly evident and outlined perfectly in so many scenes...one must remain totally focused to catch and grasp it all.
The failures of Chinese history & government & ditto the same failure, for USA leadership of a great budding & growing powerful Navy, that comes directly from Washington, a weak POTUS, Obama, a weak State Department (Clinton/Kerry) and Naval high level command & leadership ( Just like Obama & Clinton currently). Orders & strategy come from above, not the Captains & crews that operate the ships of the fleet. for the times...it was just as it was...plnty of blame to go around...with young “Holman” trying, unsucceesfully, to figure it all out!!!
The author of this post is most ill informed, relative the “politics” today....Donald J. Trump is not looking to bring the USA back to 1958. He is trying to forge the America of destiny & future, where “ALL” Americans are equal...across the board...with limitless positive oppotunities to learn & succeed. Obama & Clinton want to keep American boxed into divisions which make them servants and slaves to continuing, unending, failng, Federal government. Folks....that is the political ticket for 2016. Go Donald J. Trump!!!
I’m not denying that we have them or that lots of people watch them.
I’m looking for an examination of why a government needs them and uses them.
“They’re used to distract people.”
True, but that’s only for a few hours at most.
What is really going on when we watch a movie or a game?
The movie had a "Heart of Darkness" feel to it, in the clash of white men and natives. I don't remember any hope offered in it . Candice Bergen sure looked good though!
I like 1958 a lot. But as you say, that's not Trump.
Retired a CWO in 1946, spent 15 years there and loved every moment.
Personally I want a reset back to about 1912.
Before the 16th and 17th amendments.
Before GCA ‘34 and the torrent of anticonstitution un-laws* that followed.
etc., etc., etc.
*That is not a typo for “gun-laws”, in case you were wondering. The Second Amendment is not by any means the only one being nibbled to death by un-laws.
“I’m looking for an examination of why a government needs them and uses them.”
But the government did not create the crop of mindless entertainment that accounts for 95% of what is on television. The free market created that, because if people didn’t want it, they would switch to other channels, and advertisers wouldn’t buy ads, and the channels that served up junk would go out of business.
Since that hasn’t happened, it’s direct evidence that yes, the people do desire mindless spectacles. Why that is, well, that’s another question, but it’s not simply the government imposing it on us.
You are focusing on television.
That has only been around for 65 years or so.
And please explain why you think people need spectacles. That is the point of Free Republic. I am interested in other people’s thoughts on this.
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