MovieChat Forums > The Boys in Company C (1978) Discussion > Decent movie, with one bad scene

Decent movie, with one bad scene

posted 17 years ago by Irish-Sunglasses
6 replies | jump to latest

I liked this lower-budget movie, and find it similar to Firebase Gloria in that it pulls no punches. Pretty good acting by a largely unknown cast, as well. But one scene was definitely out of place, I thought:

The whole brig scene where the four are sent before a foul-mouthed redneck lieutenant. Maybe it's just me, but the whole scene didn't seem authentic. For one, the guy doesn't act or talk like an officer...he's more like a disgruntled sergeant. To me, the scene was rather juvenile and didn't hold up to the rest of the movie.

Hope the new DVD has some extras on it.

"Just do it. Sue sue sue. Do it. Go go go go." - How Tom Cruise deals with bad press.

[–] blairk 17 years ago

I take it you weren't in the service. There are a lot of pus-bags like that, even in the officer corps, still in the service. In the 60's, the era this movie represents, there were even more since equals rights weren't guaranteed, no matter what the politicians said. And there weren't any diversity classes, or weeding out of jerks like that lieutenant.

[–] Irish-Sunglasses 17 years ago

Actually I was in the service, but far more recently than Vietnam! I never saw an officer with that kind of attitude, and you're probably right about there being lower standards back then...that Lt. Calley from My Lei would likely not have made the current Army! Maybe if they had made the lieutenant from that scene something lower...like a disgruntled E-3 who had waited four years to get his E-4...it would have been a tad more realistic. Otherwise, a pretty decent low budget war movie, like Siege of Firebase Gloria.

"Just do it. Sue sue sue. Do it. Go go go go." - How Tom Cruise deals with bad press.

[–] HoBopkins 16 years ago

you know what, i was all ready to argue with you because i see this as a perfect movie

but i agree. it did seem out of place, and both the guy chewing them out, and the other guy, seemed a bit forced.

especially when they said "Are you a commie"

i mean, it seems cliche, forced, and they seem like actors.

but it in no way marrs this movie, which is pretty perfect.

[–] daedalus1337 16 years ago

Officers are generally seen as less 'gruff' because of their education. There were definitely battlefield commissions for men who proved themselves (he was a douchebag but not necessarily a crappy Marine) and standards might've been a little lower since officers were killed all the time, especially lieutenants and captains. What I didn't really find that realistic was that he didn't even care to examine the GUNSHOT WOUND that one guy (I think it was Pike) sustained. I don't know how realistic that was!

[–] mcintyro 13 years ago

I think the problem with the scene was the acting by the guy that played the superior officer. He wasn't that good. It was all one note. It didn't sound believable, just loud and amateurish, so it got tiresome to watch.

[–] robzilla_73 13 years ago

Nah,.. if u ever served, u run into ppl like that..Good Ole Boys.. he was smug because he was a mustang and had his *beep* togeter