Emotions at the end - Uncommon Valor (1983) Discussion

[–] coral_vialli40 19 years ago

I cry everytime I watch this film. I hate it that he goes through all that & then he finds out his son died.

Aragorn: May the Lord of the Black Land come forth! Let Justice be done upon him!

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[–] Sir_John_Rossman 19 years ago

Sir John Rossman

Knight Of The Jersey Shore

Owner and Proprietor Of The Laughing Loon Inn

I have to agree here. I mean, sure it's great that he was able to rescue quite a few POWs, but it's really heartbreaking that he went through all that and wasn't able to free his own child.

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[–] FortySecondStreetFreak 15 years ago

SPOILERS dip *beep*

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[–] ogarac9 19 years ago

Sure it may be sad, life doesn't always have a happy ending. What struck me was the excellent directing in the last scene showing all the different emotions in the back of the helicopter, like the excitement of combat rookie Scott, the agony of Wilkes and the surviving daughter, the relief of the POWs and of coarse the pain of Col. Rhodes.

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[–] ebonyaprildd 19 years ago

I agree it is sad but at least now he knows what happended to his son. Every parent of a missing off spring will tell you that it's the not knowing that's the worse.

I also agree, not every movie has to have a happy ending.

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[–] alangalpert 15 years ago

Yes, parents do say that, but I don't believe them. They say it because they haven't been given the worst news yet.

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[–] Devans00 17 years ago

Exactly, ogarac9. All those emotions in the helicopter, without a single word, is what makes this movie a step above most war movies. It was so powerful.

No two persons ever watch the same movie.

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[–] NicotineNellie 17 years ago

It really gets me when Col. Rhodes is checking the pits for Frank, and he opens one and yells, "Frank!". He gets down and holds the guys head in his hands and realizes its MacGregor's boy. That moment where they stare at each other, and the Col. realizes he isn't going to find Frank is so sad. Yet, you feel good they found Americans to bring home. This is such an underrated film.

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[–] doobienick 17 years ago

This is, without doubt, the very best of the 'Return to 'Nam' films. Hackman is his usual great and the rest of the cast is far above par. The fight scene between Scott and Sailor was very good, ending by showing the regret of Sailor, finding out that Scott's father was MIA. Scott and Sailor become close after that. Charts, unhappy with the trophy wife back home, finds love in the jungle, Johnson and Wilkes slay their hidden demons, Scott discovers himself, Sailor and Blaster give their lives to save the others and Rhodes come home to his wife, empty handed but his mission a success. Very touching ending.

Best line of the film: "Boy, you just bought the whole can of Whoop Ass."

I spend my money on dope, sex and cheap thrills.
The rest of it, I waste.

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[–] Baltar65 16 years ago

The end of this movie, when they are in the chopper and Rhodes finds out his son is dead, chokes me up Every Single time I see it. Very powerful.

"Again we see, there is nothing you can possess which I cannot take away"

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[–] ma_marcil 16 years ago

The end of the movie gets me every single time I see it too. It's just too sad, but at the same time very realistic. It could have been cheaply melodramatic, but thanks to the very convincing and gripping acting by Hackman and the others, and the very effective directing by John Boorman, the moment in the chopper made a very good film even better, and all the more genuinely poignant and moving. The song at the end of the movie was also just perfectly in tone with that scene, sad but hopeful at the same time.

Bill Foster: I'm the bad guy?...How did that happen?

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[–] American1 16 years ago

You're right. Sadly, the ending made the movie all the more memorable. All of the actors were perfect for this movie. I watched it in the theater in high school. I've shown it to my kids and they love it although they don't like the fact that Gene Hackman found out his son was dead. The embracing of Hackman and his wife at the end was touching. At least they had each other and some closure. Great movie.

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[–] alangalpert 15 years ago

The movie was directed by Ted Kotcheff, not John Boorman. But I agree with your comments.

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[–] apqpqcmgr 15 years ago

The line was - "Boy you just opened a whole can of Whoop ass!!"

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[–] doobienick 15 years ago

The line was - "Boy you just opened a whole can of Whoop ass!!"

Wrong. Watch the movie again. As Sailor tosses his grenade over his shoulder, he tells Scott " Boy, you just BOUGHT the whole can of Whoop Ass."

I spend my money on dope, sex and cheap thrills.
The rest of it, I waste.

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[–] Ed in MO 15 years ago

I haven't seen this movie in 25 years but I still vividly remember the scene where Robert Stack tells the Colonel, "What they don't understand is that I would spend every nickel I have just to spend five more minutes with my son." Sometimes I look at my seven year old daughter and I think, "Hell yeah. Every minute I spend with her is more valuable to me than all the gold in the world."

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] Lunchbox-3 16 years ago

Not only does Rhodes not find his son, it occurs to me that four people died (the old man, his daughter, Sailor and Blaster) so that they could save four POWs. They didn't really gain any ground in that sense. It reminds me of that exchange in Star Trek III when David Marcus dies in the attempt to bring back Spock. Sarek tells Kirk "at what cost? Your ship ... your son" and Kirk replies "If I hadn't tried, the cost would have been my soul." That's what was eating at Wilkes and all the others to a degree, they didn't get a chance to even try to go back and save their friends until this mission.

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[–] jsprine-2 15 years ago

Beautifully expressed. Well done!

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[–] alangalpert 15 years ago

The ending is definitely sad, but I preferred it to the expected "Hollywood ending", in which Col. Rhodes would have found his son. Unlike the movies, reality frequently disappoints, and is often tragic.

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[–] daglesjunk 13 years ago

What they could have done is add a line in after Rhodes finally learns that Frank died some time ago along the lines of "No..we found Frank...he's home now!"

I get the feeling that whilst Rhodes is upset at hearing his son died he's relieved that its finally over for him. He has closure. In a way he found him.

Certainly when you see him meet his wife at the end it looks like a big weight has lifted off her shoulders.

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[–] Joxerlives 12 years ago

I liked it because you don't get happy endings, it adds realism, for every man they rescue they lose one (although they free dozens of Vietnamese political prisoners). It does make me tear up when McGregor starts his 'It's good to see you Major'speech, Gene Hackman's reaction when he then adds 'Frank always said you'd come' is so powerful, knowing what his words signify even before he hears the rest. Truly great writing and well played by the cast

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[–] poserpro 12 years ago

It's definitely the highlight of "Uncommon Valor"

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[–] Joxerlives 12 years ago

That's the scene that turns this from a good film into a great one. When the rescued POW turns to the Gene Hackman and tells him "It's really good to see you Colonel. Frank always said you'd come" It isn't a too twee Hollywood happy ending, there's triumph and there's heartbreak

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[–] gerardripley 12 years ago

Agreed, that was a great scene which put a punchline and purpose in the story. As an early eighties movie, many of which I love, it helped the transition from the propaganda films of the mid 20th century to the realistic films we enjoy today. The campyness and cliches were still there and the cause had to be overblown for the story but for the time this was a nice flick; a couple of great actors with a bunch of TV stars and mediocre writing and directing was a real money making formula.

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[–] gerardripley 12 years ago

Agreed, that was a great scene which put a punchline and purpose in the story. As an early eighties movie, many of which I love, it helped the transition from the propaganda films of the mid 20th century to the realistic films we enjoy today. The campyness and cliches were still there and the cause had to be overblown for the story but for the time this was a nice flick; a couple of great actors with a bunch of TV stars and mediocre writing and directing was a real money making formula.

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[–] 12 years ago

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