Identifying The Platoon
Genre
With a Focus On WWII Films
Good Morning Do Now!
• What do you expect to see in a movie about
WWII?
• What WWII movies have you seen?
• What is the most violent movie you have ever
seen?
• Was there a purpose for the violence?
What To Watch For
According to Jeanie Bassinger there are Three
Basic Elements
to the genre
1. Hero
2. Group
3. Objective
The Reluctant Hero
• The leader of the group
• Honorable and
Courageous
• Objective is forced on
him
• Series of difficult and
unpopular decisions
• Keeps the group from
falling apart
The Group
• Made up of a mixture of ethnic and
geographic types
• The group faces a number of situations:
weather, comedy, tragedy, loss, conflict within
the group, questioning the objective,
questioning leadership, a final climatic battle
The Group Often Includes:
•
•
•
•
•
an ethnic (Italian, Mexican, Native American)
a Jew
a cynical complainer from Brooklyn
a Midwesterner
a weapons expert or sharpshooter who is also
very religious
• newcomer without battle experience who will
be initiated in some way
The Platoon
The Platoon
The Religious Weapons Expert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHn9UQHs
eG8&t=71
• A skilled marksman or weapons expert
• Uses his skill set to bail the group out of
trouble
• Often seen praying or discussing religion with
other members of the group
The Ethnic Character
The Italian, Mexican, Native American
• Often loud, full of bravado, compassionate,
emotional but also often the tough guy
• Spends time talking about home and his
mother
The Jew
• His character is bound to have a 1 on 1
showdown with a Nazi
• Often adds comic relief
• Often played by an actor cast against type
The Cynic
• Often questions decisions
• Challenges the leader on
a number of occasions
• Redeems himself by
taking major risk and
saving lives
• Gains admiration or
understanding of leader
by end of film
• Usually one of the few
that live
The Newcomer
• No battle experience
(usually a fish out of
water)
• Eager and asks lots of
questions, the audience
learns with this
character
• Develops into a gritty
and brave soldier
Objective
• They have a task that
could result in death for
many of the group
members yet they push
on. - Movie spells it out
• This becomes a point of
contention amongst
group members, but
the objective must be
met at all costs.
https://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=_Dv56tkC2Jo
https://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=CbNwY_QFR1A
&t=242
Reoccurring Themes
• A gruesome death that
shocks the audience
and rocks the group
• Making the best of a
bad situation (coping
with humor)
• The Last Stand
• https://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=mKpQB3b
EPbI
• https://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=yPWnipuK
YAs
• https://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=oJ3bzgTvt4
Directorial Intent
• A director or screen writers purpose for
making this film
– What is the intended message to the audience?
– Does this message reflect the sentiment of the
period in which it was made?
Intent Through Decades
• War Movies often reflect the sentiment toward war
of the era in which they are made.
• This is what you are likely to see in WWII movies:
– 1940s – Encouraging war messages / almost
recruiting videos
– 1960s – Questioning authority, critical of the
administration
– 1990s – Tribute to bravery and honor
1940s
• Movies made during the war often portrayed
a pro-war message. In some cases were even
commissioned by the U.S. Government
• Stressed the importance of bravery and duty
to ones country
1960s
• During the 60s during the Vietnam War many
Americans questioned the purpose of war and
the decisions of politicians.
• Movies made during the 60s often reflected
this as the soldiers were portrayed as brave
and intelligent but commanding officers and
decisions were portrayed as pointless or
unintelligent.
1990s
• The end of the decade brought a celebration
of the Greatest Generation, those men and
women who contributed to an allied victory.
• Movies made during this time period often
celebrated the sacrifice of these people and
sometimes questioned whether the current
generation had done enough to “earn it”.
The Evolution of Violence