WELCOME HOME SOLDIER BOYS (1971)

Title: WELCOME HOME SOLDIER BOYS

Year of Release: 1971

Director: Richard Compton

Genre: Drama, Psychological Suspense

Synopsis: Four veterans just returned from Vietnam take a cross country journey across an unsympathetic and corrupt America, ending in an explosion of emotions.

Within a film history context: There were a number of films released in the 1970s, including WELCOME HOME SOLDIER BOYS, which dealt with the difficulties Vietnam veterans faced on their return home, and overall sense of displacement and disillusionment. Films such as TO KILL A CLOWN (1972), TRACKS (1976), COMING HOME (1978) and THE DEER HUNTER (1978) dealt with the theme in different but equally eye-opening ways. WELCOME HOME SOLDIER BOYS was one of the first to deal with the issue of Vietnam veterans in such an honest, unsparing manner.

Overview: Richard Compton directed seven features in his career, beginning with THE GUN RUNNER (1969), originally rated X in 1969, and, most notably, action drama MACON COUNTY LINE (1974) and its sequel RETURN TO MACON COUNTY (1975). Over the course of his career director Richard Compton dealt with people caught in extreme situations, and how this could lead to explosive reactions from his protagonists. His films could be characterized as drive-in fare with exploitation elements, but WELCOME HOME SOLDIER BOYS, his third motion picture, was by far the best of his cinematic oeuvre. An incisive examination of discrimination, alienation, and the effects of war on its four central characters, WELCOME HOME SOLDIER BOYS is a carefully structured narrative that builds slowly but gradually over the course of its running time. The events depicted may seen slight when taken into account individually, but add up when the film is reflected upon in retrospect.

Scenes such as Danny coming home to his parents and checking out his bedroom, the basketball game where he receives a frosty reception, and others such as Danny's talk with a prostitute give depth and credence to the narrative. There is also the subtle theme of outsiders living on the fringes of society who find solace with each other as hardly anyone else can understand them. The four soldier boys become a 'family' of sorts, supporting each other when others fail to come to the plate to assist them. They remain a close unit despite many hardships, and stay together to the end, a touching but also tragic scene.

There has been much discussion about the violence in the last few minutes of the film, and I will offer my thoughts on this. The violent content is more artistic and restrained compared to other films dealing with outpourings of emotion, eschewing gore and other unnecessary elements by keeping these to a minimum. WELCOME HOME SOLDIER BOYS' distance from cheap exploitation elements, thereby exploring the realm of human emotions in a heightened manner projects the film into a more symbolic, thoughtful sphere than its counterparts.

Acting: All of the acting is naturalistic with the film's performers in great form. The four soldier boys headed by Joe Don Baker as Danny, with Paul Koslo as Shooter, Elliott Street as Fatback, and Alan Vint as Kid, the youngest of the foursome, do an admirable job, with the actors distinctive in their portrayals. Danny is the leader, and the eldest of them, Shooter is the strong laconic type, more comfortable silent than speaking. The third member, Fatback, is the most gregarious, humorous of the team, while Kid is the good-looking member who holds faith dear to him more than the other three. Apart from the central foursome Florence MacMichael is thoroughly effective in a small role as Danny's mother, while Francine York has a few good moments as a prostitute Danny meets at the sleazy motel.

Soundtrack: The soundtrack in this film is very spare, largely sprinkled with several songs by country music singer Ronee Blakely at key moments in the narrative. The lack of music in this film serves a definite purpose as scenes largely stand on their own for their emotional power without the necessity for background music.

Mise-en-scene: The cinematography highlights the many places which the soldier boys encounter on their journey, the countryside depicted in an expansive, rugged, but sometimes desolate manner. It serves as a metaphor for their experiences during the course of the movie, some beautiful, others terrible, with others simply horrendous. Sets such as the pool hall where the soldier boys are targeted by some Korean War veterans, the motel, the Foley family home, and the basketball auditorium, all work in a functional and intrinsic manner, complementing the narrative world, and giving dimension to the characters, and the world they inhabit.

Award-worthy performances in my opinion: Joe Don Baker, Paul Koslo, Elliott Street, Alan Vint, Florence MacMichael.

Suitability for young viewers: No. Infrequent coarse language, brief male and female nudity, adult themes, medium-level violence.

Overall Grade: A

Link: IMDB Page

Movie Excerpt

BUSTER AND BILLIE (1974)

Title: BUSTER AND BILLIE

Year of Release: 1974

Director: Daniel Petrie

Genre: Drama, Romance, Revenge

Synopsis: Buster Lane, Greenwood High School, Georgia's handsomest and most popular student, leaves fiancée Margie Hooks when he falls in love with town pariah Billie-Jo Truluck, but their love affair ends in tragedy.

Within a film history context: The early 1970s brought forth a filmic revival of nostalgia for past eras in American history. The trend began with Peter Bogdanovich's splendid THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971), and most notably continued with George Lucas' AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973). BUSTER AND BILLIE can be seen as a continuation of this focus on nostalgia, taking place in 1948 Georgia, with THE LAST PICTURE SHOW set in 1951 Anarene, Texas, with 1962 California showcased in AMERICAN GRAFFITI.

Overview: Over the course of his career Daniel Petrie directed a variety of films, dealing with issues such as racism in A RAISIN IN THE SUN (1961), the character studies of a lifeguard in LIFEGUARD (1976), and that of a police officer in FORT APACHE THE BRONX (1981). He treated his characters with understanding and sympathy, and invited audiences to do likewise. In BUSTER AND BILLIE, Ron Turbeville's screenplay deftly explores themes such as coming of age, discrimination, immorality, family ties, and sexual repression in 1948 Georgia, based upon a real-life incident from his home town. Mr Petrie presents his characters as flawed, realistic people which in this particular film plays out with great conviction. No one changes character in the film to fit a circumstance which is refreshing to witness. BUSTER AND BILLIE is a film that runs the gamut from drama, comic moments, romance, and tragedy, but is not light viewing. Be prepared for something that touches the mind and heart, with some ferocity, but without undue sentimentality.

Acting: The acting is uniformly excellent, and there is not a false note anywhere in this film. There is a large supporting cast, but they ably support the leads. Years before her role as feisty Fallon on night-time serial Dynasty, Pamela Sue Martin as Margie suggests that there is more beneath the surface to her supposed wallflower character which makes her an interesting match to Jan-Michael Vincent's Buster in the first part of the film. Robert Englund, later famous as Freddy Krueger in the A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET film franchise, is lively and intuitive as Buster's friend Whitey. My favourite acting performances, though, were by Jan-Michael Vincent and Joan Goodfellow.

Jan-Michael Vincent portrays Buster as a strong, sensitive young man who has a bit of a devilish streak, as witnessed by his tenuous relationship with the school bus driver. Buster is immediately positioned in comparison to his school friends as the 'good' young man with some shades of grey. He is curious how his school friends see Billie as just 'a means to an end' but does nothing to find out more about her. Buster steers away from Billie in the beginning as he is seemingly happy with fiancée Margie, but Margie's reluctance in a certain area is the impetus for him to meet Billie. At first he sees Billie as just a sexual quick fix, but something unexpected, and deeper develops between them which also brings a change in Billie's character. Jan-Michael Vincent's charming, solid performance, and chemistry with Joan Goodfellow is the centrepiece of the film, containing its best moments.

Joan Goodfellow's Billie is perfectly matched with Jan-Michael Vincent's Buster in this film, making his engagement to Margie seem like a sideline after the film is finished. When we first meet Billie she is being used by Buster's friends for their gratification, but the character is not shown as enjoying this, biting her lips, and walking away dejectedly after another one of these sessions. Billie is at first a character who speaks in a low voice, but Buster brings out her 'voice' in a manner of speaking, and her personality into the light for the first time. Joan Goodfellow underplays her role, which makes the transition between her first incarnation, and second all the more startling, and heartbreaking.

Soundtrack: The use of "Billie's Theme" by Hoyt Axton is employed throughout the movie in various capacities depending upon the scene. A moving and emotional song, it perfectly complements the action without ever becoming tedious. It is used to most effect at the beginning of the film during the credits, and at the end. When one first sees the movie and hears the song, it is beautiful but does not make sense until the film starts moving, and is most poignant in the final scenes. The film also utilizes period songs to evoke the atmosphere of 1940s Georgia, such as in the dance scene featuring country music singers Claude Casey and Slim Mims, and in the pool hall sequences.

Mise-en-scene: The cinematography beautifully captures the Georgia landscape, with its farms, fields and other buildings featured, which give the film an aura of authenticity that could not be duplicated in a studio. The bus driver's dusty window is one of many small but significant touches that the film presents which bring verisimilitude to the film. Another striking scene is the school house wall which is filled with graffiti which provides a revealing, and important narrative insight into the characters, and their activities for viewers.

There are also symbolic comparisons made between the various family homes in the movie that speaks volumes of the characters in a non-verbal manner. The Lane and Hooks family homes are cosy, with a nice airy atmosphere, comfortable furniture, and friendly parents. The Truluck home resembles more of a stable than a home, with badly dressed, abrupt parents, various clothing pieces hanging on the wall instead of pictures or ornaments, and an unkempt table at the entrance. This points to a downbeat ambiance, but also serves to establish Billie's home life and upbringing by unsuitable parents, therefore increasing understanding about the character's motivations and actions.

Award-worthy performances in my opinion: Jan-Michael Vincent, Joan Goodfellow, Pamela Sue Martin, Robert Englund.

Suitability for young viewers: No. Low-level coarse language, brief male and female nudity, adult themes, high-level violence.

Overall Grade: A

Link: IMDB Page

Trailer

Welcome to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS

Welcome to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS, a new blog in which I will examine films which have made an impact upon me over the years.

While the films I will spotlight on the blog are from various eras of cinema, I will generally concentrate upon the movies of the 1960s and 1970s, these being personal favourite decades of film.

In the next blog post the first film I will explore is Daniel Petrie's BUSTER AND BILLIE (1974), a film I have seen many times, and a movie with which I am very happy to inaugurate my new blog.

I hope you enjoy visiting my blog, and that it stirs happy memories of film, opening discussion on the films themselves, and cinema as an art form in itself.

(Image credit: mconnors at morguefile.com)