Which War?

Two takes on warfare in counterpoint, from Raoul Walsh's _They Died with Their Boots On_.
Ignatiy Vishnevetsky

Doom in the dust, from Raoul Walsh's They Died with Their Boots On (1941). In wide shot, the combatants register not as people, but as clumps of ants; in close-up and medium shot, they stand carefully arranged in recruitment poster poses. Two takes on warfare in counterpoint: the heroic ideal, where distinct and handsome individuals act with purpose, and the messy, inglorious stuff of fear, large-scale death, and group will.

Don't miss our latest features and interviews.

Sign up for the Notebook Weekly Edit newsletter.

Tags

Raoul WalshQuick Reads
6
Please sign up to add a new comment.

PREVIOUS FEATURES

@mubinotebook
Notebook is a daily, international film publication. Our mission is to guide film lovers searching, lost or adrift in an overwhelming sea of content. We offer text, images, sounds and video as critical maps, passways and illuminations to the worlds of contemporary and classic film. Notebook is a MUBI publication.

Contact

If you're interested in contributing to Notebook, please see our pitching guidelines. For all other inquiries, contact the editorial team.