Scene Anatomy 101: A Few Good Men
Posted by George H. Sirois on 03.21.2007
Spring Cleaning with Sorkin, Part 2
That groundhog lied to us. Yeah, six weeks after we were promised an early spring, we got slammed with yet another winter blast that apparently, NYC was not prepared for. I didn't expect streets in Queens to get plowed, but I was shocked to see 3rd Avenue covered on Friday night after a full day of snow.
But I did promise a Part 2 of my "Spring Cleaning with Sorkin" mini-series, so that's what I'm going to give you here. Back in the early 1990's, Aaron Sorkin made a big first step in Hollywood when his successful Off-Broadway play was adapted into a star-filled blockbuster courtroom drama. Just imagine, your first screenplay is being directed by Rob Reiner, and your film is going to star Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland and Kevin Pollak. That's a pretty good entrance into the film industry, huh? And on top of that, the film was nominated for Best Picture at that year's Academy Awards. Of course, I'm talking about the 1992 smash hit
Sorkin was thrilled to be able to adapt his play into a screenplay, for other reason than it was his motivation to do a better job writing this story. He was able to use a few cinematic tools to broaden the scope and show the audience more than just some talking heads in a room, but he was still able to retain the dialogue that helped make the play the success it was. In one plot point, Sorkin kept the voice of the now deceased Private First Class William T. Santiago, as he recites the latest note he wrote to request his release.
What we know before this is that there are two Marines Lance Corporal Harold Dawson and Private First Class Louden Downey on trial for the murder of Private Santiago, conspiracy to commit murder, and conduct unbecoming a United States Marine. A young Naval lawyer named Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) is assigned to the case and he has a history of successful plea bargains. Lt. Commander Joanne Galloway (Demi Moore) doesn't believe that a case like this should be just a quick plea bargain; she is confident Santiago's murder was the result of a "code red," a disciplinary action given by officers against someone in their own unit.
What we don't know until now is what Private Santiago was like, and why two Marines would execute such a harsh attack that would lead to his death. In this sequence, while we hear Santiago's voice, we are now able to see different moments of his time at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. We see him running behind in formation, we see him falling off of an obstacle course, and we see him getting grabbed by his sergeant and pushed down a rocky unstable hill that he mentions in the letter.
Again, since this is "Spring Cleaning with Sorkin," the main thing to do is listen to what is being told to us, so while it's good to see all these moments, it's not necessary. We're not missing anything if we don't see it.
SANTIAGO: Dear Sir: My name is P.F.C. William T. Santiago. I'm a Marine stationed at Marine Barracks, Rifle Security Company Windward, Second Platoon Bravo. I'm writing to inform you of my problems with my unit here in Cuba, and to ask for your help. I've fallen out of runs before for several reasons, such as feeling dizzy or nauseated. But on May 18, I've fallen back 20 or 30 yards going down a rocky unstable hill. My sergeant grabbed me and pushed me down the hill. Then I saw all black, and the last thing I remembered was hitting the deck. I was brought to the hospital where my doctor just said I had heat exhaustion. I ask you to help me. Please, sir. I just need to be transferred out of R.S.C. Sincerely, P.F.C. William T. Santiago, U.S. Marine Corps.
The last moment we see is Santiago sitting in the mess hall all by himself, while all the other Marines are deliberately ignoring him. Then, we cut to a tight close-up of the letter and, as Santiago's voice is heard, it is overlapped with the voice of Colonel Nathan R. Jessep (Jack Nicholson), the commanding officer at Guantanamo Bay.
SANTIAGO / COL. JESSEP: P.S.: In exchange for my transfer off the base, I'm willing to provide you with information about an illegal fenceline shooting that occurred the night of August 2.
Jessep slams the letter down and looks up at the other two officers in his office, Lt. Jonathan Kendrick (Kiefer Sutherland) and Lt. Col. Matthew Markinson (J.T. Walsh).
COL. JESSEP: Who the fuck is P.F.C. William T. Santiago?
LT. KENDRICK: Private Santiago is a member of Second Platoon Bravo, sir.
Notice the word, "is" is being used, not was. So we know right away that we're still in a flashback.
COL. JESSEP: Yeah. Well, apparently he's not very happy down here at Shangri-La because he's written letters to everybody but Santa Claus asking for a transfer. And now he's telling tales about a fenceline shooting. Matthew?
Markinson hesitates before speaking. Nobody in the room can believe the gall that this kid has, especially since he's prepared to tell on a fellow officer in order to get what he wants.
LT. COL. MARKINSON: I'm appalled, sir.
Jessep's already got his mind made up about this kid, and he's amused that Markinson would use a word like that. After all that they know about Santiago, he's "appalled."
COL. JESSEP: You're "appalled." This kid broke the chain of command and ratted on a member of his unit. To say nothing of the fact that he is a U.S. Marine and it appears he can't run from here to there without collapsing from heat exhaustion. What the fuck is going on at Bravo Company, Matthew?
LT. COL. MARKINSON: Colonel, I think it would be better if we hold this discussion in private.
Kendrick cuts in. We can tell by the contempt in his voice for Markinson that he's not a fan of being cut out of a conversation like this. Especially when Santiago's in HIS unit.
LT. KENDRICK: That won't be necessary, Colonel. I can handle the situation, sir.
Markinson's voice is raised as he responds. We can hear by his voice that these two soldiers do not get along very well.
LT. COL. MARKINSON: The same way you handled the Curtis Bell incident?
Whatever the Curtis Bell incident is and we find out what it is later is not our concern. All we know is that Kendrick did something to an officer that Markinson did not approve of at all.
LT. KENDRICK: Sir, my-
LT. COL. MARKINSON: Don't interrupt me, Lieutenant! I'm still your superior officer!
Jessep, the only truly calm person in the room, cuts in.
COL. JESSEP: And I am yours, Matthew.
Markinson doesn't have a response to that.
COL. JESSEP: I want to know what we are going to do about this.
LT. COL. MARKINSON: I think Santiago should be transferred off the base immediately.
COL. JESSEP: He's that bad?
LT. COL. MARKINSON: Not only that, but word of this letter's bound to get out. He's gonna get his ass whipped.
Jessep lets that suggestion sink in, and he stands up and walks around his office contemplating this.
COL. JESSEP: Transfer Santiago. Yes I'm sure you're right. I'm sure that's the thing to do.
But then he stops. He's got a response ready to go for that, and he's going to take quite a bit of time to make his point.
COL. JESSEP: Wait. Wait, I've got a better idea. Let's transfer the whole squad off the base. Let's on second thought, Windward. Let's transfer the whole Windward division off the base. John, go on out there and get those boys down off the fence. They're packing their bags. TOM?!
Tom, an administrative soldier stationed outside Jessep's office opens up the door.
TOM: Yes, sir.
COL. JESSEP: Get me the President on the phone; we're surrendering our position in Cuba.
TOM: Yes, sir.
Tom is about to carry out his order without a moment's hesitation. Jessep stops him.
COL. JESSEP: Wait a minute, Tom. Don't get the President just yet. Maybe we should consider this for a second. Dismissed, Tom.
TOM: Yes, sir.
Tom leaves the office, shutting the door behind him.
COL. JESSEP: Maybe and I'm just spit-balling here maybe we have a responsibility as officers to train Santiago. Maybe we as officers have a responsibility to this country to see that the men and women charged with its security are trained professionals. Yes, I'm certain that I've read that somewhere once. And now I'm thinking, Colonel Markinson, that your suggestion for transferring Santiago, while expeditious and certainly painless, might not be in a matter of speaking the American way.
Jessep's voice drops to a harsher tone, a little more threatening. We can hear it in his voice that he's taking it upon himself to dish out a little deserved punishment.
COL. JESSEP: Santiago stays where he is. We're gonna train the lad.
Jessep walks over to Kendrick to give him his orders.
COL. JESSEP: John, you're in charge. Santiago doesn't make 4-6-4-6 on his next proficiency and conduct report, and I'm going to blame you. And I'm going to kill you.
LT. KENDRICK: Yes, sir.
But Markinson's not satisfied with this decision.
LT. COL. MARKINSON: I think that's a mistake, Colonel.
Jessep nods, acknowledging Markinson's comment.
COL. JESSEP: Matthew, I think I will have that word with you in private now. John, that's all. Why don't we meet at the "O" Club and have lunch, and we'll talk about the training of young William?
LT. KENDRICK: I'd be delighted to hear any suggestions that you might have, sir.
COL. JESSEP: Dismissed.
LT. KENDRICK: Yes, sir.
Kendrick leaves the office. Jessep sits back down at his desk and beckons Markinson to do the same.
COL. JESSEP: Matthew, sit down. Please.
Markinson sits down.
COL. JESSEP: What do you think of Kendrick?
When Markinson speaks, he's not addressing Jessep as Colonel or Sir. He's using his first name, showing that the two of them are more equal than what was originally stated. Jessep may still be Markinson's superior officer, but not by much.
LT. COL. MARKINSON: Nathan, I don't think my opinion of Kendrick has anything to do-
COL. JESSEP: I think he's pretty much of a weasel myself. But he's an awfully good officer. And in the end, we see eye-to-eye on the best way to run a Marine Corps unit. We're in the business of saving lives, Matthew. That is a responsibility that we have to take pretty seriously, and I believe that taking a Marine that is not quite up to the job and shipping him off to another assignment puts lives in danger.
What Jessep believes makes sense. If there's a gear in the machine that's not working quite as well as the other gears, you don't move that defective gear to another part of the machine. You fix the defective gear and get it working just as well as all the others. This way, the machine's running as well as possible.
Markinson stands up to leave the office. He doesn't like someone like Jessep talking down to him like he's a Private.
COL. JESSEP: Sit down, Matthew.
Markinson stops and slowly sits back down. He's been given an order that he has to follow, as painful as it may be.
Jessep walks around his desk and sits down on his desk in front of Markinson. As he speaks his next line, we are given the information that we wondered before, just how far back Jessep and Markinson go.
COL. JESSEP: We go back a while. We went to the Academy together, we were commissioned together, we did our tours in Vietnam together. But I've been promoted through the chain with better speed and success that you have. Now, if that's a source of tension or embarrassment for you, I don't give a shit.
Markinson barely gives Jessep a glance; he keeps his head facing forward, letting his eyes look up at Jessep for a short moment before looking away.
COL. JESSEP: We're in the business of saving lives, Lt. Col. Markinson. Don't ever question my orders in front of another officer.
Done with everything he needed to say, Jessep leaves his own office, letting Markinson stew in his emotions over everything that's been said there.
So what have we learned now that this scene is over? Well, we became familiar with three top officers at Guantanamo Bay. We learned that Santiago was willing to sell out one of his fellow officers in order to get transferred out. We know that Santiago will not be transferred, and that he's going to get pushed harder than he ever had before in order to fall in line with the rest of Bravo Company. And of course, we know that something after this conference in Jessep's office caused Santiago to die. What we don't know is if Dawson and Downey acted against Santiago on their own or if they were ordered to attack him after hours.
You'll find out what happened if you just keep listening to the film. You can keep on cleaning your house or apartment and you won't miss a thing, thanks to Aaron Sorkin's fantastic screenplay.
