Film Review: Johnny Got His Gun

Review of: Johnny Got His Gun (1971)

Film:: Dalton Trumbo

Reviewed by: David M. Brown

Rating:: 3

On May 20, 2013Last modified:May 20, 2013

Summary:

Johnny Got His Gun is still a relevant statement about the damage of war and the heroes that must be remembered no matter what state they return home in.

More DetailsAbout Johnny Got His Gun (1971)Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 1971 Cannes Film Festival, this anti-war film focuses on a young American soldier (Timothy Bottoms) who has been hit by a shell on the last day of the First World War. He is without limbs, eyes, ears, mouth or nose, and at the beginning of the film is in a coma. The doctors believe, and hope, he will not regain consciousness; in order to keep the ‘good order’ of the military, an Army general has instructed the hospital not to allow the boy to be seen or to notify his family, but has also insisted that the medical staff are not allowed to perform euthanasia. A nurse realises the young soldier is awake while changing his dressings. As he remains conscious, he tries to communicate to his doctors his wish to be put on show as a true example of the horrors of war.

Starring: Timothy Bottoms, Donald Sutherland, Jason Robards

Directed by: Dalton Trumbo

Runtime: 106 minutes

Studio: Shout! Factory

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Review: Johnny Got His Gun

Dalton Trumbo’s war film tells the tragic story of Joe (Timothy Bottoms) who is nearly killed fighting in the First World War. Though alive, Joe has been left with no arms, legs, ears, eyes, mouth or nose. He is aware of vibrations around him but cannot communicate with the doctors and nurses tending to him. Lying alone, Joe takes us through a series of flashbacks involving family, his lover and ultimately enlisting in the army.

Joe’s story is told in both black and white and colour. The scenes in the hospital are black and white while the dreams/flashbacks Joe has are vivid in their colour. We learn of Joe’s romance with Kareen (Kathy Fields) and how her father permits them to have a passionate night together before Joe leaves to fight in the war. We also see Joe’s time with his mother (Marsha Hunt) and father (Jason Robards) in what appears to be a happy upbringing. Most bizarre are dreams Joe has of being with Christ (Donald Sutherland) who chats with various soldiers who are all aware of the deaths that await them in the war, the place and the circumstances. As Joe reconciles all of these dreams he comes to terms with his life in the present but has a demand to make of the army, two choices for how he wants the rest of his life to play out.

This was a solid anti-war film for me though not as effective as something like Born on the Fourth of July. Bottoms is good in the lead, his dialogue given an insight into Joe’s state of mind and the realisation of the awful fate that has befallen him. Ironically, it is near the end of the war that Joe has been struck down in this way. Given the horrors Joe has been through there are no happy endings here and our once noble soldier is reduced to a war result the military would rather forget.

Johnny Got His Gun is still a relevant statement about the damage of war and the heroes that must be remembered no matter what state they return home in. The horrifying statistics at the end of the film add further testimony to the sheer cost of conflicts throughout the twentieth century, the bloodiest in history and, with any luck, never to be matched or bettered.

Verdict: 3/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)

About the Author:

I was born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England and have always been a bookworm and enjoyed creative writing at school. In 1999 I created the Elencheran Chronicles and have been writing ever since. My first novel, Fezariu's Epiphany, was published in May 2011. When not writing I'm a lover of films, games, books and blogging. I now live in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, with my wife, Donna, and our six cats - Kain, Razz, Buggles, Charlie, Bilbo and Frodo.

David M. Brown – who has written 672 posts on Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave.

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