I must begin by owning up to the fact that I have not seen Clint Eastwood's latest film "American Sniper". I will also confess that I probably will not bother to go and see it at the cinema, and when and if it comes on TV I will hesitate to watch it. My reasons are entirely visceral, not intellectual. There is just something about the trade of being a sniper that makes one hesitate, or at least, it makes me pause. That is not in any way to denigrate their courage. Anyone prepared to go far behind enemy lines and rely on camouflage to play hide and seek must surely have a surfeit of courage. Then to risk that concealment by actually opening fire on the enemy requires even more bravery. And all that before you even consider the tremendous skill required. Accurate rifle shooting over very long distances is a highly specialist task that most soldiers are not up to.
So why am I so reluctant? Well, as some of you know, or suspect, I am not exactly a softy but there is something intensely cold-blooded about sniping. One cringes slightly on learning that WWII snipers were taught that wounding was more efficacious than outright killing because it placed more strain on the enemy's medical services and demoralised the comrades of the disabled man. It is, I think, a similar feeling to that which many people have regarding submarine warfare when undertaken against 'civilian' ships. Although, again, one cannot doubt the incredible courage of the submariners who, during WWII, had to try and sneak through a ring of sub-killing frigates and destroyers. The German submarine service suffered the highest percentage of casualties of any formation in WWII.
Anyway, it appears my soppy reluctance is shared according to a story in thewrap.com which reports something of a backlash from certain quarters against the film which, out on 'Main Street', is breaking all records. It must be said that if even a quarter of what is reported concerning the real-life hero of this film is true then he sounds like a deeply unpleasant grunt! But, I instantly remind myself, who said that our 'heroes' should all be perfect gentlemen? I shall always remember a tiny incident in the film "Bridge Over the River Quai" in which the attacking commando group led by Jack Hawkins, a British officer and gentleman to his fingertips, is discovered by a somewhat elderly and lone Japanese soldier who stumbles upon them. A young officer grapples with him but hesitates to sink his knife in. Hawkins immediately shouts out, "Kill him!" I always thought that summed up a certain type of upper-class Brit with well-hidden reserves of ruthlessness.
Anyway, there is some amusement to be had watching the arty-farty Hollywood fainthearts reaching for their smelling salts and then joining a chorus of disapproval for Eastwood, his film and the film's hero. Meanwhile, the cinemas are packed!
