Charlton Heston plays the central role in a Hollywood-added subplot that's meant to boost emotional engagement with the audience, but it's just an annoying distraction from the history of this epic naval battle.As Captain Matt Garth, Charleston Heston portrays an interesting character, and easily the most compelling of the movie.
Midway was on TCM yesterday, and watching it I noticed how heart wrenching Garth is. Basically, his son Tom, a new navy flyer, is engaged to a Japanese girl, Haruko who is interned with her family. Tom asked for his father's help as Haruko and family are about to be sent to a camp in the U.S. When Tom accuses his father of racism Garth replies, 'Don't give me any of that racial-bigot crap. I don't care what color your girl is.' But he also chastises his son, 'Six months after pearl harbor you have one lousy sense of timing.'
Needless to say, Tom's relationship with Haruko is controversial. Tom's squadron commander is an old friend of Matt Garth's, and over drinks Jessup tells him, 'You don't win a war by kissing the enemy.' Garth is extremely put off by Jessup's attitude about Haruko. Heston does an excellent job, non verbally, of communicating that for Garth, the friendship is badly hurt. he pays his bill and leaves.
Garth even goes to superior officer, a classmate in the intelligence section and asked him to investigate Haruko and her family and prevent their deportation to the continental U.S. When Garth's friend refuses Heston says, 'Christ, Harry! I'm begging you.' Harry does as Garth asks, but it costs the friendship.
Later, on USS Yorktown Garth has it out with his son once and for, 'I did all I could!' Garth said, 'a hell of a lot more than I should have!'
Garth's efforts to help his son have cost him his friends, his career and even his relationship with Tom.
As I said, heart-wrenching, and I think pretty well done, in a 70's kind of way, that is.
Then having to watch his son's plane crash land and then see his injuries.
ReplyDeleteIts fiction but I liked Nagumo's reaction to Torpedo 8's suicidal attack. "A whole squadron. Fifteen brave crews...". A moment when he didn't see them as enemies but young men who lost their lives in battle.
Excellent point. The movie could almost be called, The Decline and Fall of Matt Garth
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