The whole Lt. Crofton story as we learn about his history, see his fierce fighting ability, then go completely mad culminating in his jumping off the cliff really has haunted me all these many years. Shocking but beliveable in the context of the story and what we now know about PTSD.
shareIt was a head??
shareYep, it was an indian warrior head he took in battle. What's worse, is that he kept munching on it as they were out of rations in the wilderness.
share Even as a little kid I could understand this guy was totally nuts. REally weird scene for Pre-ww2 film.
Chains, my baby's got me wrapped up in chains.
I haven't seen this in a long time but I remember McNott being the crazy character --D. McBride-- not Crofton?
Kisskiss, Bangbang
Good evening thbryn. I always remember that it was Lt. Crofton (Addison Richards) that had the head in the bag. (bag lunch?) Anyway, like yourself I have not seen the movie for quite a while and had some doubts myself. So, I did a little research and found this passage from a blog by "The Movie Buff":
An interesting subplot is one of the men named Crofton has gone insane and is carrying something in a pouch and talking to himself a lot. It turns out the thing in the pouch is an Indian head that he has been snacking on! When Rogers confronts him, he tries to shoot Rogers and then jumps off a cliff. Rogers salutes him. What did they call “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” in the French and Indian War?
It was definitely Crofton.🐭
shareRemember early on Rogers had Crofton describe to the troops what happened to his brother. This laid the fertile groundwork for Crofton going dinky dau, especially during the fight when he went into a killing frenzy and chopped the Indian's head off. Like anything in war, things build up to the point where a guy flips
shareWhen he's in the killing frenzy and laughing maniacally, Langdon calls his name in disgust - CROFTON!
I couldn't recall if Crofton was the same name of the man who described his brothers torture, so I backed it up to check. While standing at the map drawn on the rock wall, Rogers says:
I don't have to tell you who the Abenakis are. Most of you have lost folks and friends in Indian raids since '57. You'll find their scalps at St. Francis. Some of you men fought in the battle on snowshoes last year. Ask Joe Turner, he was there. He'll tell you. They captured lieutenants Crofton and Phillips and 20 other rangers. Lieutenant Crofton's brother is here. He can tell you what happened to them.