MovieChat Forums > The Bridges at Toko-Ri Discussion > Closing scene

Closing scene

posted 18 years ago by Foxholevincent
13 replies | jump to latest

The closing scene of this movie was the topic of criticism of Ronald Reagan by Democrats in Congress back in 1983. Being fans of this movie we all know Fredric March is sitting on the bridge wondering " where do we get such men?" lamenting the loss of Brubaker and taking into consideration who and what Brubaker was and what he did for a living and for his country. In a speech regarding our nation's role in Grenada and Panama in 1982/83 Reagan asked twice retorically, "where do we get such men?" and the Dems moved right in, questioning wether Reagan was unfit and out of touch with reality at times and thinking too much of his Hollywood years, all the while making note of the friendship of Reagan and March. To this day when I watch this movie and see the ending I think of how it all meshed together in "reality" ever so briefly back in the 80's. Do any of you also recall this?

[–] pcventures 18 years ago

I don't recall the controversy, but that is how the film ended.
Sometimes, film and real life do mesh at exactly the right juncture,
and sometimes a character's spoken lines are completely appropriate
for a particular situation.

[–] skull-21 17 years ago

The ending was based on a misunderstanding by Michener during the Korean War.

A report after a jet crash mistakenly reported all the men were killed. They were later rescued.

But the impact was very strong and Michener kept the tragic ending for his book.

When I asked him about it in 1990, James Michener said he wanted to show the absolute tragedy of war.

I was impressed.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] jporter-6 17 years ago

I understand your last sentence.

I have NO idea what your second sentence
says or is about.

[–] Homer900 16 years ago

Funny, I was neither starving nor self-propagating when I signed up. Nor was I oppressed. Neither was my son, a Marine, who still serves. It's called duty.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Homer900 16 years ago

qtipp, you make absolutely no sense and I did grow up there, still there and would defend her still today. Poverty? Yes, it exists and we were poor growing up, but my folks made it work, and made it better for us, as we make it better for our kids. Anyway, you have a nice life.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] hueydoc 16 years ago

for Foxholevincent; Actually, Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury) was from 25 Oct 1983-12 November 1983 (I was there)and Panama (Operation Just Cause) was Dec 1989-Jan 1990.

[–] dan-2288 16 years ago

This is a movie made about people who did grow up during the time when Americans starved,

I don't think the William Holden character was starving or in poverty before the war - he said he was a lawyer. When he explained how Grace Kelly got to Tokyo he was suggesting his family moved in the same circles as Senators.

I certainly take it that he was serving out of a sense of duty.

[–] pmiano100 15 years ago

"I certainly take it that he was serving out of a sense of duty."

Not so. Brubaker wanted the US to pull out of Korea and resented his being recalled. He was a WWII retread who was reactivated when the Korean War began like many others. They were "inactive reservists," subject to recall. Most went home by late 1952. Despite his personal feelings, he did his job.

[–] jadunn-813-871371 11 years ago

I saw the movie as a young boy when it first came out. The scene where William Holden and Mickey Rooney are killed in a ditch in North Korea -- and the image of Holden's body was frozen for several seconds as it gradually faded into an image of the carrier -- hit me hard. People actually get killed in a war. It was a very powerful statement. and a terrific movies.

[–] tcrizzo-1 9 years ago

Democrats reach for any stick to beat a Republican president. They were just more desperate in the case of RR. Ultimately they failed. As an former actor, RR was a treasure trove of quotes (movie and otherwise) and used them to great impact. When he used "Make my day..." do you really think he imagined himself as Dirty Harry? Neither did the Dems but that didn't stop them from exhibiting feigned shock. Too bad they weren't as tough on the Hillbilly Horndog.