Budduskey (Nicholson) and Mulhall (Young) rightfully disdain the injustice of an eight-year sentence for a minor crime. Question is, could they get help for Meadows after he's been locked up by contacting a naval lawyer, or a Congressman or by some other means?
shareNot without getting in deep trouble themselves. They feel bad and genuinely care for the kid, but deep down, they would never actually want to trade places with Meadows. They took many liberties in transporting Meadows, yet in the end they still brought him to the brig. As far as contacting a Naval lawyer or Congressman, it's quite possible that one of them might have once they got back to their base. Most likely, they would have felt that in their position they simply were too small to do anything about it. In time they probably would go on with their lives.
shareSince Meadows was sent to a prison for 8 yrs he must have been to a general court-martial.. Which means he was entitled to representation by an attorney, civilian or military. His next step would be to appeal for a review of his case usually to the officer who initiated it. Or he can plead for clemency from a civilian authority such as a governor. In reality, Meadows case would never get to court martial.
shareBuddusky and Mulhall never intended to help Meadows. Taking him out on the town and drinking incessantly and the like were as much for them as it was for Meadows. At the end when they drop Meadows off, they don't ask any questions and the last scene, they dont speak another word about Meadows. He's already forgotten. Yeah, they thought it was *beep* that Meadows got 8 years for a petty crime, but beyond that, they could care less. The navy has suppressed any type of emotions in Buddusky and Mulhall. That's the point of the movie.
shareThat's not the point of the movie. The point was in the "last detail." When the Marine JO asked Buddusky if the reason he had abused Meadows was because of an escape attempt he denied the truth to protect Meadows from losing to possible two years off for good behavior.
This was not a movie about two sailors getting drunk with a seaman in tow. This was a movie about Lima Syndrome in which Buddusky sympathizes with Meadows instead of treating him like a prisoner.
There is not much two First Classes can do to help out a person who's been convicted of an NJP they were not involved in. What they did do for Meadows was show him the best parts of the world they live in and try to do things for him that they thought were compassionate. For expample, the detour to Meadow's mothers house, the trip to DC to let him cool off after the train, and teaching him how to be Signalman.
"A man must test his mettle in the crooked old world" - Tom Waits
They would have wound up in jail as well, if they did not deliver him to jail. At least they sent him off in style, after showing him a great 5 days, and giving him a peak at what life could have in store for him, once he gets out.
shareUmm, with all due respect, I think you completely MISSED the point of the movie.
"I love a coward!"
In a word, no. Buddusky and Mullhall were dealing with the end result of the UCMJ, a system which was stacked against him (against any sailor or serviceman, for that matter). Remember, he stole from the Admirals' wife's favorite charity -- if a sea lawyer or Congressman could've been of any help, the poor schlub wouldn't have been going to military prison in the first place.
Could they have helped him? Possibly. Who knows?
But that would have been a boring movie.
I think they could have tried, but that would have meant sticking their necks out with the probability of ending up in trouble as well as utterly failing to get anywhere in trying to help Meadows. And while both men were annoyed at the injustice, both were also lifers, gripers to be sure, but navy men just the same who didn't want to take too many risks.
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