MovieChat Forums > Courage Under Fire (1996) Discussion > If Monfriez hadn't yelled 'She's dead!'

If Monfriez hadn't yelled 'She's dead!'

posted 13 years ago by zumbinis-1
13 replies | jump to latest

Would the rescue chopper have tried to go to Captain Walden's aid? If any of the men had said, "She stayed behind be cause of wounds and to give cover fire," would that have led them to hold off napalm to try and rescue her, or at least pinpoint her position, dead or alive, etc.?

I have watched the ending several times, and again tonight, and I can't make out what she is yelling at Damon, either. Thought she says something like "...come back with a stretcher...!" Was she expecting them to come back for her, or did she know she was left behind? It's unclear to me.

I have no military training or experience. Thanks for any comments that can answer my questions.

[–] MuchToBeGratefulFor 13 years ago

Yes, she tells Damon to come back with a stretcher. She was not expecting to be left behind. The military does not leave soldiers behind -- that was the whole point behind her insistence that their group not leave Rady,which led to the mutiny in the first place.

And yes, if the rescuers had been told she was still there, they would have gone to her aid. They only napalmed the area because they thought she was already dead, thanks to Monfriez.

You must be the change you seek in the world. -- Gandhi

[–] zumbinis-1 13 years ago

Thank you for your clear answers, MTBGF.

This deepens my sadness for the Captain, and makes the ending even more powerful. Now I wish that the other crewmen could've spoken up, or that Monfriez could brought himself to not lie, even at the risk of his career or life. I know the ending as filmed is more poignant, and perhaps Waldron's death heightens the drama and tips the scales in favor of her receiving the medal, but I would've loved to see her rescued (maybe in a DVD alternate ending?)

[–] MuchToBeGratefulFor 13 years ago

Yes, the ending is powerful. The first time I saw it, when Monfriez killed himself when he saw Denzel was going to find out the truth, I thought, the truth better be something really big. And it was.

When you replay that last scene, you see that the injured crewman yells "No!" but he's too out of it to explain, and the rescuers see it as an expression of grief, rather than him trying to tell everyone "no, that's not true!" And Matt Damon's character is clearly so shocked, and then intimidated by Monfriez, that he keeps quiet. Of course he is also worried about punishment for himself, but I think he would have come clean -- but then the moment passed, and it was too late. You can see how all of them were damaged by what happened that day.

Waldron being alive couldn't have worked as a DVD alternate ending. The whole thing driving the movie is that she died and is being considered for a (posthumous) Medal of Honor. Plus, if she were alive she could have set the record straight right away -- no movie.

You must be the change you seek in the world. -- Gandhi

[–] zumbinis-1 13 years ago

I did hear Redy say No!, but I missed the implications of that. At first, I thought, "She was alive last time we saw her"; why doesn't somebody say that! But when I realized Monfriez was lying, and nobody else could bring themselves to contradict him--oh G-d, what a moment. But you're right, any other alternative would've killed the story. Would she have not been given the MOH after living to expose Monfriez's actions, though? Thanks again.

[–] MuchToBeGratefulFor 13 years ago

It wasn't Rady who yelled "No". Rady was unconscious through the entire incident. I believe the character who yelled "No!" was named Altameyer. Denzel goes to interview him in the hospital, and he increases his morphine enough that it knocks him out, rather than face the questions.

You must be the change you seek in the world. -- Gandhi

[–] zumbinis-1 13 years ago

You're correct; it was the black actor on the left of frame inside the helicopter. My error, again. Thank you.

[–] sfcanneto 13 years ago

She was receiving the CMH for saving the other downed helicopter not for her actions with her downed chopper. I think she still would heve been nominated for it.

[–] nateybaybee 11 years ago

Altameyer yelled "No" and Damon's character was in shock, in my opinion. The last scene is slowed down from real time to increase the drama. I think Damon would have spoke up if they had a few more seconds.

Afterwards, I think Damon took the easy way out because it made sense and because he was scared of Monfriez.

[–] anblq10 10 years ago

I always thought that Altameyer was yelling "go!" as in let's get the hell out of here (especially since he was now injured/shot) and he was also wanting to leave Rady behind earlier in the movie. The problem with Damon not saying anything is because everything is happening so fast and a decision needed to be made about if they were staying or going. So once Monfreiz says she's dead, they didn't have time to start a "he said, she said" type of debate. Damon was in shock that Monfreiz said this and also sort of figured that there was a good chance that the Iraqui's had finished her off by this point. But either way, obviously, they should have reported that Karen's last known status was alive and should have gone to check on her.

[–] first-things-first 10 years ago

I heard "go" also. And agree with what you said about the crew. Montfriez is broken after her death. To expect men not be frightened of death is unimaginable. But I understand the standard they are reaching for, and so many meet or exceed it.
What is tragic about Montfriez is that he probably would not have been able to live with either decision, telling the truth or lying. The Army was his life, his career.

If we can save humanity, we become the caretakers of the world

[–] cara-stone 8 years ago

She said, "come back for me with s stretcher and more guns"

[–] Misha0809 8 years ago

she did not think that she is going to be left behind.
It always angers me that the character Matt Damon played did not interrupt Monfriez as he knew Karen was still alive. I cannot believe it!

[–] Blueshirt476 7 years ago

Altameyer for sure yelled “NO”, maybe it was that he thought she was killed after he carried Rady out. It was just Walden, Monfriez and Ilario left at the end. I guess some people wonder why they didn’t say anything. But I guess in the moment and as Ilario said they justified it at the end as they would get in trouble for the supposed mutiny and ruin their careers. They all stayed in the Army so they were career soldiers and I guess the thought of a dishonorable discharge was too much. I never really thought Monfriez felt any remorse though, just that he got caught. Funny thing was if just stuck with she was hero story then he wouldn’t have gotten caught.