MovieChat Forums > Rough Riders (1997) Discussion > Would YOU have shot the German?

Would YOU have shot the German?

posted 17 years ago by ervty
13 replies | jump to latest

In the final assult on San Juan Hill, there were two notable times when enemy troops surrendered. The first was a Spanish soldier, the second a German soldier. Now, I can understand shooting the Spanish soldier. He might have been more loyal to the enemy than he was putting on, and could have killed a soldier or two as he was going through American territory, or otherwise sabotaged their efforts. Plus, it didn't look like there were a lot of people behind him, so it'd be hard to keep an eye on him as he was taken into custody. But shooting the German soldier after they'd used him seemed a bit too unfair to me. First, he was definately a mercinary, wheras the Spanish soldier might have real loyalty towards the cause. Second, the battle was nearing a close, and they could probably tie him up until troops were freed, or spare an extra soldier or two to watch him. And third, he was nice enough to help them without struggling too much, and his life seems to be the least he deserves.

Now I know that soldiers have their discretion in wartime of whether or not to take a prisoner, and neither soldier was particularly important, but still, I think if I was there (though I'm glad I wasn't), I would have spared the German's life. Would you have done the same, and if so, why?

[–] Koosh_King01 12 years ago

When I first saw the scene with the German it took me surprise and chilled me, personally, but since then I've gotten over it. Ignoring whether or not his life or death was necessary or not, the OP's original question was whether or not we, in the same circumstances, would have done the same as the film's protagonists. While I am by nature a gentle person and would love very much to say no, I wouldn't, the I would've found a non-lethal means of removing the German from the equation, or, heck, that I would've accepted the Spanish soldier's attempt to surrender earlier.

But I can't do that. Nor, though, can I say I'd kill them.

I can't say what I would do in a situation like that until I found myself in one, and until that day comes, then saying whether you would or wouldn't is just empty hypothetical talk. It's one thing to debate how we'd behave in violent situations here, safely on the Internet, discussing some movie, but in an actual battle I often wonder if we'd all act much differently than we profess. How many of us would actually stick to our principles? How many who call for compassion and mercy will find themselves suddenly remorselessly killing? How many who claim they'd slaughter their enemies will find themselves hesitant to do so when the moment comes? Everyone reacts to violent and stressful situations differently.

The scene with the German was fictional, invented for the movie. It was seemingly unnecessary and John Milius slipping up and referring to the German officers as "Nazis" in the DVD commentary is a bit telling, but nonetheless the scene does serve a purpose in the overall story, likely to show that even the good guys occasionally do something that isn't quite good, that even the best and bravest of us can be callous and cold, that not every act on the battlefield is one to look back on with fondness. Ditto for the shooting of the Spanish soldier trying to surrender.

And it is for this reason that I admire soldiers. Good or bad, right or wrong, they are the ones making the difficult decisions we can't or won't. This doesn't always mean I agree with their actions, real life or fictional, but it does at least allow me to understand why they would do as they did. Not agreeing isn't the same as not understanding.

And in the end, the German military adviser was a fictional character, and his murder equally fictional. The real Rough Riders didn't do anything like that, so I can take solace from that and just enjoy the movie, warts and all.

"I mean, really, how many times will you look under Jabba's manboobs?"