A few good men

There was a time I avoided watching some movies, not because they were 'bad' but I thought they had nothing to offer. One of them was 'A few good men'... I realised how wrong I was when I ultimately watched it, of course as ever in bits and pieces!! It is a very powerful movie which inspires where to draw the line between duty and responsibility, between doing good and being good. A splendid movie indeed... with messages galore.

I liked the way the actors play their role... great performances by all the leading actors, Tom Cruise, Jack Nickolson (the best as ever!) and Demi Moore. It is a story of how two American soldiers (given all their ranks and titles) are accused of murder of one of their own fellow soldier in Cuba. The fact: they were ordered to, by their highest commanding officer! The story is all about how the young inexperienced lawyer gets the commanding officer to admit this fact, when there are no proofs or witnesses to support the soldiers. At the end, the court passes judgment that the two soldiers are not guilty of murder or attempt to murder but guilty of 'behaviour unbecoming of a soldier' - hence dismissed from being Marines. One of the two reacts saying, that they were just following orders. The other responds, "We did wrong. We were meant to protect the weak and fight for them. We were supposed to fight for Willy (the one they murdered)." The closing scene is that of the lawyer appreciating the latter saying, "You do not need to wear a patch on your shoulder to have honour."

How I wish we too learn the message: we do not need the cassock or the badge of being a religious to have 'honour'. Honour and courage are virtues far above anyone's personal property. They are associated with the inner being of our selves rather than what we wear or what we say.