Before I start there are a few SPOILERS in the following comment. This outstanding episode is the antithesis to the sentimentality expressed in Forest Gump's view of Americans history, even down to the life is like a box of chocolates monologue. Through the similar use of flashbacks the episode chronicles the life of The Cigarette Smoking Man. Although bits and pieces of his past had been revealed before this, a complete history for the character is provided and in the process he is made more human. This is quite an accomplishment as we find out that this is the man who assassinated John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. Two undertakings that would not endear him to most people yet by the end of the episode there is a certain sympathy for him. Alone since the day he was born and a solitary figure even in the army, his superiors find him to be the perfect candidate for clandestine operations even before consultation him with a view to assassinating John F. Kennedy. When he accepts this task he has to leave the army and all records of his existence are erased. He now joins the lonely ranks of "great men" who's job it is to shepherd gullible sheep that, according to his superiors, are too selfish to determine what America's interests should be. So far from being able to fit in to a society that has always rejected him he now guides their destiny from the shadows. The trade off appears to be a chance at a normal life and a struggle with his conscience, illustrated to great effect by his chain smoking. In a great touch this chain smoking begins with a packet of Morleys handed to him by fellow loner Lee Harvey Oswald. From here on he becomes The Cigarette Smoking Man who's targets are often his fellow Americans and a character who has to cling to his ideology and Morleys for he has very little else. As his power increases he is even able to talk down and overrule J Eagar Hoover and alone takes the decision for the fate of Martin Luther King. With power he becomes an object of fear and is never more isolated. Yet for a man who can decide the fate of nations we see him at the mercy of publishing hacks that either reject his novel out of hand or embrace it only to edit it to pieces. One brutally crushing scene is when a hack publisher informs him that he is willing to publish his book. The "Cigarette Smoking Man" persona is instantly dropped and a very broken human being is revealed, gushing with enthusiasm and being nearly brought to tears by the fact that his hitherto reviled book is to be published. What makes it all the more heart-rending is that the hero in his novel "Second Chance" appears to be based on himself. So by extension society is about to finally embrace him only to yet again reviled him. Alone with an old stolen picture of Fox Mulder and his Mother and sitting with a high power rifle pointing at Frohike he quotes the hero from his own book. This revealing scene maybe provides the best summation of who he is now, a fragmented personality who has nothing left but the persona of The Cigarette Smoking Man. It is a persona he cannot escape no matter how much he wants to. This is not the level of depth you would expect from many Hollywood movies never mind a television series. Through the quoting of other movies and characters throughout history, Hitler was also a frustrated artist; Glen Morgan and James Wong turned what was up until this episode the characteristic shadow man into a fully-fledged human being. William B. Davis proves himself a gifted actor and handled this character with incredible subtlety and refinement. American television at it's best.
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Apocalypse Now
(1979)
Kurtz's involvement in Iran's nuclear program revealed
21 February 2005
Bush Administration must be warned immediately about this disturbing development. There is a part of this movie where Captain Willard is reading the dossier on Colonel Walter E. Kurtz. In the confidential dossier there was a story relating how Kurtz's was in trouble with his superiors but when the media heard of Kurtz's heroism his superiors promoted him to full Colonel. Anyway while the voice over was relating this, a newspaper clipping was shown with Kurtz's picture and the title Green Beret Under Fire. Now I know this is a very sad thing to do but I zoomed in on the rest of the article to read it. It is about Iran's nuclear program and the morality of the West's involvement in its development. Apparently they were receiving parts or advice from West Germany. Of course this was when Iran had a pro western regime, which was replaced by the current one. Kind of topical eh? Buy the way there was no mention of a Colonel Walter E. Kurtz or Vietnam. Just thought it was cool but I might just be sad.
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