"You don't have to answer that question!" "I'LL ANSWER THE QUESTION."
-
IceboxMovies — 9 years ago(September 13, 2016 12:03 AM)
The inexperienced Kaffee finds himself having to defend someone who holds him in contempt against officers who are willing to commit perjury and a whole lot more to save themselves.
Uh HawkeyeDJ I think you've misunderstood me. I'm not talking about Kaffee's
clients
holding him in "contempt".
I'm talking about when the judge literally holds Kaffee in contempt of court: "Consider yourself in contempt!"
My point is that Jessup would never blow his cover after Kaffee has already been held in contempt of court, and the judge has assured Jessup that he can be silent. If Jessup was so hellbent on covering up his crimes that he would even make a whole flight disappear, it's difficult to believe he would suddenly spill the beans even after Kaffee has violated the judge's demands. -
IceboxMovies — 9 years ago(September 13, 2016 03:55 PM)
If the judge felt like it should not be answered, who cares what the person testifying thinks of answering it.
You don't understand.
My point is that if Jessup was refusing to tell the truth beforehand, it's awfully contrived of him to admit everything even after the judge has
held Kaffee into contempt of court
. At that point, Jessup could have easily remained silent and gotten away with everything. -
Paul_Ke — 9 years ago(September 14, 2016 10:24 AM)
Your point is well taken, Jessup was saying and doing all the right things until the end. That's what made it such a desperate hail-mary pass by Kaffee at the end. It was a long shot, but it worked. Here's why:
Jessup proved that he was emotionally reactive and (emotionally unstable) during the brunch scene. When Jessup felt that Kaffee wasn't "asking him nicely" he
let his emotions get the better of him.
He should've just given the paperwork to Kaffee and stayed quiet, but he stupidly shot his mouth off and made a big deal about "You have to ask me nicely."
This gave Kaffee the clue that Jessup has a sensitive spot which could be manipulated.
During the climatic courtroom scene, the button-pushing begins. Kaffee tells Jessup to sit down and says: "I haven't excused yet." You know this has to make Jessup crazy inside because Kaffee is ordering him around like he has more authority than Jessup does.
The flight officers that Kaffee keeps threatening to call to the stand to get their testimony is another button-pusher. It's a total bluff on Kaffee's part, of course, but Jessup doesn't know this, and it's sure to be adding to the tension, fear, and rage inside of him.
Jessup goes into his angry, impassioned rant about our country needing someone to guard the walls, and Kaffee just sits back and lets him work himself into a fury, so much so Jessup in his rage finally tells Kaffee that he did give the order, because like Kaffee said, Jessup partially wants to tell him that he gave the order, because he's proud of it and thinks in his mind it was the right thing to do, and these idiots around him just don't understand.
Was it stupid of Jessup? Yes. Was it inconsistent? Not really.
Because it was stupid and unnecessary of Jessup to go on his "ask me nicely" rant at the brunch, but his emotions control him.
It was stupid and unnecessary for Jessup to go on his "we have walls" rant, but his emotions control him. -
IceboxMovies — 9 years ago(September 14, 2016 03:49 PM)
I guess I just have a hard time believing that Jessup would still go into such a rant after the judge has already held Kaffee into contempt of court. If Sorkin and Reiner had cut out the part where the judge holds Kaffee into contempt and then assures Jessup he can remain silent, the scene would make more sense.
But yeah, it's understandable that the brunch scene would provide Kaffee with a clue to the sensitive subject which he knows can tick Jessup off. -
GiovanaSamara — 9 years ago(December 18, 2016 11:06 AM)
Exactly, Paul_Ke.
Sometimes people don't pay attention to the emotional/attitudinal innuendos that movies throw at them.
It was clear to me that Jessup was so full of himself and so sure of his mighty role, that he believed to be above reprimand. He had to do what he had to do to keep everyone's safety. In his mind, he wasn't to be questioned.
Proof of that is when he has told the truth (and incriminated himself completely) he still gets up and is ready to leave the court as if that didn't matter at all. "I did what I had to do". -
HawkeyeDJ — 9 years ago(December 22, 2016 05:28 PM)
It was clear to me that Jessup was so full of himself and so sure of his mighty role, that he believed to be above reprimand.
Jessup wasn't as smart as he thought he was, either. He looks pretty foolish when confronted with the two apparently contradictory orders (Santiago was not to be touched and my men always follow my orders, and Santiago had to be transferred because he was in grave danger from the men who always follow my orders).
So, when he decides to change gears and set up the 'command decision' explanation in anticipation of the two airmen testifying that there was an earlier flight, Jessup failed to realize the implications, that his subordinate Kendricks had already testified that no code red order had been issued. Therefore, Jessup totally screwed Kendricks.
It's one thing to think you can get away with hanging two pathetic junior enlisted out to take the rap, but there is no way you're going to get a zealot Marine Lt. like Kendricks to take a perjury rap all by himself. Two Marine officers issued an illegal order that resulted in the death of an enlisted Marine and then conspired to mislead the investigation.
Not exactly a career enhancing move. -
IceboxMovies — 9 years ago(January 14, 2017 09:26 PM)
It was clear to me that Jessup was so full of himself and so sure of his mighty role, that he believed to be above reprimand. He had to do what he had to do to keep everyone's safety. In his mind, he wasn't to be questioned.
Then why did he cover up the crime in the first place?
Sometimes people don't pay attention to the emotional/attitudinal innuendos that movies throw at them.
You shouldn't jump to conclusions about me so brashly. If you had read this entire thread, you would know that I'm aware of the details in this movie; I'm just saying that some of them don't add up. -
spielman54 — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 03:25 PM)
Because it doesn't matter if the judge says you don't have to answer it.the question has already been posed and the Colonel has already been made to look like a fool. He's already been caught saying that his men follow orders but then found to have given two orders. He is embarrassed and made to look bad. He feels he needs to answer it to show how he can justify his actions.whatever they may be.as being the right actions and in the best interest of the country. He has reached that level of arrogance, and now has a snotty little punk in his girlie white uniform daring to question him. He answers because he has gotten to the point where he can't even see how anything he doesillegal or notcan be questioned.
Oops. -
IceboxMovies — 9 years ago(February 03, 2017 01:18 AM)
Because it doesn't matter if the judge says you don't have to answer it.the question has already been posed and the Colonel has already been made to look like a fool. He's already been caught saying that his men follow orders but then found to have given two orders. He is embarrassed and made to look bad. He feels he needs to answer it to show how he can justify his actions.whatever they may be.as being the right actions and in the best interest of the country. He has reached that level of arrogance, and now has a snotty little punk in his girlie white uniform daring to question him. He answers because he has gotten to the point where he can't even see how anything he doesillegal or notcan be questioned.
But once again: If Jessup felt that way, then why did he cover up the crime in the first place?
Had Jessup simply remained silent, the judge would have found Kaffee guilty of contempt, and the trial would have ended right there. -
Drooch — 7 years ago(October 13, 2018 06:34 AM)
He covered it up to escape prison, of course. The point is that he doesn’t feel he should
have
to cover it up - he has a God Complex. Jessup is conflicted in his head and his heart, he’s all too human and flawed, and while his head rules when things are cool, Kaffee winds him up so his rage filled heart takes over and he goes tumbling into the trap. It’s good writing.