Too harsh on Sgt Watson? (SPOILER)
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — The Flight of the Phoenix
SaulGoodman — 17 years ago(October 19, 2008 02:25 PM)
Frank seems to view Sgt Watson with contempt after he discovers that the Sergeant faked his sprained ankle in order to get out of marching into the desert. Lew also seems to adopt this view.
But both Lew and Frank thought that Capt Harris's plan was doomed to fail and did everything they could to stop anyone from going. So how could they hold it against Watson for wanting to get out of such a desperate situation?
Perhaps Lew had some ideas about rank and obeying orders etc but Frank seemed like more of a maverick who said he didn't like being told what to do. So how can he hold what Watson did against him?
I know that later on Watson leaves Harris to die and then completely rebels but Frank's attitude to Watson arose before that.
This isn't really a criticism of the film (which I love), just something that struck me as odd. -
Fingaroo — 17 years ago(October 20, 2008 08:40 AM)
Maybe if Watson had stood up to the Captain like a man in the first place instead of pretending to be hurt he might have earned Town's respect. But Watsonwho is not really all that likeable to begin withreally comes across as a slacker and a coward from that point on.
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SaulGoodman — 17 years ago(October 20, 2008 01:32 PM)
I think standing up to the Captain is easier said than done. Open mutiny would take a lot of balls, and when it comes down to it, utterly pointless. What's more I think that Watson's back story of being a boy soldier, who was signed up by his father, partly justifies his deceitful behavior.
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Fingaroo — 17 years ago(October 21, 2008 07:02 AM)
It isn't that Watson was wrong in not wanting to go on a suicide march. I wouldn't have gone either. Would it take balls to decline? Sure, but I'm pretty sure that Townswho is ultimately in charge after alland Lou would have backed him up had he refused. And don't forget that he finally does strap on a pair and refuses what he considers to be another suicide mission (confronting the Arabs.) But his feigning the injury provided Towns a preliminary glimpse into the type of person he really was. Later on we see him leave the Captain out in the sand overnight, obviously in the hope that he will die. And finally, his obvious gloating over the Captain's death seals the dealWatson is a pretty repugnant fellow. Towns senses it early on, and later events bear it out.
Watson is an interesting character, and not entirely an unsympathetic one. But his resentment towards being a "boy soldier", if that is what is driving him, is largely his own fault. After all, as Ratbags says, he "didn't have to join for bleedin' life." -
SaulGoodman — 17 years ago(October 21, 2008 02:19 PM)
I agree that Watson is a fairly repugnant character and this is borne out by the latter parts of the film. However, I still consider the way Towns treats him to be wrong. Although vindicated later on, Towns makes his decision based on very little (too little) information. It wouldn't be out of character for a normal and decent person to fake an injury in Watson's situation. Watson's deception does no harm. It does not harm the Captain, the army, or the nation he serves.
Having reflected on it, it does make sense for Towns to jump to the wrong conclusion. While subsequent events proved him right when it came to Watson, he was proven wrong when it came to Dorfmann. As with Watson, he gave Dorfmann only brief consideration, having only known him a short time. He dismissed Dorfmann's ideas too quickly (just as he judged Watson too quickly) and then rather than remaining open minded doggedly stuck to his guns. He also takes his position aggressively in both cases, clearly displaying his antipathy even when it is unnecessary or even counterproductive.
So all in all I can now understand why Towns took that attitude to Watson, though consider it the wrong one.
This post comes across a bit down on Towns, I actually like the character. Just think he jumps to conclusions too quickly -
santol321 — 17 years ago(November 18, 2008 06:41 PM)
Watson makes his disdain for authority, especially for the Captain, during the initial flight when the Captain instructs him to "Stow it away." Watson's reaction to that says it all. A bit later he refers to officers as a "Taffy-nosed bunch of gids" (or something like that. I didn't quite understand the slang).
I think the contempt for Watson resulted not necessarily because he tried to get out of the "mission" by faking the sprain, but because he tried to continue faking it to Towns once he was caught.
I think it was at that moment that Towns realized that Watson was not only faking it, but was also a coward who didn't have the fortitude to stand up to the Captain and was perfectly willing to allow the Captain to embark on what was obviously on a suicide mission without lifting a finger or saying a word to try to stop him.
Later, when Watson reacts gleefully when he knows that the Captain is dead, Towns decks him. He got what he deserved. -
porfle — 16 years ago(April 19, 2009 12:46 PM)
I identify with Watson because in that situation, I would've been a coward, too. It irritates me that his character is made more obviously vile later on (leaving the Captain for dead, gloating at his death). Otherwise, Watson is a complex character who reacts the way many of us would.
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