From Here To Eternity

Recently, I went to Shaftesbury Theatre in London with the family to see the musical 'From Here To Eternity' for my mother's birthday. Based on the experiences of 'G Company' in Hawaii in the months leading up to the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese air force in 1941. In a chilling combination of both the horror and brutality of war, as well as the search for love in the dark nature of war, this musical hits all the right notes in conveying what pre-wartime life was like for the soldiers of the US Army. Throughout the musical, the song choices and story line between all of the characters gave a very rare glimpse into the human nature surrounding the lead up to the outbreak of war, as well as portraying the need for solace and comfort in each of G Company's approach to love, friendship and loyalty. From a personal perspective, the performances that stood out for me were those of Private Prewitt (Robert Lonsdale) and Private Maggio (Ryan Sampson). Not only was their relationship on stage fundamental to the overall telling of their story in G Company, the audience could almost relate to their struggle and sorrow as they tried to form a friendship in the most testing and daunting scenario, knowing that at any time war could be declared and all they had known and cared for would be either taken away from them or changed forever.

Below is one of the songs that is used in the musical and portrays the exact kind of message that the musical as a whole tries to portray - one of the struggle to keep your past life in tact whilst enrolled in the armed forces, notably the way Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt is forced to break his deathbed promise to his mother that he wouldn't fight again and the way he returns to playing the bugle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l19JOXXMtq8

The idea of this blog entry is to compare the reality of war to the portrayal of war in musicals, films and tv shows. Can conflict, whether it be militia battles in dust ridden villages in the middle of Africa, or full blown World War, be put into any kind of context through the power of film or theatre? Is there a way for this type of media to give the viewers a chance to come to terms with, comprehend and somewhat understand the impact such conflicts had on society as a whole, from the high end Captain, right through the ranks as well as civilians affected by localized bombings? War is one of the few areas of life that is incredibly difficult to portray in any way, shape or form. It is even more difficult to do so whilst at the same time giving what happened during the conflict the much needed respect it deserves, both for the bravery and commitment of soldiers and civilians involved. The destruction, heartbreak and level of loss felt during any conflict always reverberates throughout society, and to put that kind of profound level of consequence into a solitary 3 hour performance, or 2 hour long film, can be not only daunting but also a tough ask. Nonetheless, From Here To Eternity covered all these bases. It draws the audience into each individual character, showing what the prospect of war, the power of close friendships, and the outright unjust nature of conflict as a whole can bring unto any individual it lays its eyes upon. The nature of the United States's involvement in the Second World War was somewhat out of the blue. Having firmly stood by their policy of isolationism during the depression years after 1929, it was hard to see the US taking any firm, military action in Europe as war was declared in the final months of 1939. Japan had hardly been at the forefront of anyone's mind in regards to them posing a severe threat in Asia, never mind in Europe or even daring to threaten to disrupt the peace in America, one of the leading industrial and military powers at that time. Nonetheless, the Japanese launched a surprise aerial assault on the naval yard at Hawaii, where the majority of the US Navy was stationed. This sparked an immediate US entry into the war, ultimately leading to the pushing back of Axis powers in Europe and Asia over the course of the next four years. From Here To Eternity pushes through to the audience every soldier's desire for normality during the months leading up to Pearl Harbor. It helps personify the fear every soldier had and had to live with day in and day out. It deals with the formality and trivial pursuit of love, notably between Private Prewitt and Lorene, as well as Hal and Karen Holmes. This portrayal of these couples search for normality in a time of conflict, disruption and destruction was a major reason as to the success of the play, it showed an overwhelming deal of certainty in the face of despair, and also showed that even individuals with ever changing surroundings need something that they could rely on, something familiar to fall back on.

If you were to compare From Here To Eternity to other pieces regarding war, camaraderie, and the side effects conflict has on the individual, then the comparisons are relatively obvious to the eye; be it Band of Brothers, and The Pacific in the TV field, or Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, and of course Pearl Harbor in the film sphere, to name but a mere few. All of these shows and films have story lines to which is somewhat relatable to the viewer in one way or another. The loss of what the known for the unknown, the airing of absence from their loved ones, the search for something familiar, is something which all these have in common with one another. Does this answer the question 'can war be put into context through different forms of media'? In all of the TV shows and films mentioned above, they all show similar story lines, similar fears surrounding soldiers on the front line, and similar desires for a return to normality. In turn, the reality and dreamt of reality are all shown to a relatable degree, as well as the strong portrayal of the consequences of war. It is hard to put into perspective the true horrors of any war or conflict, no matter how big or small it is, the dramatized versions of a conflict will always fall short of the reality, but it is vitally important for the individual viewing these dramatized versions to go forth and see conflict in a different light, and to take away that it is the actions of the individuals that change the course of history, and it is these individuals that we owe our due diligence and respect to in the past, now, and in the future.

Jonathan Whitehead