There's an interesting story at the core of "One Man's Hero", a fact-based historical drama set during the Mexican War of 1846.
But while the little known sidebar -- that a battalion of soldiers who had fought as heroes of the Mexican Revolution was comprised exclusively of Irish nationals -- has the makings of an intriguing film, its actual telling is endlessly talky and dramatically page-bound.
Despite a solid performance (and swell Irish accent) from Tom Berenger, this shelf-dwelling Orion Pictures release is better suited for classroom applications than those of the moviegoing variety.
It's a shame, too, because director Lance Hool (himself of Mexican and American heritage), who worked with late screenwriter Milton S. Gelman on the script, was on to something that merited more proficient handling.
As the story goes, in the name of manifest destiny, President Polk sent an army to provoke a war on the Mexican border, recruiting soldiers among a number of Irish immigrants who had fled the potato famine for the promise of 40 acres of land and full U.S. citizenship for their families.
In reality, the immigrants encountered some serious anti-Catholic prejudice from the largely Protestant troops, and it was those religious beliefs that would ultimately ally them with the Mexicans.
For Irishman John Riley (Berenger), the breaking of ranks is initiated when his platoon is brutally punished for crossing the Mexican-American border in order to attend Catholic church services. He rescues them and leads them into Mexico with the intention of rejoining the army and facing whatever reprimands await.
But as fate would have it, Sgt. Riley and his men come up against Cortina (Joaquim de Almeida), a guerrilla leader who takes them for American troops. A battle ensues, leaving Riley wounded and his company imprisoned.
After subsequently receiving an ultimatum from the Mexican government to either fight on the side of Mexico or die, Los San Patricios -- St. Patrick's Battalion -- is born and Riley and his unit of Irish nationals are prepared to fight the good fight, even though they will be branded (both literally and figuratively) as traitors by the United States.
It's a compelling dilemma, but one that's ill-served by Hool's inert direction, which lays claim to some of the most uninvolving battle sequences ever put on film. It also doesn't help when, in an effort to transmit as much informational data as possible, most of the characters sound as if they're reading from textbooks.
Berenger, at least, manages to mine some quieter moments of integrity that keep his character grounded in some kind of living, breathing reality. He's one of the few characters whose speeches don't suggest that there will be a quiz at the end of the picture.
As the lone female of the cast and Berenger's forbidden love interest, Mexico's Daniela Romo is faced with the daunting task of playing Marta, the "woman of all women," meaning she is required to be a freedom fighter who is simultaneously beautiful, passionate, nurturing and strong-willed. That she manages to evoke all of the above in the wake of those mountains of spoken platitudes makes her an inspiration to women everywhere.
ONE MAN'S HERO
MGM
An Orion Pictures release
Director: Lance Hool
Screenwriter: Milton S. Gelman
Producers: Lance Hool, William J. MacDonald, Conrad Hool
Director of photography: Joao Fernandes
Production designer: Peter Wooley
Editor: Mark Conte
Costume designer: Matthew Jacobsen
Music: Ernest Troost
Casting: Mary Jo Slater & Bruce Newberg
Color/stereo
Cast:
John Riley: Tom Berenger
Marta: Daniela Romo
Gaspar Cortina: Joaquim de Almeida
General Winfield Scott: Patrick Bergin
General Zachary Taylor: James Gammon
Captain Gaine: Stephen Tobolowsky
Running time -- 121 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
But while the little known sidebar -- that a battalion of soldiers who had fought as heroes of the Mexican Revolution was comprised exclusively of Irish nationals -- has the makings of an intriguing film, its actual telling is endlessly talky and dramatically page-bound.
Despite a solid performance (and swell Irish accent) from Tom Berenger, this shelf-dwelling Orion Pictures release is better suited for classroom applications than those of the moviegoing variety.
It's a shame, too, because director Lance Hool (himself of Mexican and American heritage), who worked with late screenwriter Milton S. Gelman on the script, was on to something that merited more proficient handling.
As the story goes, in the name of manifest destiny, President Polk sent an army to provoke a war on the Mexican border, recruiting soldiers among a number of Irish immigrants who had fled the potato famine for the promise of 40 acres of land and full U.S. citizenship for their families.
In reality, the immigrants encountered some serious anti-Catholic prejudice from the largely Protestant troops, and it was those religious beliefs that would ultimately ally them with the Mexicans.
For Irishman John Riley (Berenger), the breaking of ranks is initiated when his platoon is brutally punished for crossing the Mexican-American border in order to attend Catholic church services. He rescues them and leads them into Mexico with the intention of rejoining the army and facing whatever reprimands await.
But as fate would have it, Sgt. Riley and his men come up against Cortina (Joaquim de Almeida), a guerrilla leader who takes them for American troops. A battle ensues, leaving Riley wounded and his company imprisoned.
After subsequently receiving an ultimatum from the Mexican government to either fight on the side of Mexico or die, Los San Patricios -- St. Patrick's Battalion -- is born and Riley and his unit of Irish nationals are prepared to fight the good fight, even though they will be branded (both literally and figuratively) as traitors by the United States.
It's a compelling dilemma, but one that's ill-served by Hool's inert direction, which lays claim to some of the most uninvolving battle sequences ever put on film. It also doesn't help when, in an effort to transmit as much informational data as possible, most of the characters sound as if they're reading from textbooks.
Berenger, at least, manages to mine some quieter moments of integrity that keep his character grounded in some kind of living, breathing reality. He's one of the few characters whose speeches don't suggest that there will be a quiz at the end of the picture.
As the lone female of the cast and Berenger's forbidden love interest, Mexico's Daniela Romo is faced with the daunting task of playing Marta, the "woman of all women," meaning she is required to be a freedom fighter who is simultaneously beautiful, passionate, nurturing and strong-willed. That she manages to evoke all of the above in the wake of those mountains of spoken platitudes makes her an inspiration to women everywhere.
ONE MAN'S HERO
MGM
An Orion Pictures release
Director: Lance Hool
Screenwriter: Milton S. Gelman
Producers: Lance Hool, William J. MacDonald, Conrad Hool
Director of photography: Joao Fernandes
Production designer: Peter Wooley
Editor: Mark Conte
Costume designer: Matthew Jacobsen
Music: Ernest Troost
Casting: Mary Jo Slater & Bruce Newberg
Color/stereo
Cast:
John Riley: Tom Berenger
Marta: Daniela Romo
Gaspar Cortina: Joaquim de Almeida
General Winfield Scott: Patrick Bergin
General Zachary Taylor: James Gammon
Captain Gaine: Stephen Tobolowsky
Running time -- 121 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 9/24/1999
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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