DVD Review: Johnny Got His Gun: Timothy Bottoms, Donald Sutherland, Jason Robards, Dalton Trumbo: Movies & TV
DVD Review: Johnny Got His Gun: Timothy Bottoms, Donald Sutherland, Jason Robards, Dalton Trumbo: Movies & TV
Product Description
A young American soldier (Timothy Bottoms) is wounded by a mortar shell on the last day of World War I. He lies in a hospital bed as a quadruple amputee who has lost his arms, legs, eyes, ears, mouth and nose. He remains conscious and able to think, thereby reliving his life through strange dreams, memories and conversations with Jesus (Donald Sutherland), unable to distinguish whether he is awake or dreaming. Dalton Trumbo, author of the famous 1930s antiwar book Johnny Got His Gun wrote and directed this film adaptation. In 1947, he refused to testify before a congressional committee investigating alleged Communist infiltration of the film industry. Blacklisted for nearly a decade, he wrote numerous scripts under pseudonyms including Roman Holiday and Gun Crazy until he was finally credited for his work on Exodus and Spartacus in 1960.
Bonus Features:
* Includes a limited-edition reproduction of the film poster in-pack.
* Dalton Trumbo: Rebel In Hollywood (60 min. feature available for the first time in U.S.).
* Interview with star Timothy Bottoms.
* Behind-the-scenes footage with commentary by films DP, Jules Brenner & Timothy Bottoms.
* Original theatrical trailer.
* Metallica Music video for ‘One’, featuring footage from the film.
* 1940 Radio adaptation staring James Cagney.
Never Judge A Book By Its Cover,
By James Morris
(Jackson Heights, NY United States) -
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
In 1971 I was 17, and a budding “hippie” with anti-war leanings and a rebel streak a mile long. While riding the NYC subway to work one day, I noticed a young man about my age absorbed in a book as he rode next to me. The title of the book was Johnny Got His Gun. “Probably some right-wing adolescent shoot-`em-up war epic”, I thought to myself, dismissing the teen and his book from my mind. A few weeks later, I read an article in the newspaper that a film was being made of the book Johnny Got His Gun, and I was instantly embarrassed at my previous assumption of the book’s subject matter when I read that Johnny Got His Gun was actually a pacifist anti-war classic, and that its author, Dalton Trumbo, had been blacklisted as a communist during the 1950’s. A few days later, I ran across the book in my favorite bookstore, and picked it up almost without thinking.
I was immediately blown away by the intense imagery of the narrative’s storyline. Joe Bonham, an 18-year old soldier, is hit by a bombshell on the last day of WWI, and awakes in a hospital bed horribly deformed. Unable to speak, see, hear, or smell, he gradually learns that his arms and legs have been amputated. As the horror of his situation unfolds in a stream-of-consciousness first person narrative, he slowly realizes that the bomb shell that hit him scooped out his face, leaving a gaping hole where his eyes, ears, nose and mouth used to be. The army doctors automatically assume he is a thoughtless vegetable, and in an experimental effort to see if they can keep someone in his condition alive, he spends the next several years in a hospital bed, well cared-for but practically forgotten. Joe is constantly thinking but unable to communicate. Deprived of all senses, except feelings and thoughts, his story movingly unfolds, and I was forever transformed by the beauty of Mr. Trumbo’s story-telling ability and the terror-filled description of Joe’s situation. He spends his days remembering the details of his young life, while struggling to overcome the inability to discern his conscious thoughts from his nightmares. As I waited for the film’s premiere, I must have read and re-read the book a half dozen times, and 38 years later, portions of the powerful book still stick with me.
I saw the film on opening day in an art house on the east side of Manhattan, and although I was slightly disappointed by the movie’s inability to project the author’s hauntingly beautiful prose onto the screen, the story has remained a favorite of mine ever since. I recall that the film got lukewarm reviews, but I remember urging all of my friends to see it and experience it for themselves. I also remember a review by Rex Reed, then one of the top film critics in NY. In describing the scene where Joe finally manages to communicate with a nurse the fact that he has conscious thoughts, Mr. Reed said that that scene alone contained more tenderness than the entire film “Love Story” (which was then a current smash hit). I was also bitterly disappointed that the film did not get more attention.
Recently I learned that an all-region DVD of the film was available from Portugal, and I gladly paid Amazon the import price of the DVD. I also obtained a new copy of the book, and found to my delight that the story had lost none of its impact after 38 years. Why should it? The book was first published in 1939, and when I first discovered it 32 years later, I found it fresh, vibrant and surprisingly topical.
Apparently due the fact that a stage version (and a DVD of the stage version) is getting quite a bit of attention, the powers that be have finally decided to release this forgotten gem. I will now order the new DVD as well.
Although the film is slightly dated, I heartily recommend it for its unforgettable storyline. I also recommend that anyone who enjoys it check out the novel; Mr. Trumbo’s masterpiece is every bit as compelling as any film version could ever be.
Dalton Trumbo, teller of truths, Joe Bonham, keeper of secrets,
By Joel, Holden -
I am overjoyed “Johnny Got His Gun” is finally on DVD. Like the other reviewers, I key into the moment I got the book, saw the movie. A battered Bantam edition with a cover painting vaguely screaming, then intensely burning into my eyes when I realized in that dark store what I was seeing–a used book store–a dark cold November late afternoon-the first war novel I bought, because of that front cover of hell and the resounding review blurbs from all over the world on the back and inside. I read it Friday night. I was in UT. I have never been more shaken in my life. I had nightmares that night that Joe was on my attic steps trying to weep and having no eyes or face. The putting away when discovered, the shame of it, and far too often the truth is hidden, until it is too late.
When the movie came out, I saw it in Memphis one hot Saturday afternoon. I was astounded that an “unfilmable” novel was filmed. As has been said, the beauty, the passion, the sheer incredible urgency of Dalton Trumbo’s words could not be conveyed, yet it is unforgettable. I wrote endlessly about both for my university newspaper. I wanted to scream on housetops, read this book, see this film.
Timothy Bottoms was superb as Joe. His dreams, his nightmares, his dad, his mom, his girl, even Christ mingle and slip away and try to help or say stay far from me, and his gradual knowing piece by piece what has happened to him. “Oh Joe, put your two strong arms around me. Oh Joe, don’t go. You won’t come back.” To the angry roar of the crowds and of the train ready for hell and the pompous patriotic speeches screamed in the background, all of it a series of horrors, a bid for love, a nurse’s kindness, and the utter tragedy, for this is the face of war, Joe says to himself, everyone must see me, SOS SOS SOS
It is the most powerful book I have ever read and re-read, and one of the most powerful movies. Part of the genius of them is focusing on one soldier, few battle scenes, taking us into the mind of a man as dead as dead can be and who horribly is aware and thinks. The sheer rapture of Joe’s becoming able to count the days, to know it is Christmas morning, to dream he is whole and young and free as he falls into glorious summer grass on a blue sky day.
One of the greats. A book and a movie needed right this second. Somehow Dalton Trumbo wrote from inside the mind of a man so destroyed. Somehow he made it into a movie. I wish to climb again to the house tops and scream see this movie, read this book. It is so heartening to read the reviews–and how such power and such love of life Dalton Trumbo created is remembered and still loved. That’s the thing of it. Joe on my attic steps, trying to cry, but having no face or eyes. That is the thing.
I Have The Same Concerns As Stith,
By C. Clemons (Amarillo, TX United States) -
I saw this movie years ago, either on VHS, cable, or while I was at college, and it was a while after it was originally released at the movie theater. I seem to remember that the version I saw was rated R, so I’m assuming that that version was close to (or the same as) the official theatrical release. The version I saw was a masterpiece by any standards.
Now I may be totally wrong about this, but this DVD version from Shout Factory seems to be edited, censored, or whatever you want to call it. If it’s been chopped up, then it’s also a big disappointment, considering that this was an exceptionally fine motion picture in its original form. So what’s the deal, Shout Factory - has this movie been edited in any way? If so, then are you guys going to release the original cut of the film, or is this what we have to live with?
P.S. I rented this movie first from a local video rental outfit. If anyone has a copy of (or vividly remembers seeing) an uncut version, I’d be interested in reading your opinions about this re-release. Personally I’m going to wait and see before I put out good money for this DVD. Totally unacceptable.
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