Kubricks movies and thinking of Haditha

Artist achetypes on society or is it society as an artists archetpe. Or is it something else..Wisdom for today in movie reviews..


Kubrick probably delivered a jolt to the world view of the average film viewer in 1957 with his portrayal of the Generals. In those days, many were fond of thinking of the leaders of countries (especially allies) as being intelligent, competent, and even humanistic, and they were usually so portrayed in film. General Mireau, despite his feigned concern for his troops (sparring with Gen. Broulard and trying to avoid a difficult assignment) orders his gunnery officer to murder them by impetuously turning his own artillery on them after they fail to carry out his impossible orders. He is incapable of accepting blame for his mistakes, and remorselessly sacrifices three of his own troops to deflect attention from his failure. General Broulard even more clearly exemplifies psychopathic amorality. He uses Dax against General Mireau and seeks to reward him with the latter's command after Mireau's final downfall, assuming Dax to be a man like themselves who was playing his cards for his own benefit and not for that of his men. When Dax responds indignantly, General Broulard is surprised at this "naïvete" and tells him he is "wallowing in sentimentality". Because the self-serving psychopath does not think as other men and has no feelings of guilt or conscience, his ability to wreak chaos upon the rest of mankind is immense as he executes his power schemes without regard to who gets hurt..




http://www.gordonbanks.com/gordon/pubs/kubricks.html

Not mentioned in the excerpt in the OP.