Synopsis/Details
Normandy, France, June 1944. A clearing in the woods, outside a village. An American Army squad and a lone German soldier approach each other from opposite directions. The German surrenders, but an American lieutenant quickly orders that he be shot. The officer gives the job to his sharpshooter, who declares the order illegal and hesitates to do the job. After the sharpshooter is threatened with his own execution, he kills the German prisoner—and himself. The American Army squad then moves out, leaving the two dead enemies side by side.
Story & Logistics
Story Type:
Rite of Passage
Story Situation:
Self-sacrifice for an ideal
Story Conclusion:
Tragic
Linear Structure:
Linear
Moral Affections:
Dereliction of Duty, Duty, Punishment
Cast Size:
Several
Locations:
Single
Special Effects:
Minor cgi
Characters
Lead Role Ages:
Male Adult, Male Young Adult
Hero Type:
Anti-Hero, Ordinary
Villian Type:
Anti-Villian, Authority Figure
Stock Character Types:
Everyman, Fall guy
Advanced
Subgenre:
Anti-War, Drama, Military, Tragedy, War, World War 2
Action Elements:
Weaponry
Life Topics:
Death, Quarterlife Crisis
Time Period:
World War II (1939–1945)
Country:
United States of America (USA)
Time of Year:
Spring
Writer Style:
Dalton Trumbo, Stanley Kubrick, Steven Zallian
