The Red Badge of Courage

A young civil war soldier (Audie Murphy) fights shame after fleeing during his first battle.

The Red Badge of Courage is something of a mess. After wresting control of the film from director John Huston, studio bosses at MGM edited out over twenty minutes of footage, discarding whole scenes in the process, and added some horrible voice-over narration by James Whitmore. The result is a frustrating film that only hints at the greatness that might have been.

The beginning is rough. Whitmore’s narration is stilted and unnecessary, and the script takes the time to introduce a slew of characters, most of whom have no real payoff. Things get better gradually though, as Huston’s eye for composition, and innate ability to intimate the viewer in rough, desperate situations begins to show through.

The film’s highlights are the battle scenes. Decades before the CGI and special effects of modern Hollywood, Huston does an excellent job recreating believable battles and placing the audience squarely inside them.

For his part, lead Audie Murphy acquits himself well in a tough role. His character is, by nature, a faceless everyman, designed to represent the coward and hero in us all. That Murphy is able to convey the wide range of emotions required of him is about all you could really ask. Supporting him is a top-notch cast, including Any Devine and the always-entertaining Arthur Hunnicutt.

Despite the fine cast and good battle scenes, The Red Badge of Courage is ultimately a disappointment. There are too many lose threads, and too little emotional substance. The studio cuts reduced Huston’s exploration of human nature in the face of violence to a few set pieces and some clunky narration. Maybe Huston’s original cut was even worse, but even Huston’s failures at least feel whole.