Grand Illusion (1937)

Who knew being a POW (Prisoner of War) during World War I would be so nice? Well, nice for officers in Germany at least. After watching "Grand Illusion" from the great year of 1937, I was able to observe how some of the Officer POW's were kept. From the education from my Strategy and Warfare class here at school coupled with the close proximity of time that this movie was made as to when WWI was fought, it might not be too far off.


During WWI, armies on both sides of the conflict were not very eager to fight. At times, they would even venture over to the enemy's frontline and warn them of an attack coming so that no one would get hurt. This overall sense of caring for other human beings and being able to look past their nationality and see the person underneath the uniform is something that strikes me deeply. I wish that warfare would still work that way today. Wouldn't it be nice if armies would take a day of fighting off for the other side to celebrate an important holiday, or treat their enemy with respect when they have captured them? I realize at times it would be hard, especially with opponents that do not value the natural rights we, as humans, should enjoy. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness should be applied to all, and at times some governments try to oppress these. To me, that is a crime that should be punished, and that punishment is usually war. However, what good does it do for us to torture our POWs? What good does it do for us to disrobe someone of their dignity and be brutal and inhumane, the very things that we fight against?


In the final moments of the movie, as Maréchal and Rosenthal are just crossing the border to Switzerland, the German troops stop firing. They recognize that they were unable to prevent them from escaping their camp and boundaries. In the modern day, would an army officer still give the order to cease fire whenever they are still in plain sight? Would he/she still have the decency to assume defeat and be accountable for their loss?


I am not a war expert, nor do I pretend to be. I just try to make observations based on what I have been told, and have seen. If "Grand Illusion" was anywhere close to how officers were treated as POWs in Germany during WWI, they had a pretty good life for being a Prisoner of War. They had a much better life than most would enjoy as one today. The mutual understanding of both sides to the idea of life over country was alive and well then, but it does not seem that way now. As Boieldieu was dying in the end, sacrificing himself to help his friends escape, I could not help but feel the love that the German officer had for his French counterpart. He had snipped off a flower that he held dear and gave it to him as a sign of respect. He should have felt victory, but as the two bonded, and had mutual relationships by family, they only felt love towards one another. That is the way that everyone should feel towards each other. Young or old. Friend or foe. We should all love one another and devote ourselves to the betterment of life, instead of the destruction of man.

Harvey (1950)

James Stewart is a phenomenal actor. His true expressions, and sincere mood is what makes "Harvey" such an amazing film. Embarking on this adventure of watching each movie on the IMDB's Top 250 was something that would either be very enjoyable and culturally educational, or a complete flop. Some of the movies on the list range from silent films, to black and white, to Japanese, to Anime, and up to the present day. So far, I have been very pleasantly surprised at how much I have enjoyed each film.

I have seen some of the movies on the list before, one being Arsenic and Old Lace. However, I had never before seen "Harvey". All I knew was that it was about a man with a friend named Harvey. The twist, though, is that Harvey is an "imaginary" bunny that is 6 ft. 3 1/2 inches tall of which no one can see, except Elwood P. Dowd (played by James Stewart). After seeing it, I think it has become a contender for one of my most favorite movies of all time. Which leads me to another point. Where has all of the great acting gone? I know there have been stellar performances such as Sean Penn in "I Am Sam" or Tom Hanks in "Forrest Gump" or "Cast Away" in the not too distant past, but where are the performances that people talk about and salivate over for years and years? After experiencing how effortlessly James Stewart came off in the role of Elwood P. Dowd, I couldn't help but notice how I do not get that feeling from anyone today. Is it the fault of the actors? Screen writing? Directors? Casting Directors? Whatever it might be, I hope that in the near future I am able to get the same feeling that "Harvey" delivered. I also hope that someday, I can be more like Elwood. This is the one line that I will forever remember and try to model myself after:

"Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, 'In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.' Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

Peru? Yes, please!

Have you ever felt that you want to break out? You want to just go somewhere that you have no idea what to expect? I am beginning to see this situation coming up on the horizon for myself. I will be leaving everything I have ever known, everything that I have here in the US, to travel to Peru.

I honestly am not prepared. I continue to tell myself, “Sean, you have more than a month before you go…don’t worry about it.” However, with every second that passes by, the reality of being somewhere completely different in every way imaginable is unwavering. Whether I want to believe it or not, whether I want to accept the truth that I am leaving to a foreign country or not, it isn’t going to disappear.

On May 26th, I will be taking the inescapable leap to a world that values rest and community over constant achievement and individualism. I will be exposed to people that want to pickpocket me with every chance they get. I will be exposed to an altitude that not many places in the Midwest can even imagine being. I will experience a culture and people that descended from the Incas, a Indian population that gained its roots in 1200 A.D. Not only will I be involved in their culture, but I will be living and studying in the city (Cusco, Peru) in which the Inca began their historic existence and conquest. Needless to say, I will be encountering a new way of life.

Will I miss home? YES. Will I miss breathing air that is not paper thin? YES. Will I try to make the best from this experience? Yes. Ever since I have come to college, my goal of pursuing positions and experiences outside of my comfort zone have been mildly successful. I think I have gained some knowledge and skills that I would not have if I did not do or attempt the things I have so far. However, nothing compares to this. Nothing can even measure up to this one. I will be stretching myself and my ability to adapt to the breaking point. I fell as if I am pretty flexible, but I will not truly know until I am there. Until I meet my family and classmates, I will not know what it means to put myself out there and hope that people accept me. I like to be in control of my relationships, but this will be the biggest 180 degrees that I will ever have. I hope it works out.

As the date quickly approaches, all I can do is finish out this semester of school the best that I can. I have to remember that I still have classes and expectations as I look forward to the summer. I need to realize that papers need to be typed and tests need to be studied for, or else I will be throwing away everything I worked to build this entire semester and since my freshman year. All I can do is focus on the here and now as I keep the near future in my periphery.

As Mat Kearney says:

“No parachutes or safety nets here
One foot in the water to face these fears
Coming out strong like I can’t be wrong”

All I can do is put my foot out there to face my fears when the time comes, and hope that I can come out strong enough. I hope I can do that.

Spring Break

Anticipation. That is all that I feel right now as I sit and work in Ellis Library. Why? Spring Break. The time when we, as students and professors, receive a short hiatus from school and classrooms to spend time with family, friends, and the world. The reason I am so anxious for this Spring Break? Boston and NYC.

I have had an obsession, a love-affair for large cities ever since I visited NYC in 2007. My high school choir was traveling there to sing at the Statue of Liberty and the United Nations, I was not about to miss that opportunity. I begged and pleaded my mother to help me afford the trip (because it cost around $1,300 per person), but to my surprise, it did not take much work on my end. As soon as she heard about the possibility of going and exploring NYC, she too wanted in on the action and helped make sure that it was possible for us both to go.

Being there was like being in an entirely new world. The tall buildings, shady alleys, Chinatown, Little Italy, Times Square, subways…it all seemed so new and exciting. I had never experienced anything like it before and haven’t since. It is a place that can stimulate you imagination and make you dream that one day, you can be there and work in a big office on the 80th floor of one of the, seemingly, thousands of skyscrapers. The places we went and the things we did I will never forget for the rest of my life. As soon as I was leaving on the plane from LaGuardia Airport, I made sure to lock up all of my memories deep inside to ensure they would never leave.

Now, as I prepare myself for my return with the love of my life, I am not sure what will happen with those memories. Will they all come spilling out or will I have to discover them one by one as I make my way around the city? Will they overwhelm me or compliment the new experiences? Just thinking of some of them now makes me choke up a little inside. Old friends, teachers, and people in my life that have left or moved away for school or jobs…I miss them, but I know that we are still connected by those memories and times and experiences. No one or time or distance can ever take those away from us.

However, next week Amy and I are going to visit NYC to explore and experience the metropolis together. I will do all I can to suppress my urges to blurt out something I may have done or something that I remember, knowing that we are making new memories together and it is not always the best to think in the past; just enjoy the moment, the present. So, as we prepare to leave on Saturday and travel to the East Coast, I will reflect on what I have already done, but also prepare myself for all of the new memories that I will forever cherish deep down inside of myself forever.