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 AMERICAN
WAR CRIMES AGAINST MÉXICO EXPOSED IN ONE MAN'S HERO
When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the United States
was aroused to respond to unprovoked aggression. When the
United States performed a similar act of aggression against
México in 1846 and marched triumphantly in México City in
1848, world public opinion was not mobilized against Washington.
The Mexican War has been forgotten north but not south of
the border-at least not until the release of One Man's
Hero, directed by Lance Hool. The film focuses on
one fighting unit in that war-the San Patricio Battalion,
named for St. Patrick. The San Patricios were Irish who left
the potato famine in Ireland to go to the United States, where
they were promised American citizenship if they joined the
army. But not all were given citizenship, and they were flogged
for attending Catholic mass along with Mexicans when they
were assigned to a post on the border. Some 500 Irish then
decided to defect to México, but President James Polk launched
aggression against México in pursuit of "manifest destiny"
soon after they resettled, whereupon they were granted Mexican
citizenship in exchange for their services as soldiers fighting
for México. The leader of the San Patricios is Captain John
Reilley (played by Tom Berenger), whose loyalty to México
is assured when he falls in love with Marta (played by Daniela
Romo). After heroic battle with the Americans, the San Patricios
who have not died in the war are eventually captured, tried,
and convicted of treason. The film also contrasts the conduct
of two American generals-the brutal Winfield Scott (played
by Patrick Bergin) and the more honorable Zachary Taylor (played
by James Gammon), but Scott prevails over Taylor by executing
the surviving San Patricios except for Reilley, whose cheeks
were instead branded with the letter "D" for "deserter." One
Man's Hero should shock American audiences into understanding
why gringos are hated in México. Produced with funding from
México and Spain, the Spanish title Héroes sin patria
(Heroes Without a County) is certainly more dramatic and meaningful
than the enigmatic One Man's Hero, but neither
title gives sufficient attention to the brave Irish who were
a credit to their ancestry, reciting poetry in the prelude
to defeat in battle.
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However,
the film might have made even more impact if it pointed out
that Henry David Thoreau developed his theory of civil disobedience
to explain why he refused to pay taxes to support the war,
and that Abraham Lincoln actively opposed the war as a member
of Congress at the time.
It
is simply too late to indict President Polk and General Scott
for war crimes but perhaps not too late for an American president
to apologize to México, though the United States is unlikely
to return Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah
as Yugoslav forces were forced to retreat from Kosovo. The
two-year delay from completion of the film to general release
in Hollywood speaks volumes about the controversial nature
of the film, which the Political Film Society has nominated
for three awards-as an exposé and a film raising consciousness
of the need to improve human rights and to resolve conflicts
peacefully. MH
POLITICAL
FILM SOCIETY INVITES NOMINATIONS FOR AWARDS
Members of the Political Film Society can nominate feature
films released in 1999 for awards in the following categories:
democracy, exposé, human rights, and peace. Nominations close
on December 31 each year, and voting will take place in the
first two months of the year 2000 for the film that best raises
political consciousness in each of four categories.
NOMINEES
FOR 1999
EXPOSÉ:
Bastards, Cabaret
Balkan, One Man's Hero,
Three Seasons
HUMAN RIGHTS:
The
General's Daughter, Hard,
One Man's Hero, Three
Seasons, Xiu Xiu
PEACE: Cabaret
Balkan, Earth, One
Man's Hero, West Beirut
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