Monday, September 26, 2005

Jimmy Stewart the Killer
















Roger Ebert's review the latest Cronenberg film, The History of Violence, has a weird simile. He writes how Viggo Mortenson's character is like Jimmy Stewart until violence erupts. This statement drew me back because Jimmy Stewart DID kill people. Stewart flew a B-24 heavy bomber in the US 8th Air Force in WWII. He piloted his own bomber and lead a bomber wing. Bomber crews don't directly kill people mostly, the machine gunners on a bomber do. They are part of a weapon system that delivers explosives hundreds of miles to cities and other military targets. In Stewart's 20 missions he delivered 120 tons of bombs. He probably killed someone.

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