Exécuté pour désertion

I am 45 years old and I watched this 'Movie Of The Week' on TV when it was new. As I grew older I saw it again and would notice certain things that I didn't see when I was younger. The TV Movies, now called TV Mini-series were so much better in the early to mid 1970s, I think.

Now, I would find it very hard to watch because many people believe Pvt. Slovik should not have been executed considering the overall circumstances and also because of so many other experiences over my years. This film helped shaped my heartfelt opposition to the death penalty. I'm happy to say that I have always respected the work of Martin Sheen and his sons over the years.

John Martin, Fort Worth, Texas

I'm surprised at the number of reviewers who've viewed this movie as if it were actually history -- it is not. Well, it IS history if your idea of documentary history includes such fare as Oliver Stone's "JFK" -- which is heavy on Drama, however light on actual facts. This movie should not be viewed as pristine untainted, unpoliticized history. When viewing this movie, one should keep in mind the political bent of Hollywood, especially in light of the fact that this movie was released in the closing months of America's Vietnam era, when Hollywood was VERY anti-war.

This movie takes a real event, the execution of Private Slovik, and dresses it up to produce a Drama that will hold your attention, while attempting to subtly impart a clearly political message. The message? War is wrong, military agencies and the U.S. government are generally inept, and passivists are actually tortured hero's.

In fact though, Private Slovik WAS a deserter. In fact, Private Slovik was given many chances to recant his status as deserter -- but refused. In fact, as a member of the armed services in WWII, he knew that the penalty for desertion could be death. The fact that he was the only person executed for desertion does not mitigate the fact that his execution was justified. An argument can be made that the US Army did not properly carry out the UCMJ by executing everyone that was convicted of desertion, but no argument can be made that Private Slovik's execution was unjust. His execution was completely in accordance with military law and tradition.

This movie does a poor job of actually portraying Private Slovik, the real man. The fact is, Private Slovik was a man of dubious upbringing who was out for himself during an extremely critical time in our planet's history when freedom itself was in the balance. The people he refused to fight against, were Nazi's -- probably the most extreme evil movement that has ever reared it's head in the history of the earth. That movement was responsible for the near extinction of the Jewish race. Particularly telling to me is the fact that, as the son of Polish immigrants, Private Slovik was unwilling to fight the very movement that kept the Polish people in chains.

The men and women (and yes, there were women) who fought the Nazi's -- not the people who didn't -- are the real hero's. Private Slovik was a confused and unfortunate man who always seemed to make the wrong decisions (mostly because his decisions were centered around himself and his own happiness, rather than what was right) This movie does a poor job of portraying this certain truth.

By the way, I am not Jewish, but I am a descendant of a very brave 1st Division Private who stormed the beaches of Normandy, then fought bravely through 4 months of hell as the Army marched toward Berlin. He was finally killed in combat at the Battle of Hertgen Forrest -- but it was guy's like him -- THOUSANDS of guys like him -- that kept freedom alive for our generation. We owe them a debt of gratitude -- one that we do not owe Private Slovik.

I was there when Slovik was murdered. I heard very few GIs condemning Slovik. Eisenhower received universal criticism for his cowardly decision. Making an example of someone seldom has the desired effect. I was a M/Sgt but saw the dire consequences of Commisioned Officers' decisions costing many lives unnecessarily. None of them were ever court martialled for that.. Slovik's not fighting cost less lives than Officers' mistakes. I try to remember only the Good things of that War as few as they are. I watched the movie only a short while and it brought back so many bad memories I couldn't watch the rest. Since then, I don't watch war movies, the Real thing can never be portrayed via the Media.

It's been many years since I last saw "The Execution of Private Slovik," and I look forward to its release (someday soon, please!) on DVD. In particular, I recall a terrific performance by Ned Beatty.

Those who condemn this film as an anti-military screed should reconsider. The tenor of most war films of the early 1970s was undoubtedly influenced by a national revulsion with the war in Vietnam (which, unfortunately, was taken out far too often on the Americans who fought there). But the impetus to get beyond the "triumphalism" of most American war films of the '40s, '50s, and '60s would eventually lead to "Platoon," "Saving Private Ryan," and "Blackhawk Down," films that respected fighting men by demonstrating more effectively the hell that they endure. "The Execution of Private Slovik" was an excellent effort to get beyond the myth of "The Good War" and demonstrate that war inevitably degrades and damages all who are involved.

As to whether Eddie Slovik deserved his fate: Slovik was an emotionally troubled young man who never should have been put into combat in the first place, but as the U.S. casualties began to mount in the ETO in the fall of 1944, his requests for non-combat duty were rejected and he was sent to a rifle company as a replacement. He was a "coward" in the traditional sense of the word, but he was only one of more than 21,000 U.S. servicemen convicted of desertion during WWII. Of the 49 who were condemned to death for desertion, Slovik was the only one actually executed; all the others had their sentences commuted to prison time. (Another 141 U.S. servicemen was executed by the U.S. government during the war, all for the crimes of murder and rape.) If justice is supposed to be fair and impartial, it certainly appears that Slovik was singled out as an example to deter other would-be deserters. Why Slovik? One of the officers who sat on his court-martial would write years later that his execution was "an historic injustice."

See: http://www.americanheritage.com /articles/magazine/ah/1987/6/1987_6_97.shtml

http://www.worldwar2history.info/ Army/deserters.html

http://info.detnews.com/history/ /story/index.cfm?id=103&category=people

My father was an infantryman in the Philippines and was injured in combat a few weeks after Slovik was executed. I'm glad my father and millions of other Americans overcame their fear and did their duty, but Slovik didn't deserve death for his "cowardice." Punishment, yes; dishonor, perhaps. But not a firing squad.

Note: The execution of Slovik (though the soldier is never named) also was depicted, briefly, in an earlier antiwar film, "The Victors," directed by Carl Foreman and released in 1963. The scene is played without dialog; in a savagely ironic gesture, the execution is played out while Frank Sinatra croons "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" on the soundtrack. Even more ironically, Sinatra himself once owned the film rights to William Bradford Huie's book, "The Execution of Private Slovik," but he sold them to another person before Richard Levinson and William Link obtained the rights to make this film. "The Victors" is an excellent film in its own right -- until it comes out on DVD, catch it if you can!

In January 1945 Private Eddie D Slovik became the only man shot for desertion by the United States Army since the American Civil War. This film shows Slovik's adult life, the twists, turns and decisions that lead to the event and how it unfolded.

An incredibly powerful drama. Shows well what lead to the execution of Private Slovik - his personal life, his decisions, the court martial process - and the execution itself. Most remarkable is how balanced it is: after seeing his view you have some sympathy for Slovik but you get to see and understand the US Army's side too. You are reminded of this conflict between empathy for Slovik's situation and the fact that scores of other soldiers are in a similar position as him but are willing to do their duty.

Quite sensitively told: no big empty speeches about duty and honour, no gung ho rants and the main characters on the US Army's side have no personal agenda - they're just following the process and doing their job.

Rounding it off, the execution scene is very realistic and emotional. Even if you are firmly of the view that justice is being served you can't help but be moved by the final few scenes.

Great work by Martin Sheen in the lead role. Solid supporting cast that includes Ned Beatty and Gary Busey. 8/9-year-old Charlie Sheen also gets some uncredited screen time.