I had high hopes for this movie, but was rather disappointed. It did have its moments which made it so frustrating. Unfortunately, the script didn't follow through on these high points. Case in point: the main actor in real life has a disability with his right arm. This should not be a major drawback. For instance, Gary Burghoff of M.A.S.H. also has a disability with one hand, but both the movie and the TV series covered it so well with camera angles and prosthetics that you never know it. However, no attempt was made in this film to shoot around this issue. Instead, we have scenes in which the disability is awkwardly ignored such as when he doesn't salute an officer while everyone else is and when he tosses away the rifle he's been carrying to engage in combat with an ineffectual handgun. Clearly, this man wouldn't have been accepted into military service. The disability could have been written into the storyline (albeit rather implausibly, but it would have been better than what they did). Early in the movie, the character's disability is pointed out to military authorities and he shows that he is worthy to serve by demonstrating an uncanny accuracy throwing rocks with his left hand. It would have made sense, then, to have him fight by throwing grenades, but this is never done. Instead, they give him the previously mentioned virtually useless handgun. There are more of these disappointing near misses in this film which makes one frustrated with how good of a movie this could have been.
Review of Days of Glory
