A Midnight Clear **** (1992, Peter Berg, Kevin Dillon, Arye Gross, Ethan Hawke, Gary Sinise, Frank Whaley, John C McGinley) – Classic Movie Review 9611

Writer-director Keith Gordon’s 1992 war drama A Midnight Clear is a moving anti-war tale adapted from William (Birdy) Wharton’s novel by director Gordon, filming in City Park, Utah, ironically during the Gulf War.

It tells of the traumatic experience of a young American Intelligence Squad platoon sergeant Will Wont Knot (Ethan Hawke) and his squad of six American GIs in the Ardennes forest region of France, Christmas 1944. They are sent to a deserted chateau in the snow-capped mountain landscape, where they meet a German squad with the same dilemma – they are isolated from their army and without direction. The Germans suggest a fake ambush so that the Americans can take them prisoner so they can survive the war.

A Midnight Clear is a small scale ensemble piece, with the smell of the real thing. This commendable and honourable film offers no heroics or battle action for the box-office, just heart-strong emotion, in a direct and unpretentious anti-war statement.

It stars Peter Berg, Kevin Dillon, Arye Gross, Ethan Hawke, Gary Sinise, Frank Whaley, John C McGinley, Larry Joshua, David Jensen, Curt Lowens and Andre Lamal.

A Midnight Clear is directed by Keith Gordon, runs 108 minutes, is made by Beacon Pictures and A & M Films, released by InterStar Releasing (1992) (US), is written by Keith Gordon, is shot by Tom Richmond, is produced by Armyan Bernstein, Tom Rosenberg and Marc Abraham, is scored by Mark Isham and is designed by David Nichols.

It is the film debut of Gary Sinise, as Vance ‘Mother’ Wilkins.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9611

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