NekoHomey Purely Joyful Movie!

Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Hayden Kane There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

chuck-reilly Since only one US serviceman has been executed for desertion since the Civil War, "The Execution of Private Slovik" stands out as a unique piece of history. But Private Slovik wasn't the only US Serviceman executed during World War II, just the only one executed for "desertion." Over a hundred GIs were executed after D-Day for a variety of offenses during the final year of the war, and many of them were Black soldiers. Their story has yet to be told. This movie concentrates on Eddie Slovik, a manipulative and somewhat dim-witted private who believes that the worst thing that can happen to him is a short prison sentence at Fort Leavenworth. Unfortunately for him, desertion during the brutal Battle of the Bulge was becoming a big problem for the US Army command, and Slovik's "open and shut" case gave the brass just the "example" they were looking for. Martin Sheen does fine work here in one of his more memorable roles. He portrays the nervous and misguided Slovik as someone who has convinced himself that his earlier career in petty crime is the basis for all his troubles. Ned Beatty matches him with a sterling performance as the chaplain assigned to remain with Slovik during his ordeal. The movie stays close to the facts and tries its best to steer clear of any easy judgments. It's obvious that Slovik would've received a lighter sentence in a civilian court, but Army justice in 1945 was harsh, swift and unforgiving. In reality, Slovik had few friends and the firing squad, made up of his former comrades-in-arms, didn't flinch when the order to "FIRE!" rang out. They firmly believed that Slovik got what he deserved. Viewers may be split on that verdict. Significantly, it was future US president General Dwight D. Eisenhower who gave the final approval for Slovik's execution. According to all reliable historians, Ike didn't lose any sleep over the decision.

dani2472004 I've never seen the movie, but have such a strong desire to. I'm hoping it'll come out on DVD soon, or that I'll find it on VHS in some consignment shop if I'm lucky. But here's my opinion on his story (not regarding the movie in particular) -- IF it's true that the only way he got to the front lines in the first place was that he cheated, then really, this all falls back on his master chief/commanding officers. THEY were the ones who put him in the awkward position. Granted, he did ask to be placed elsewhere and was denied. But how many people do you think are "emotionally prepared" for war? How many can honestly say they will not be horrified by the things they see? No one can. Eddie Slovik was no different. The only difference between him and the 300,000 American men that died in World War II is that he ran away, and they stood. And fought. And died. Died for freedom, died for the destruction of the Nazi party, died for the eroding of the heartless genocide and for the protection of the United States from those who tried to harm us. Yes, it was wrong for them to make a spectacle out of him. They could have chosen someone who had deserted in more dire circumstances. But, by law, execution IS called for when desertion is committed. George Washington executed many deserters in his own army. Eisenhower was not the first president to oversee an execution, so he should not take the fall for this either. The blame, whether you like it or not, falls on Eddie Slovik and his commanding officers.

donjasper Well acted, emotional movie As informative as anyone could expect from an historical/documentary movie. I didn't spot "filming location(s)unfortunately.

gfe22 This is a film that will leave you crying, angry and filled with righteous indignation, as it should.Of the thousands of GI's who deserted during WW2, only one, Eddie Slovik, paid the ultimate price. His story is one of sheer bad luck on an appalling scale. Having done time for a minor offence (it was Grand Theft Auto), Slovik is determined to put the past behind him and start afresh. He gets a job, finds a wife and settles down, happy in the knowledge that his prison record means he's a 4F when it comes to military service. But when the army changes the rules and he registers as 1A, he finds himself in a situation he's emotionally unable to cope with.Eddie Slovik should never have been on the front line. He was terrified of guns and at boot camp they had to cheat to get him through the rifle range. Right from the start it was clear this was not the sort of man any soldier would want defending his rear, since he was incapable of doing it. Despite this, he was sent into Europe after the D-Day landings. Separated from his platoon he found a niche for himself as a forager for a Canadian unit and there, frankly, he should have stayed. When ordered back to his own unit, which was on the front line, he deserted, having made his situation plain. It's a downhill run from there.The film uses actual letters written by Slovik and comments from people who knew him to fill out the background of this tragic story. Sheer bad timing, combined with a belief that no one would see the sentence through (since it had never been down before) contributes to the film's heartbreaking conclusion.Martin Sheen's performance is stunning. He manages to capture the pathos, fear, confusion and final terrified resignation of the man in the face of the inevitable. Slovik is the victim of fate and circumstance; the little guy, totally unprepared for the world in which he finds himself, more than willing to apply those skills he does possess to the war effort, but incapable of fulfilling what the army demands of him. While you can appreciate the army's need to make a point, you are left with the unalterable conclusion that here they picked the wrong man.This film left me feeling extremely angry, and it's a rare one that does that. It also made me want to find out more about the circumstances surrounding the events and I was pleasantly surprised to find the film, by and large, stuck to historical fact.Highly recommended.