The Last Castle
By Danny Sarnowski

When was the last time you watched a great prison movie that wasn’t directed by Frank Darabont? Was the last really good military drama you’ve seen A Few Good Men or Saving Private Ryan? Have you ever even seen The Sopranos? Well, Bub, it is finally time to haul your kiester out to the theater and see a movie. And that movie should be The Last Castle.

The Last Castle is a new drama starring Robert Redford (The Natural, Indecent Proposal, and the upcoming Spy Game) as General Irwin, a three-star Army general who winds up staring down the barrel of a ten year prison spin. His jailer, the malicious and pathetic warden of the military prison where he is to serve his sentence, Colonel Winter, is played by James Gandolfini (Crimson Tide, The Mexican, and, oh yeah, he’s also in some TV show). The film, while ostensibly a prison movie crossed with a military drama, is really a show down between these two men.

Redford’s Irwin is a battle-hardened warrior. He’s been fighting for his country his whole life. He has truly given his life to his country and now, due to a terrible mistake, is disgraced, stripped of rank, and thrown in prison. He enters prison wanting nothing more than to do his time and leave. Gandolfini plays Winter as an egomaniacal geek. He’s the commander of all that he sees and he works hard to keep it that way. He’s cruel and ruthless and at the same time he’s a bit of a military super fan. He has a collection of military memorabilia that he polishes and organizes fanatically. The conflict between the men begins the first night that Irwin is at the prison, or the Castle, as the characters call it. Irwin is in Winter’s office and tells an officer that a “man with a collection like this has never stepped foot on a battleground.” Winter overhears the insult and goes from hero worship to cruelty in the blink of an eye.

The film, from there, settles into the two of them working against one another. Irwin gives the men something to believe in and work for, Winter increases his cruel treatment with the prisoners. Both of the men, Irwin and Winter, are actually quite alike. They both manipulate men into doing what they want and they both will accept risks and losses to attain their ultimate goal. If it weren’t for that one off the cuff remark by Irwin, perhaps these two would have lived out their stay together comfortably and quietly. Well, they don’t. Irwin leads the men in an all out war against their captures in an attempt to get Winter to resign. These battle scenes are exhilarating, if implausible (the inmates build machinery out of simple materials in about five minutes after having planned for about a day or so), and they lead to a great pay off. I left the movie not only ready to see it again right away, but with the desire to go home, get out a flag, and shove it in the face of everyone around me shouting “You’re not patriotic enough!”

The film was directed by Rod Lurie (Deterrence, The Contender) who himself attended West Point Academy, and was written by Graham Yost (one of the brains behind the wonderful From The Earth To The Moon, and one of those responsible for the awful Mission To Mars) and newcomer David Scarpa. Redford and Gandolfini turn in impressive performances, as one would expect. All in all, the movie is great. It’s a great military movie, delivering speeches about honor, freedom, and loyalty (and even teaching us the history of saluting!). It’s a great prison movie, complete with snitches and trips to the hole. Ultimately, it’s a wonderful character study between two strong-willed men and their ability to lead other men.

7 February 2002