Clint Eastwoodis more versatile as an actor and director than he’s given credit for. Because his portrayal as a vigilante police officer inDirty Harryand a steely gunfighting bounty hunter inThe Good, The Bad, and The Uglyare so iconic, it’s easy to equate him as a cop or cowboy solely. Between romantic dramas, musical comedies, space adventures, neo-noirs, and biopics,there are only a few subjects and genres that Eastwood hasn’t touched. As a seminal figure in action movies and Westerns,the combat field was a suitable backdrop for Eastwood,who gave one of his most charismatic performances ever in the boot camp-set war drama with a sharp comedic edge,Heartbreak Ridge. While the film, compared to most of his other work, never touches greatness,Heartbreak Ridgeis endearing due to Eastwood’s innate movie star charm that radiates off the screen.
Heartbreak Ridge
A tough Marine Corps sergeant, Tom Highway, faces a changing military world as he trains a platoon of misfits and prepares them for the invasion of Grenada. His unorthodox methods clash with modern military standards, but his dedication to his men remains unwavering.
Clint Eastwood Tackles a Real Military Operation in ‘Heartbreak Ridge’
UnderRonald Reagan’spresidency, American culture hearkened to a time of national exceptionalism and pride on all fronts: economics, foreign affairs, and culture. Gone was the prevalence of downbeat character dramas in New Hollywood. In the ’80s, movie theaters were dominated by sequels and bloated, glossy action spectacles with muscle-bound Herculean stars.Throughout the turnover of the film landscape, Eastwood remained steady, working consistently as an actor and director,even making a Western,Pale Rider, when the genre was as dead as an outlaw with a bounty on his head. When he felt inclined to do so,Eastwood would tap into current events,as he did withHeartbreak Ridge, which is set during the impending days before the Americaninvasion of Grenada in 1983.Codenamed Operation Urgent Fury, the invasion of the island nation of Grenada was a U.S-led intervention to overthrow a military government that had taken power in a bloody coup days earlier. At the time, it was the largest military action by the U.S. since the end of the Vietnam War.
Heartbreak Ridgefollows a well-decorated combat veteran, Thomas Highway (Eastwood), close to retirement. Now at the current rank of Gunnery Sergeant,he is assigned to serve as drill instructor to a brash and young platoon in Cherry Point, North Carolina.He clashes with his squad, which he believes is filled with lazy malcontents. They despise him for his harsh training regimen and hard-nosed attitude, which is exacerbated after he’s had a few drinks. Highway also has a case of insubordination with his superior officers. To no one’s surprise, Eastwood wasperfectly suited to play a grizzled, lone ranger figurewho punches down at the younger generation. As a director, Eastwood knew how to serve his screen persona. By focusing on his appeal as a movie star, the film, for better or worse, takes anambivalent approach to grappling with its political backdrop. Eastwood, who later crafted an insightfulanti-war text inLetters From Iwo Jima, more or less pretends American imperialism is a fabricated concept to serve the script. For viewers who laud Eastwood as an artist who deconstructs genres, watching this film casually interpret the American invasion as another ho-hum military triumph is disarming.
Clint Eastwood Clashes With a Young Platoon as a Drill Instructor in ‘Heartbreak Ridge’
As a military-based comedy with a noisy, climactic combat sequence to telegraph the stakes of the film,Heartbreak Ridgehas way more in common withStripesthan anyone would imagine. It’s a shame thatEastwood rarely made traditional studio comedies, asHeartbreak Ridgeproved that he carries the perfect blend of gravitas and wisecracks to lead aBill Murray-style comedy about a misanthrope forced to become heroic. Once the movie settles in and places Highway with the rag-tag group of soldiers,it becomes a delightful blend of black humor and gritty combat training. Amazingly, it took this long for Eastwood to play a drill instructor barking at listless soldiers. The stand-out member of the platoon is “Stitch” Jones (Mario Van Peebles), who is constantly butting heads with the unflinching Sergeant. Despite not being renowned for his yelling,Eastwood’s soft-spoken sneeringis a worthy counter to the fervor ofLouis Gossett Jr.inAn Officer and a GentlemanandR. Lee ErmeyinFull Metal Jacket. Eastwood’s unassuming prowess as a hardened veteran is exemplified when the soldiers commission a resident bodybuilder, Swede Johanson (Peter Koch), to intimidate Highway for his rigorous training. Without breaking a sweat, Highway locks him in submission and snaps his arm, causing the platoon to run away in fear.
Is Clint Eastwood’s Character a Ghost in ‘High Plains Drifter’?
Eastwood is a brutal agent of retribution in this Western classic.
If Clint Eastwood has demonstrated anything over his legendary seven-decade career, it’s that he isn’t proud of stereotypical masculine urges and penchant for violence. Across various Westerns and action-thrillers,he has deconstructed the archetypal noble cowboy or police officer asmorally compromised anti-heroes.Their violent streak is not a ploy for justice, it is an innate way of life. This is blisteringly characterized in Eastwood’s revisionist masterpiece,Unforgiven, which shows a retired outlaw insisting that he is reformed, only to revert to his old ways upon being offered a chance at vengeance. Other Western protagonists, seen inHigh Plains DrifterandThe Outlaw Josey Wales, feature characterswho are vessels for warfareordevilish figures who destroy a local townto fulfill vengeful desires.
‘Heartbreak Ridge’ Relies on Clint Eastwood’s Infectious Movie Star Charm
Heartbreak Ridgeis the rare instance of Eastwoodrelishing his innate tough-guy bonafide. His belligerence and drunken nature, while providing laughs for the audience, is never a detriment to his morality. Throughout the film, Highway is on the righteous path, and everyone around him is wrong. As the platoon perseveres through the Sergeant’s grueling training, which includes firing an AK-47 within inches of his men’s heads to familiarize them with combat, they gradually garner respect for Highway.The group strengthens their unityupon learning that Highway earned a Medal of Honor for his service in the Korean War. Highway’s commanding officer, Major Powers (Everett McGill), threatens to have him court-martialed for his disobedience on the battlefield in Grenada. In the nick of time, Powers' superior officer reprimands the major for dishonoring Highway’s leadership. The moment whenHeartbreak Ridgelands in Grenada to fight the Cuban army, its energy and charm deflate, similar to the narrative trajectory ofStripes. At this point,everything that Highway does is immaculate: his platoon loves him and there’s no danger of him facing repercussions.
First and foremost,Heartbreak Ridgeis a movie star showcase for Clint Eastwood, and by every definition of the term, Eastwood inhabits the role of a movie star. He has never been anything but effortlessly charming throughout his filmography, but the role of Tom Highway allows him to let loose and be captivating without managing the complexities of subversive storytelling. As a director, Eastwood gets plenty of mileage out ofwitty banter and intense stand-offsbetween Highway and his unruly soldiers. This section of the film is an effective blend of wartime comedy and a drama about an aging rebel trying to impose his worldview on his surroundings that have evolved past his old-school ways. Even before he turned 60, Clint Eastwood’s characters, bewildered by the changing times, have always felt over-the-hill. The stalwart nature of his charactersmirrors Eastwood’s real-life prolific career. He’s simply never going to back down.
Heartbreak Ridgeis available to rent or buy on Prime Video in the U.S.
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