Quotes Updated

Original Quote:

We embraced at face value the messages of these stories and most of us, especially those of us who have never been in combat, never doubted what we saw. And why would we, these stories reinforced “our cultural ideals or gave expression to deep commonly felt emotions” (Were Trouble Comes 406).

I believe Davidson and Lytle would find that “We Were Soldiers” is the more authentic of the two movies not because it accurately portrays historical events in their entirety, after all, this is a Hollywood feature film and “dramatic films about history do not portray what actually happened in the past so much as what ought to have happened” (Were Trouble Comes 405).

As he quickly exits the compartment where a soldier is smoking a cigar, another soldier says” they sure picked a beaut’ for acting platoon sergeant” (To Hell and Back)

New Quote:

We embraced at face value the messages of these stories because they reinforced “our cultural ideals or gave expression to deep commonly felt emotions” especially those of us who have never been in combat (Were Trouble Comes 406).


A soldier who witness Murphy’s exit from the compartment where a soldier is smoking a cigar comments: ”they sure picked a beaut’ for acting platoon sergeant” (To Hell and Back).

According to Davidson and Lytle, “dramatic films about history do not portray what actually happened in the past so much as what ought to have happened” therefore I believe they would find “We Were Soldiers” the more authentic of the two movies.(405).