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One of my favorite movies. Pretty good on accuracy but a lot of literary licenses in order to compress complex issues into a movie.


But there is one scene that I just don't understand.


About 1:50 into the movie. Lt Kaminski (You wanted confirmation, Captain, there's your confirmation). He is sitting at his desk during the attack. He is rapidly looking at paper work and signing it and placing it aside.


Now, as a policy minion, I fully appreciate the importance of paperwork, but what exactly is he supposed to be signing during an attack?!?!?


(bombs bursting in air)


"hmm, next month's toilet paper requisition? Approved"
"Seaman Snuffy's leave request? Approved"


What paper work is being signed during an attack???



Now, that's a dedicated staff officer! :up:

Um, I hate paperwork, kill me now!

Orders to return fire. America is a bureaucracy.

Wasn't there a similar scenario in "The Longest Day", where a staff officer was skeptical about the reports by a coast-watcher (Hans Christian Blech) of an impending invasion? Blech was also the war-weary aide to Robert Shaw in My favourite war movie "The Battle of The Bulge" - who had a similar dim view of his seniors

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFzdleJarI0

Could have been penning a letter to his mum back home.

Not sure of the characters exact job description but it could be any number of things. Probably not orders to return fire as that would not be the purview of a low level pencil pusher like a Lt. Commander, but rather more mundane things that keep the military machine rolling like casualty reports, supply receipts from the opening of stocks and the like.

All armies (and navies) run on paperwork and 1940's US was certainly no exception to that. It just comes with having a level of organization beyond that of a pitchfork and torch armed mob and it must be done by those whose job it is even when the bullets start flying or it all grinds to a halt.

It would not be that officers job to abandon his desk for a helmet and rifle unless Japanese forces were marching up the street and even on that dire situation he'd probably be tasked with destroying paperwork (and would probably have to sign for the destruction at some point too if he manages to survive).

August has the bestest answer

Thanks! :up:


But the REAL answer is that he was just doing the acting moves that some writer or director thought that character should be doing in that particular scene. I'm thinking something like:


"Cut cut cut! He needs to be doing something when Andersen opens the door. He can't just be sitting there looking out the window. Here, sit down and act like you are signing some papers!. Take 2 action!"


:)

:sign_yeah: