Smart vs. Lynch Nov11 '03

Sunday night I went to Shell’s house, kicked my shoes off, got comfortable on my favorite chair, grabbed some munchies, and prepared the T.V. to flip back and forth between CBS and NBC. On CBS, The Elizabeth Smart Story was to air, and on NBC, Saving Private Lynch would fill the screen.

Both stories were loud news items when they were happening, and both have since resolved themselves peacefully. As the dust settles, the truth will be told dozens of times, in a dozen different ways. As any story goes, the truth is never fully revealed, and producers, directors, and writers are left to fill in the blanks. That is why I am usually weary of films with such bold, assuming titles.

Despite that, I was still eager to see both movies. But since they were both scheduled to begin at the same time, I made my mind up that I would watch the Smart story over the Lynch story. It seemed like the Smart story would have more plot and substance.

As 8 PM approached, I waited for the Smart story to begin on CBS, but – pardon the pun – Elizabeth was no where to be found. It turns out CBS had to push the Smart story back a half hour, due to a late running football game. So I was stuck watching the first half hour of the Lynch story, which wasn’t such a bad thing.

I had a feeling the Lynch story would be overly dramatic, and would use cheap war effects and improbable time lines. I didn’t see a reason to put a movie out that involves a war that soldiers are still dying in. The war is still going on, and we already have a "prime time" movie about it. Gag me if you will. I also don’t know why we regard Jessica Lynch as such a hero when so many soldiers gave their lives for this cause. Where are the movies about them? And I can’t shake the feeling that the only reason Lynch is glorified is because she’s a SHE. If a male soldier was captured and then saved, would we put HIM in the same spot light?

The beginning of the movie immediately changed my opinion. U.S. soldiers arrived in central Iraq, and I was instantly pulled in. It was March 23, 2003, and a half dozen armored convoys were making their way across the desert and into the town of Nasiriyah, along the Euphrates River. In one of the vehicles, Lynch and many others sat quietly, awaiting orders. Eventually, they entered the town, and found fierce resistance. The were blockaded, and many of the vehicles were destroyed. The fight scenes were pretty gruesome and violent for network television. I was surprised and a little excited by it all.

Before I knew it, the minute hand on the clock hit the 6, and my attention was immediately averted to CBS, where the slow drama of Elizabeth Smart’s abduction was beginning. This is what I wanted to see.

My first impression was that some of the characters didn’t look much like their real–life counterparts, and that some of the facts were a little off. For instance, in real life, I had initially thought that Smart’s abductor had entered from the upstairs bedroom window, but the movie showed him coming in from the back door, and then walking through the entire house.

But most of the story was pretty accurate from what I remember of the news reports. I especially liked the part where rescue teams were within a MILE from where Smart was hiding with her abductors. They were that close, and Elizabeth never yelled back for help. I also liked the protrayal of Brian David Mitchell, who was Smart’s abductor.

Jessica Lynch stayed on the backburner the rest of the evening, and only got attention during commercial breaks from the Smart story.

CNN Entertainment has something to say about it too.

Categories: Television

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