Starring: John Travolta

  Genre: Mystery/Thriller

  Running Time: 116 Minutes

  Rating: Rated R for sexual violence, rape,
    perverse sexuality, nudity and language.

  Video Release: 14 December 1999

  Tagline: "Go behind the lies."

The General’s Daughter aspires to be a "film with a message" that will entertain yet enlighten. Unfortunately, in an attempt to blend "story" and "morals," the filmmakers have produced a jumble of stilted unevenness forcing this message to be lost in the creative shuffle.

On the one hand it's an action thriller. Plenty of graphic violence, stylized photography, and a good ol’ murder mystery to entertain the masses. But, on the other hand, it attempts to raise consciousness with psychological games involving sexism, betrayal, corruption, ethics, and honor. Like one of the characters stated: "There are infinite shades of moral grayness in human behavior." Indeed, The General’s Daughter is filled with areas of gray.

Set in the humid swamp base of Fort MacCallum GA, John Travolta plays Paul Brenner, a Criminal Investigation Division officer who teams up with rape investigator, Sara Sunhill (Madeleine Stowe) to investigate the bizarre death of Captain Elisabeth Campbell (Leslie Stefanson). There's an abundance of suspects including the victim’s father, Gen. Campbell (James Cromwell), his watchdog, Col. Fowler (Clarence Williams III), the provost marshal, Col. Kent (Timothy Hutton) and the officer in charge of psychological operations, Col. Moore (James Woods).

The biggest problem with The General’s Daughter is its inconsistency. Inconsistency in plot...editing...characterization.... Take for example, the first thirty minutes. Intriguing sequence of events where Brenner sports a bogus country-fried Southern accent while investing an illegal arms sale. Visually, it is moody and stylish but if I had written this act, the response from a hundred critics would be: "Enjoyed Act I -- but what does it have to do with rest of the script?" It appears when your name is William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) who co-wrote this movie, you don’t deal with such questions. Not to take anything away from Goldman (author of many fine scripts), but the first half hour was like watching a different movie all together.

Inconsistency in editing? Not always. There's a wonderfully edited scene in which the two CID officers and Col. Kent come to the home of Col. Moore. The bloody cat paw prints on the window to the dramatic score, as they race through the house, intercut with images of the other "suspects." Loved it. But unfortunately, this is the exception and not the rule. There are many abrupt narrative and visual transitions which stagger the pacing and flow of the overall film; including poor continuity errors (soldiers who move from a car’s path not once, but twice). A trivial point but its such inconsistencies which any student in Editing 101 would get a demerit for.

Inconsistency in characterization? Perhaps I should have stated "lack of characterization." Travolta plays to the camera in this film. He’s the flavor of the month and he’s enjoying it. Nothing wrong with that. But his character of Warrant Officer Brenner leads to many unanswered questions: What is that big chip on his shoulder? What was his relationship with Sara and why isn’t it developed further? Why is he considered to be "very clever" when most of his investigation work consists of beating up suspects and coming off very arrogant to his alleged superiors?

The character of Sara Sunhill? She’s the typical sidekick, filling the passenger seat of Brenner’s car; not a whole lot more. She has one saving grace scene where she questions an Army captain in a locker room and gets the answers she needs, with a little deception, thanks to a new pair of panties and recent DNA breakthroughs.

The others? Cookie cutout stereotypes. James Cromwell never breaks from his detached quintessential military man demeanor, his aide appears like he has a serious case of hemorrhoids, and Hutton’s motives are never fully understood. Possibly the only well conceived character was portrayed by James Woods who plays little games of psychological warfare with Brenner (ala Clarice and Hannibal Lecter).

I sum up The General’s Daughter this way. It’s A Few Good Men -- without the star power and crisp dialogue. It’s Courage Under Fire -- without the superb shifting of POV’s told via flashback. It’s Casualties of War -- without the distress of betrayal and the horrors of rape.

It’s a coin toss. Give it a 3.

© Terrence J. Brady