A Soldier's Sweetheart Film Analysis

The outbreak of war often changes the mindset of individuals, generally affecting their lives negatively. During the Vietnam War, families both in the United States and in Vietnam were influenced by the conflict that was brought about during the war. Donnelly’s use of verisimilitude in the fictional film, A Soldier's Sweetheart, illustrates the transformation of Mary Anne Bell from a naive woman to an experienced barbaric soldier. When Mark Fossie was drafted as a medic to Vietnam, he was forced to leave his family and girlfriend back home in Ohio. After many heartbreaking months without his Mary Anne, Fossie was able to convince his highschool sweetheart to travel across seas and stay at the compound. The young girl, fresh out of highschool …show more content…
One of the medics, Eddie, sat with Mary Anne on the hill outside of their compound and taught her how to shoot. Struggling at first, Mary Anne eventually caught on and was fond of her newly established power. Once the other medics saw her practicing on the targets, they became frightened and worried about that power that she was capable of producing. After Mary Anne visited the Greenies on her own, she became interested in visiting families in Vietnamese towns, and learning more about their lifestyles. Each time Mary Anne was pictured in the water, it showed her slowly developing from the innocent schoolgirl, to a product of war. Donnelly’s use of sight imagery and symbolism of the water allow for a change of her character to be expressed when water is seen throughout the film. Although Mary Anne’s change was first sparked by Eddie teaching her to shoot, she later was introduced to the medic lifestyle, which deeply affected her character for the rest of the film. When the helicopter brought injured soldiers to the compound, Mary Anne couldn't help but watch in awe of how the men, who were arguing over a song playing on Rat’s radio one second, all got along to help the dying patients. The medics were in need of assistance. Mary Anne’s name could be heard for miles. Many patients were brought in all at once and the medics needed her help. Extremely nervous at first, Mary …show more content…
Vietnam transformed the thousands who were involved back home and those who were at the war, and made a lasting impression on Fossies innocent girlfriend, Mary Anne. After she spent time bonding with and learning the Greenies customs, Mary Anne began to isolate herself from the American troop. Whether in the woods, river, hiking around, or even at the medic compound, Mary Anne was pictured alone. It can be inferred that Mary Anne had changed from the once naive girl to an isolated soldier. Isolating herself from Fossies troop showed how little she cared for them anymore, and was the first step in her major change. When Rat, Eddie and Fossie frantically go searching for lost Mary Anne, they find her in the Greenies fort, surrounded by candles. After speaking with her, the men learned that she was marching with the Greenies and were furious with her transition. “I know who I am here” Mary Anne expressed to Fossie (Donnelly). Mary Anne was seen several times marching with the Greenies around the American medical unit, thus showing her change, both as a person and in the point of the war. The loss of her makeup, the loss of her compassion; the loss of her cleanliness. Mary Anne had changed. Presented in a dark corner in dirty, defiled clothing, Mary Anne revealed her true feelings toward the war when she exclaimed to the medics, “I can feel my blood moving, my skin and my fingernails, everything, it’s like I’m on fire almost-I’m burning away into