Samizdata has in the past said some uncomplimentary things here and here about Hollywood actor and Republican Party supporter Bruce Willis, so maybe he is trying to redeem himself by laying into the various celebrities who have been opposing the case for war these last few weeks. It turns out that Willis volunteered to serve in the military, but was turned down due to his age.
There is a particularly good, but rude quote from his first Die Hard movie that springs to mind when I imagine what the white-vested Willis would say if he ever met the moustached villain of Iraq. Movie-goers will know the expression I mean. (Heh-heh).
On a totally different note about movies, I wonder how many readers have seen the Roman Polanski film, The Pianist? I saw it the other evening and although a harrowing film, contained some beautifully poignant moments as well. The terrible plight of Poland’s Jews is all too stark a reminder of the cost of appeasing evil. And the lessons of that time for our own are equally only too apparent. I urge those who haven’t to see this film.
The correspondent for the Evening Standard must be trying to live up to those US stereotypes about “British reserve”.
I quote:
“….The Die Hard star believes A-list stars such as Sean Penn, George Clooney and Martin Sheen, who plays a US president in political drama The West Wing, are reluctant to speak out in favour of military action. ”
Reluctant to speak out? That’s rather like saying typhus is better than polio; true enough as it goes, but it leaves a few important things out.
You might have been a little hard on Willis in those earlier articles. Refusing to fly b/c you’re scared is one thing, refusing to fly b/c it terrifies your children is another. You could argue that he should have set an example of bravery for his children, but you could equally argue that he didn’t want his young children to have to deal with such worldly issues any more than necessary.
Anyway, there is a nice interview of Willis in one of the latest GQ (US) as well, in which he castigates his fellow actors for believing their opinion is any more valid or informed than that of the average Joe.
Wasnt he one of those hollywood types who wouldnt fly across across the atlantic in the weeks after september the 11th because they were pussies? Willis is hardly a poster boy for a conservative hero here.