Part Four came off as a shock to me. In due course, the distressing state of these Marines has taken toll on my susceptibility. Concisely, it's my favorite episode so far. I think if James Badge Dale weren't playing the role of Robert Leckie, I would have been uninterested. But he’s so admirable; I was captivated to my very core.
In this episode, the Marines are initially taken to Cape Gloucester wherein their true mental and physical strengths were defied by the constant rain. The downpour has literally broken down every Marine in all aspects. The place was a mess: it was packed with hundreds of Japs; numerous cases of infirmities wandered about camp; Marines were strained to smoke “underwater”; the jungle ravenously closed in; rain fell hard and heavy; and everyone shared a limited supply of canned-food, all of which are just “basically soup”. It was quite a sight seeing Leckie sink into muck and rolling down a mud-spattered slope afterwards! Another dismal part in Gloucester was Lieutenant Lebec's felo-de-se. Before he blew his brains out, there was a momentary scene in where Lebec had hung his trousers before smelling his fingers. It somehow made me wonder if he was having the same urinary problem as Leckie. Ironically, Leckie was the only spectator upon the said lieutenant's suicide. Also, the war was more than chaotic! I have seen so many Japs with their intestines literally blown out from their body and their faces shot off, I can’t help turning away from the TV screen. It was real sick.
The most confusing occurrence throughout this episode is hands-down, Gibson’s appearance. I honesty had never seen the guy prior this affair, and I actually thought he was inaptly inserted in this episode alone. I had to watch it twice to clearly understand who he was and whatever it was he talked to Leckie about. Sure enough, I also had him located in Part Three as I was skimming through the past three installments. I explicitly recognize him as the “idiot” (Leckie’s word) who was shooting off a “poor farmer’s dairy cow”. If I had known him then, I never would have thought that Gibson could turn into someone so sinister as to even strangle a dying Japanese soldier with his bare hands – which he actually, knowingly did as Leckie and Phillips fixatedly looked on. In fact, the Gibson at Melbourne seemed to be in a rather satisfied disposition (and would even be seen gaily hollering goodbye beside Leckie, just before their ship parted from Australia) whereas the Gibson of Gloucester, Pavuvu and even Banika is almost unfathomable, finally broken with languor; an ultimate paradigm of a worn-out Marine. I seldom mistake him for Hoosier now. It still is eerie seeing them sit next to each other though.
We may also find Leckie training in Battalion Intelligence. I felt sort of susceptible when it comes to Robert Leckie. He had sundry temperaments as he was often undervalued and bigoted by the officers in higher authority. Lieutenant Larkin is the cockiest and most supercilious character I’ve encountered throughout the whole setting. Although Leckie himself embezzled it from a dead Jap in the first place, it still was unfair of Larkin to hide the gun without warning, whatsoever. Never bearing in mind the fact that Leckie killed at least four Japs in Battalion training, Larkin even had the guts of inequitably shifting Leckie to a lower position before humiliating him of his wetting crisis. Leckie’s pilfered gun also seemed to be quite an element in the episode. Not only did I notice that he valued it deeply, but everyone wanted to have it as well. Hoosier wasn’t as half entertained anymore with Leckie’s wisecracks, but I found it funny how Robert actually thought of numerous ways to kill Larkin.
Pavuvu certainly didn’t make things any better. Leckie was made to deal with the most abject points of his life and the awkward effects of enuresis. Soon enough, he falls seriously ill himself and “The Death of Hope” abruptly leads him to Banika - right into the disbelieving arms of one Dr Grant. The scenes hereafter actually marked my amusement and appreciation of Leckie even more. Even inside a “loony bin”, he remains mordant. There were a lot of "holy moly!"-worthy moments and riveting conversations that made me think a lot. Another part I liked was the guys spending Christmas as war ensued. It must have been a sad thing, of course - and I'd rather have them enjoying the holidays with their families. But I found a pleasant feeling towards the Marines as they sang themselves Christmas carols. It has got to be the best part. Along with Grant Cartwright playing the role of the schizophrenic Captain Midnight, Leckie’s conversation with Gibson also stood out. Banika's a frightening place to be in, and Leckie, realizing this, just wasn't about to pass up a "crazy thought". Finally surrendering his Jap gun, he unduly leaves the infirmary.
At length, Sledge got himself enlisted to camp. He opened the episode in training, "shooting" two of his cardboard "friends". I didn’t see much of him in the episode though. I predict the next one to do right by him. Also, I thought it unjust to conclude that Basilone was the true hero of the 1st Marine Division. Some of the guys were getting sick of him, by the by. Furthermore, "Manila" John Basilone was perfectly absent throughout the whole episode. Not much character was used in this installment, and it mainly focused on Leckie. Notwithstanding that, it still gives me those spasmodic sets of goose bumps watching this episode. The last parts were stirring: Leckie looks around him, tries to make out different views of Banika for the last time, and baffled, heads on to his friends before they set out without him.
It felt quickly cut. I was surprised when it suddenly ended. I wasn’t clock-watching, and I thought there would be at least fifteen more minutes left. It was depressing and heartfelt all at the same time; I enjoyed watching it and was silenced when the credits rolled. It really was a great episode. Can’t wait for Part Five!
Runner, shivering, sick in bed, throws something at Leckie's head.
Leckie (annoyed): What?
Runner: Read to me, Daddy.
Leckie: Dear Vera, it finally stopped raining. Only making the smell of rotting coconuts worse. Rats and crabs have come out of hiding. I killed more of them in the past week than I will ever kill Japs. Everyone's sores have gotten worse, along with their dysentery. My buddy, Runner has a bone-crashing bout of malaria. This island has an exotic name that translated means 'The Death of Hope'. Thinking of you always, Robert.
Phillips: Pavuvu means 'Death of Hope'?
Leckie: I don't know what it means. And I don't care.
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