MovieChat Forums > Castle Keep (1969) Discussion > Amberjack, Rossi, and Clearboy in the ro...

Amberjack, Rossi, and Clearboy in the rose garden (spoilers)

posted 19 years ago by bullit2513
4 replies | jump to latest

So I watched the widescreen dvd of Castle Keep today and noticed something different about the final battle in the rose garden. It's kind of out there so I'll apologize in advance if I start rambling.

While watching the movie, did anyone think Amberjack, Rossi, and Clearboy were killed already and their scenes in the rose garden are them after their death? I love the scene, and it has some great dialogue, but I couldn't help wonder if maybe they'd been killed while falling back and this was the way Sydney Pollack wanted to show them "meeting their demise." Another reason for this thinking is that Rossi is never shown being shot by the Germans.

The opposite point of view is that they are in fact cut off from the castle in the rose garden, Rossi gets killed trying to lower the drawbridge, and Amberjack and Clearboy are killed by the advancing Germans. The line that bothers me about all this comes after Private Benjamin reveals that they're all dead. Falconer responds, "Then we can raise the drawbridge."

Sorry if I rambled/confused anyone. Thoughts on the topic?

"Congratulations, Major. It appears that at last you have found yourself a real war." Ben Tyreen

[–] XKSS 19 years ago

It's all very confusing -- but maybe for a point. I really think there were many scenes cut from the movie.

The scene in the garden has that haze on it - maybe all four were dead and having their last conversation?

How did I die? Getting bread for the wine. They were cut off from the castle - but the bridge was down that they thought was up. Maybe the castle was a metaphor for something celestial? You could really read into it what ever you want.

And what happened to the tank that they were getting for Falconer?

[–] AirborneRanger 18 years ago

I think you hit on some of the metaphysical aspects of the movie, we dont actually see them die, although perhaps the Major and the Captain do. Instead, they essentially transition and go into the light, which as you suggest is the castle.

[–] mopar-11 18 years ago

I would recommend fans of the film read the novel by William Eastlake. The Rose garden scene is just as ambiguous. It was ment to be. In the novel, the stolen tank goes on a bit of an oddysey before it ends up in the moat of Maldorai. I don't know if the scene was cut or if it was never filmed. There is very little information about the making of this film. If you read some Burt Lancaster biographies, they don't spend much time on it. I do know that they picked a winter when there was very little snow in Yugolsovia, that's why the climactic battle scenes had no snow or fake snow and then in other scenes, lotsa snow.
It's too bad they couldn't use the mock Tiger tanks that Yugoslovia had(see Kelly's Heroes, Battle of the Neretva, and sold them for Saving Private Ryan etc) instead of T34/85's with German markings.
Still, the atmosphere, cinematography and acting all add up to a good film that you can pull out and treasure every once in a while.

"There's been alot of sentimental junk written about whores. But they're just basically defeated women."

[–] Blueghost 14 years ago

Quite possible. Perhaps a statement to the spiritual.