For Private Witt, the idea is found in another world. For Sgt. Welsh, no idea exists -- and he tries to get Private Witt to see as much.
Yet, Malick's point is that such a world does exist. In fact, he begins the film with the prayerful chants of the islanders, and rolls credits to the same chant. At one point, one of the soldiers (Dale) sits in the pouring rain, clinging to himself before hurling his collection of Japanese molars away. Malick plays the hauntingly beautiful score by Charles Ives, "The Unanswered Question," to underscore the sense of spiritual desolation in Dale's horrific hobby.
The acting in the film is another point of interest. Malick's characters are not so much scripted as they are caught on film: each actor essentially is playing himself. Jim Caviezel is Private Witt. Sean Penn is Sgt. Welsh. What Malick undertook to do with the Thin Red Line was capture nature not a script. At one point Malick asked Caviezel what he thought of Penn. Caviezel answered, "He's like a rock." "That's good," said Malick. "Let's use that." So in the film, Private Witt walks up to Sgt. Welsh and asks him, "Why do you make yourself out like such a rock -- one minute I can come up and talk to you, and the next it's like we never even met." Yet Malick does not stereotype Penn. He points out the virtue he sees in him by having Sgt. Welsh risk his life to aid a dying troop on the battlefield. Even after Private Witt dies, Sgt. Welsh sticks to his skepticism and cynicism: "All a man can do is make an island for himself, let nothing touch him." But as the troops march to their ship to leave the island they pass a cemetery full of rows and rows of white crosses marking graves. Sgt. Welsh immediately displays his desire to be part of that greater sacrifice which drew Private Witt: Welsh...
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