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| Tank
Year: 1984
Classification: Action
Directed:
- Marvin J.Chomsky
Action
1984
James Garner
Shirley Jones
C.Thomas Howell
Actors/Actresses:
- James Garner
- Shirley Jones
- C.Thomas Howell
- G.D.Spradlin
A Slight Exaggeration of a Situation That Could Be Realistic
I was raised in an Air Force family and I find that there is a certain realism to this movie and the way people in military families are often treated by the people of the country they represent. James Garner, Shirley Jones, and C.Thomas Howell portray an Army family whose older son and brother has already given his life in the service of his country. After a minor incident in a local bar, the Sherriff of a corrupt town frames Garner's son for possession of marijuana and has him incarcerated on a work farm in which many of the boys who are held mysteriously disappear. Garner combats the situation using the Sherman tank that he owns, taking Jenilee Harrison,whom the Sherriff had forced into prostitution, along for the ride. In the adventure that ensues, a viewer should receive two major lessons: Never get a military father upset, and never mess with a kid who cut his or her teeth on combat boots.
Shades of "The Great Santini"
Although they are two very different films, "Tank" and "The Great Santini" share the common theme of a career military man and the relationship that he has with his family. While "Tank" is not in the same league as "The Great Santini," it does benefit from effective performances by James Garner as the Army career man and a very young looking C. Thomas Howell as his son. Shirley Jones plays Garner's wife. The first half of the film shows Garner and his family adjusting to yet another move to a new Army Base. Things start to go wrong when Garner has a run-in with one of the town's deputy sheriffs (James Cromwell) and his son is later jailed on trumped up narcotics possession charges brought by the town's corrupt sheriff (G.D. Spradlin).
During the second half of the film, Garner uses his vintage Sherman Tank to rescue his son. The film starts to fall apart at this point and is not much more than an excuse to see the tank demolish buildings and cars. Save for a few curse words here and there and James Cromwell's bare [self] in one brief scene, "Tank" plays like a TV "Movie of the Week." It's not a bad film, it just could have been a lot better.
If you don't remember it, you won't want to see it.
I remember watching this film on HBO when HBO had just come out (Remember when Fraggle Rock was on HBO, and it was a family channel during the day?). I just bought it and watched it for the first time since then. It's a typical 80s movie with cheesy lines and some very unrealistic scenes. I'd have to call it a cross between Red Dawn and Over The Top. Some funny parts, stuff gets blown up, run over, and a family grows closer together. The language isn't appropriate for young kids. (This was before PG-13 was introduced)
Buy Tank at Amazon.com
Buy posters at Allposters.com
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