The Last Castle

Infobox_Film
name = The Last Castle

---

caption = Original Theatrical Poster
director = Rod Lurie
producer = Robert Lawrence
Don Zepfel
writer = David Scarpa
Graham Yost
narrator =
starring = Robert Redford
James Gandolfini
Mark Ruffalo
Steve Burton
Delroy Lindo
music = Jerry Goldsmith
Tom Waits
cinematography = Shelly Johnson
editing = Michael Jablow
Kevin Stitt
distributor = DreamWorks SKG
United International Pictures
Universal Pictures
released = 8 February2002
runtime = 132 mins
country = United States of America
language = English
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0272020

"The Last Castle" is a 2001 movie starring Robert Redford and James Gandolfini. Domestically the film grossed $18 million against its budget of $72 million. The film has scored a 54% rating at Rotten Tomatoes. [ [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/last_castle/ The Last Castle] on Rotten Tomatoes, accessed October 10 2007] The original movie poster, which depicted an American flag flying upside down, was cancelled due to the public sensitivity following September 11, 2001, which preceded the movie's release by only a few weeks.

Plot

Eugene Irwin, a highly decorated Lieutenant General of the U.S. Army, is court-martialed, stripped of his rank, and sentenced to imprisonment in a maximum security military prison. The warden, Colonel Winter, who had greatly admired Irwin before his conviction, runs the prison with an iron fist, questionable tactics and implied cruelty.

The inmates were sent to the prison for crimes they had committed while wearing the uniform of the United States military. Irwin has been sent to the prison because he ignored a presidential order and sent troops on a mission that ended in many deaths. At one point Winter rationalizes his abuse of the prisoners to Irwin, by saying that he need only look at the inmates' records, should he wish to reassure himself that they are no longer soldiers but criminals.

Though at first apathetic to the general plight of his fellow inmates when they try to enlist his help in getting conditions improved at the prison, Irwin begins to realize that his hopes for a quiet stay in prison and a dignified life beyond confinement are unrealistic. (He is estranged from his family resulting from long absences while on tour.) Irwin is punished harshly after being spotted trying to teach a correct salute to a prisoner. After that, Irwin attempts to unify the prisoners with the building of a "castle wall" of stone and mortar -- a project they had already been assigned to work on by Winter -- comparing the prison's design to that of a medieval castle.

When he succeeds in earning the respect and camaraderie of his fellow inmates and restores a sense of honor to the men, a displeased Winter orders his guards to destroy the wall with a bulldozer. Former Marine Corporal Ramon Aguilar takes a stand between the bulldozer and the wall, in an act of defiance similar to that of the anonymous protester of Tiananmen Square (who famously faced down a tank). Aguilar's bravery is punished by Winter, who orders a sharpshooter to fire a normally non-lethal rubber bullet directly into Aguilar's temple, killing him. The wall is destroyed and left in ruin. Irwin and his prisoners pay final respects to Aguilar in formation, singing what they can remember of the Marines' hymn.

Rallying the men, Irwin organizes a plot to throw the prison into utter chaos. His intent is to show Brigadier General Wheeler (the warden's superior officer, who is arriving to carry out an inspection) that the warden is unfit and to have him removed. Using various improvised weapons and tactics similar to that of a military unit, they manage to capture an armored vehicle with a water cannon and a Bell UH-1 helicopter, which they use to cause destruction and riot.

Winter regains control by threatening to use live ammunition against the prisoners. He knows that Irwin is planning to raise the American flag upside down--his American flag--a signal that the situation is no longer under control. Winter orders his men to shoot as Irwin begins to hoist the flag up the pole. They refuse. The colonel proceeds to shoot and kill Irwin himself. He is arrested. Winter and the prisoners then see that Irwin has actually raised the U.S. flag in the correct manner. It waves proudly above the prison's walls as Winter is led away.

Cast

*Robert Redford - Lt. Gen. Eugene R. Irwin
*James Gandolfini - Col. Winter
*Mark Ruffalo - Capt. Yates
*Steve Burton - Capt. Peretz
*Delroy Lindo - Brig. Gen. James Wheeler
*Paul Calderon - Sgt. Maj. Dellwo
*Jeremy Childs - Cutbush
*Clifton Collins Jr. - Cpl. Ramon Aguilar
*George W. Scott - Thumper
*Brian Goodman - Beaupre
*Michael Irby - Enriquez
*Frank Military - Dr. Lee Bernard
*Robin Wright Penn - Rosalie Irwin (uncredited)

Details

*The movie was filmed entirely at the former Tennessee State Prison in Davidson County.

References