The Deer Hunter Answer to #3

Rating: Null/10 (15 December 2013)

We first met the French character in Saigon when Nick approached him looking for Michael. He convinced Nick to come into the bar with. Inside the bar there were a bunch of men playing Russian roulette and betting money on who would live and who would die. This was the first time Nick had ever seen Russian roulette being played for pleasure instead of torture. Nick, after being tortured in a POW camp hated being in this bar. He did not think this was right at all and he became furious. The next time we meet the French character is when Michael returns to Saigon in search for Nick who went "AWOL". This time, the French character tried to tell Michael he did not speak any English and that it was too dangerous to go into the bar. It took a lot of convincing and money on Michael's part this time in order to get into the bar. When he gets inside there is a similar scene. Men playing and betting on Russian roulette. Many Americans want to blame France for getting us involved with the Vietnam war. France supposedly led us into the war, but as soon as it got ugly, they wanted nothing to do with it. That is what the French character symbolizes. The first time we meet him, he is generous and lead Nick into the bar. However, when Michael comes back to find him, the French character knows something is wrong and does not want to get involved. The film did a good job incorporating this feeling that many Americans had after the Vietnam War.