The title of the film Thin Red Line was inspired by a quote from a book written by James Jones .
Retrieved on 2001-08-04 ] referring to the stand of the 93rd Regiment in the Battle of Balaclava of the Crimean War , it is in reality a quote from James Jones ' book which reads `` they discover the thin red line that divides the sane from the mad ... and the living from the dead ... '' The film marked Malick 's return to filmmaking after a 20-year absence .