Charlie Wilson's War

Charlie Wilson's War

2007

Director: Mike Nichols

Writer: Aaron Sorkin (screenplay), George Crile (book)

102 Minutes

This was the final film of Mike Nichols. His filmography, including The Graduate, Birdcage, Working Girl, Closer, Biloxi Blues, is Hollywood history. But this collaboration between Nichols and Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin was American history and spoke about a conflict that used allies who became enemies.

Charlie Wilson's War is about a Texas Congressman who raises funds to arm the Afghan people to fight off the Soviets at the end of the Cold War. Wilson was a lame duck, but this task solidified his name both here and abroad. After the Soviet retreat, Wilson was the first civilian awarded the CIA's Honored Colleague Award and went onto become a lobbyist for Pakistan.

The original script for Charlie Wilson's War was supposed to end with the 9/11 attacks. The connection between arming the Afghan people to the birth of the Taliban was clear, but this plotline was vetoed by Nichols and lead Tom Hanks.

Instead, we have the scene above where Gust Avrakotos (the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman) briefs Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) on the new situation in Afghanistan after their operation is complete. Here is the scene:

Gust 

There's a little boy and on his 14th birthday he gets a horse... and everybody in the village says, "how wonderful. The boy got a horse" And the Zen master says, "we'll see." Two years later, the boy falls off the horse, breaks his leg, and everyone in the village says, "How terrible." And the Zen master says, "We'll see." Then, a war breaks out and all the young men have to go off and fight... except the boy can't cause his legs all messed up. and everybody in the village says, "How wonderful." 

Charlie

Now the Zen master says, "We'll see." 

The Zen master knows that change is based on perspective and timing. After this exchange, Gust hands Charlie a CIA classified document and tells him the shit is hitting the fan in Afghanistan. This "shit" in reference is the creation of the Taliban. The Taliban would later go onto attack the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and a failed attempt of the White House.

The reason this scene is special is the soundbite. A plane overhead. It's at the exact time the Zen master's message of "we'll see" hits Charlie meaning his war was great for now, but we'll see what happens. And what happens is 9/11. The plane soundbite is the keystone to that meaning.

These subtle moments in cinema are everywhere. If you pay close attention, it's like the director leaning over and whispering a secret in your ear. The great directors know their stories and where to put these moments, but this piece of American history echoes in the darkness of a soundbite.

Cheers to the late Charlie Wilson. I'll have a drink or six for you tonight. Though flawed, Charlie heroics is based on doing the right thing when no one is looking and he did that.

But we'll see.