The Execution of Private Slovik

Infobox Film
name = The Execution of Private Slovik


image_size =
caption =
director = Lamont Johnson
producer = Richard Dubleman
writer = William Bradford Huie
Lamont Johnson
Richard Levinson |William Link
narrator =
starring = Martin Sheen
Mariclare Costello
Ned Beatty
music = Hal Mooney
cinematography = Bill Butler
editing = Frank Morriss
distributor = NBC
MCA/Universal Home Video
released = 1974
runtime = 120 Mins
country = U.S.
language = English
budget = $180000
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0071477

"The Execution of Private Slovik" is a nonfiction book by William Bradford Huie, published in 1954 ["The Execution of Private Slovik" by William Bradford Huie, ISBN 1594160031] , and an American made-for-television movie that aired on NBC on March 13, 1974. The film was written for the screen by
Richard Levinson, William Link and by Lamont Johnson who also served as film director.

Plot

The book and the film tell the story of Private Eddie Slovik, the only American soldier to be executed for desertion since the American Civil War. The film starred Martin Sheen as Private Slovik for which he received an Emmy Award nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Drama. Many critics and viewers consider this to be one of Sheen's finest performances, noting in particular the firing squad execution scene when Slovik recites the Roman Catholic prayer, "Hail Mary". This film was also the debut film of actor Charlie Sheen.

Among the other Emmy Award nominations, the film was named for "Outstanding Special."

Development

In 1960 Frank Sinatra announced that he would produce a movie entitled The Execution of Private Slovik to be written by blacklisted Hollywood 10 screenwriter Albert Maltz. This announcement evoked tremendous outrage, accusing Sinatra of being a Communist sympathizer. As Sinatra was campaigning for John F. Kennedy for President, the Kennedy campaign became concerned and ultimately prevailed upon Sinatra to cancel the project. [ His way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra by Kitty Kelly, pp. 296-301 ISBN 0-553-26515-6 ]

In Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five, Billy Pilgrim finds an abandoned copy of William Bradford Huie's book and reads through it while in a waiting room.

Historical Accuracy

The military service record of Eddie Slovik, which is now a public archival record available from the Military Personnel Records Center, provides a detailed account of the actual execution of Slovik which took place in 1945 and it was upon this that most of the film was based. The execution in the film, including the missed shots by the firing squad which led to Slovik dying slowly on the firing post over a course of five minutes, are deemed totally accurate as compared to the actual execution. A slight dramatic license does occur in the final scene, as there is no evidence that the priest attending Slovik's execution shouted "give it another volley if you like it so much" after the doctor indicated Slovik was still alive.

References

External links

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