This film has all the elements of classic film noir - the
private eye in the middle, moral ambivalence, dull lighting, extensive use of
light coming through venetian blinds and a grim mood. ‘The General’s Daughter’
adds a layer of intensity to all this and comes across as powerful film
combining quick-witted repartee with intelligence and emotion.
The General’s Daughter has been found mock-raped and
murdered. She is a serving officer herself and has been murdered within army
limits. Army CID investigators Brenner and Sunhill must find out who murdered
her and why before the FBI and the media get involved? They have the full
co-operation of a grieving General. En route, they find that the clues lead
them to an unlikely motive and an even more unlikely source.
Like most crime-related movies, the story starts with the
murder and works backwards. The narrative direction is also non-linear with
flashback incidents interspersed with investigative progress. Simon West keeps
the tension high and snappy between the characters and brings in a lot of
subtext, in the form of Brenner’s scoffing attitude towards Army brass, his
strained relationship with Sunhill who was also his ex. More importantly, the
story asks important questions in terms of personal vs. professional priorities
and how we balance them and what we lose/gain.
West’s cinematography is consistently sepia tinted and most
of the scenes are filmed early in the morning, late afternoon or at night in
keeping with the film’s grim and dark mood. Where the story falls short is in
the end-game, when you get a sense that it is a method of elimination that has
been employed in finding the culprit.
John Travolta as Brenner and James Cromwell as the General
match each other as worthy adversaries. Travolta delivers a powerful
performance laced with his trademark charm and sharp humor. In the second phase
of his career, his roles have largely been in this style and he revels in it.
Madeleine Stowe as Sunhill is passable but doesn’t match up to Travolta’s
presence on screen.
‘The General’s Daughter’ is a powerful film that keeps you
keyed in.
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