DEVIN FARNEY - COMPOSER/PIANIST |
Ghosts of War (2007)
ACT I A reluctant young draftee named Joseph Petersen finds himself on a helicopter to serve in the Vietnam War. On the ride he expresses his doubts and concerns with fellow soldiers Privates Jones and Carter, who both validate and attack his views. Upon their arrival to the platoon all three men make acquaintance with the brute-like Lieutenant “Rex.” Rex is entirely insensitive to the horrors of war, and repeatedly belittles “Charlie” as being subhuman and unworthy of any form of sympathy. While on their first mission through a remote village, Joseph becomes separated from his platoon. He wanders briefly before he stumbles upon Lieutenant Rex becoming violent and sexually aggressive with a local woman. Joseph watches in disbelief while the terrified woman lies helpless over her towering oppressor. Unable to tolerate what he is witnessing, Joseph draws his weapon and fires at Rex who collapses instantly. The woman runs away shrieking without so much as a glance back. Rex lies on the ground and utters a final warning to Joseph: “you have killed an American soldier – your life as you know it is over.” Knowing this to be the truth, Joseph panics and flees the scene, leaving Rex's body for dead in the middle of the jungle. ACT II Joseph spends the next forty years in hiding. He has changed his name to “Daniel” to avoid suspicion and/or discovery. Curiosity gets the best of him however, and he decides to return to the village he had abandoned years before. He begins to make acquaintance with the local inhabitants, claiming to be nothing more than a visitor with peaceful intentions. He meets a woman named Yen and is instantly taken by her, as is she by him. The two develop a fast and close relationship. She introduces Daniel to her daughter Kim and Kim's husband Binh. Daniel has difficulty seeing eye-to-eye with Binh, who expresses blatant disapproval of Dan's relationship with his mother-in-law. Yen assures Dan not to worry about Binh, and explains that he is simply overprotective of her because of her traumatic past. She goes on to explain that an American soldier had raped her during the war, and that this man was actually Kim's father. A chill of terror overcomes Dan when she reveals that she was there when the soldier was murdered, although she never saw the killers face. ACT III Dan realizes his personal connection to her dreadful past, and leaves to contemplate what he should do. While wandering through the village he notices Binh in the embrace of another woman, Lan. Shocked and angered he approaches Binh in rage but stops short when Binh utters the words Dan had hoped he would never hear again: “you have killed an American soldier – your life as you know it is over.” Binh explains that he had been a little boy during the war. One day he wandered into the jungle when he heard a single gunshot fire. He raced to the scene and snuck behind the bushes where he witnessed two Americans, one nearly dead and one standing nearby. Binh explained that he never forgot what he heard the dying soldier say to the other, nor did he forget the faces of the men he saw. The two men realize that they have reached a stalemate, and the only logical thing for both to do would be to confess their dark secrets to their respective women. After revealing the truth to Yen Daniel becomes overwhelmingly distraught. While wandering through the village wallowing in despair he passes a hotel and witnesses Binh, who is still enjoying the company of Lan. Overcome by anger, Dan lunges at Binh and stabs him. Lan dashes from the room shrieking as Binh falls to the ground. He utters a new final warning to Dan: “you have killed again, Daniel. Your life as you know it is over.” Dan flees the scene, leaving Binh for dead.
THE END |