It’s WWII in the Pacific. A Reconnaissance and Intelligence mission returns with two W.I.A.s. One is Peter Moss, suffering from battle fatigue. He’s got ‘hysterical paralysis’ from the hips down and partial amnesia. The battalion Army psychiatrist is going to use a treatment called narco-synthesis to try to get at the underlying cause of Moss’s condition. Doc’s convinced he’s got a chance at helping this poor dogface walk again. The sodium pentothal is injected. The drugged G.I. begins his tale…

I watched that opening scene then had to tear myself away from the TV in order to rush to evening classes. I didn’t catch the title, and later when I asked around, no one recalled ever seeing it. What was it called? How did it end? For 25 years I remembered that incredible scene and hoped that one day I’d get to see the rest of it. Then last night I finally got to watch all of one of the most intense psychological dramas I’ve ever seen.

It’s called “Home of the Brave”, made in 1949, and is based on an Arthur Laurents play. It was the first time Hollywood dealt with the twin issues of battle fatigue and racism in the U.S. Army during WWII. It is one of the most daring films I’ve ever seen come out of the 40s, and is as hard-hitting today as it was 25 years ago when I first caught that opening scene. By the time this flick ended I had a greater understanding of battle fatigue and psychosomatic paralysis. I learned that while each case of battle fatigue has individual nuances, there is also a certain universality that can effect anyone.

If you love WWII psychological dramas like “12 O’Clock High” and intelligent explorations of bigotry like “A Gentleman’s Agreement”, you'll love “Home of the Brave.” Available from amazon.com in VHS [click here.]”