While it’s easy to remember the kind of action icon that Rambo would become, it is just as easy to forget that he came from a much humbler and more nuanced beginning. The very first Rambo film, First Blood from 1982, is not only a classic action movie; it is also a significantly more nuanced and relevant story about soldiers with PTSD, unfair treatment of military veterans, and a near perfect representation of true vs. toxic masculinity. It is also one of my favorite films of this particular genre, serving as an important reminder of how much more seriously we, as a nation, need to take mental and emotional health, and why caring for our soldiers matters more than we may choose to believe.
Based on the book by David Morrell, the story follows a Vietnam War veteran named John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) walking his way through the mountains of Washington. As Rambo makes his way to a small town called Hope looking for a place to eat, he’s confronted by the local Sheriff, a stern man named Teasle (Brian Dennehy), who takes an instant disliking of Rambo (mistaking him for a dangerous drifter) and escorts him outside of town insisting he not return. Rambo instantly ignores Teasle’s warning and is arrested for vagrancy. As the rather abusive officers try to put Rambo through processing, they inadvertently trigger his memories as a P.O.W. (Prisoner Of War) and set him spiraling into a rampage, escaping the Sheriff’s Station with only his knife. As the authorities chase Rambo down, Teasle soon discovers they he has started a new kind of war that he, nor his deputies, are equipped to handle, and could have easily been avoided, were it not for his misplaced sense of pride.
First Blood is one of those films where the story behind its production is equally nuanced and engaging as the narrative presented therein. The biggest obstacle this film faced was the lack of people interested and willing to make it in the first place. At the time, any discussion about the Vietnam war was incredibly sensitive and too difficult for discussion, especially in the realm of Hollywood. Multiple known directors, including John Frankenheimer, either dropped out of the project or rejected it entirely. This problem also lent itself to the casting of the protagonist, which had a slew of well-known actors considered for the role, including Robert Redford, James Caan, and Al Pacino. All of these recurring problems weren’t helped by the script (more on that later), which was going through so many drafts near-complete rewrites, that it almost became nothing like the book that inspired the whole thing in the first place. Then again, a script starting with one idea, only to morph into something else entirely, is how we eventually got Robocop.
After nearly a decade of directors, writers, and actors dropping out or rejecting the project, the film finally found a home in director Ted Kotcheff, and a finalized script by Michael Kozoll, William Sackheim, and Sylvester Stallone, who also played the lead role.
One of the more interesting aspects of the film is how much it differs from the original book, while more or less maintaining the intended spirit and message. According to Dominic Noble of the YouTube show Lost in Adaptation, many of the characters, including Rambo, went through a few fundamental changes for the adaptation. David Morrell (the original author) intended the story to be morally ambiguous enough to raise uncertainty as to who the hero and villain were. One startling difference that showcases this intention is how, in the film, Rambo goes out of his way to not kill the people who are pursuing him, making efforts to merely wound and incapacitate them; whereas in the original book, Rambo murders every single person he encounters during his rampage, including a few dogs. In both the film and the book, Sheriff Teasle still drew the proverbial first blood, but Rambo from the book has a little more claim to the destruction and death he causes. Also, minor spoiler, unlike the film version, Rambo dies at the end of the book.
This isn’t to say that the changes made in the film are “simplified” or “dumbed down” for the sake of the audience, not at all; both takes on the story are valid in their reasoning and intentions with regard to its overall theme of judging people by their looks and mistreating soldiers. David Morrell himself stated that he prefers the film over his book, and I think it’s easy to see why; it’s a classic case of the right version living on and the right one meeting his demise.
Despite all of this, what makes First Blood a true classic of its kind isn’t the action or the incredible stunt work (most of which was done by Stallone); it’s the ending scene with the most powerfully delivered monologue ever put to celluloid. Without spoiling anything for those who have still not yet seen this film, the ending of First Blood features, arguably, one of Stallone’s greatest performances, and showcases his intelligent ability as a writer. Because, in this moment, we see someone who has spent the entire film taking down forces of foes with little to nothing, enduring unspeakable situations, and receiving no sympathy from anyone around him, suddenly break down and reveal his humanity. It is a moment that, at least to me, shows true masculinity through vulnerability and emotional frustration. It is the one scene in the entire film that has stood the test of time and is the most vital moment cementing the films theme and message. I dare you to watch this scene without feeling something, anything, for what is happening and the implications of its real-world connections.
First Blood is a must-watch classic for many reasons. It showcases what makes a good script, how to work with limited resources, and what it means to be supportive of those who need it most. Sure, the action is incredible with resounding entertainment value in its own right, but it’s all in service to a story about the dangers of misplaced pride, the consequences of false senses of superiority, and the necessity for compassion and understanding in the modern world, especially when it comes to those willing to sacrifice so much for the sake of what is supposed to make our Country great.
Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.
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