The Execution of Private Slovik (TV) [1974] Martin Sheen

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The Execution of Private Slovik (TV 1974)


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071477/

The Execution of Private Slovik is a nonfiction book by William Bradford Huie, published in 1954, 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.

Martin Sheen ... Eddie Slovik
Mariclare Costello ... Antoinette Slovik
Ned Beatty ... Father Stafford
Gary Busey ... Jimmy Feedek
Matt Clark ... Dunn
Ben Hammer ... Lt. Col. Leacock
Warren J. Kemmerling ... Maj. Fellman (as Warren Kemmerling)
Charles Haid ... Brockmeyer

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, a performance for which he received an Emmy Award nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Drama. Sheen said he did not think actors should be compared, and made it clear he would refuse the award. Many critics and viewers consider this to be one of Sheen's finest performances. Among the other Emmy Award nominations, the film was named for "Outstanding Special."

In 1960 Frank Sinatra announced that he would produce a film adaptation of The Execution of Private Slovik, to be written by blacklisted Hollywood 10 screenwriter Albert Maltz. This announcement evoked tremendous outrage, with Sinatra accused 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. Slovik's execution is featured in a scene in the 1963 film The Victors, coincidentally accompanied by a Sinatra Christmas recording.

In Kurt Vonnegut's 1969 novel Slaughterhouse-Five, Billy Pilgrim finds an abandoned copy of William Bradford Huie's book and reads through it while in a waiting room.

In 1949, a Pentagon source revealed to Huie the existence of a European graveyard of unnamed American soldiers. HuieΓΓé¼Γäós probe identified the grave and name of the only American soldier executed for desertion since the Civil War. The story of neΓΓé¼Γäóer-do-well Eddie Slovik is an example of HuieΓΓé¼Γäós masterful reporting and his tendency to anger the mighty. Eisenhower, who authorized the execution, tried to stop the book. Frank Sinatra bought the screen rights but never made a movie. He didnΓΓé¼Γäót want to anger friend John Kennedy. Award-winning filmmaker Richard Dubelman acquired the film rights from Sinatra, and after years of dedicated work finally convinced Universal Studios to help him make it as a TV-movie. It starred Martin Sheen and, according to one website, was the highest rated made-for-TV special until Roots.

Kurt Vonnegut mentions Slovik's execution in his novel Slaughterhouse-Five. Vonnegut also wrote a companion libretto to Igor Stravinsky's Histoire du soldat, or A Soldier's Tale, which tells Slovik's story. Slovik also appears in Nick Arvin's 2005 novel Articles of War, in which the fictional protagonist, Private George (Heck) Tilson, is one of the members of Slovik's firing squad. The British rock band IQ also mentioned Slovik in their song "For the Taking".