Everywhere I have read people write about the structure of FMJ they have
called it a two act film, mainly because the first part takes place in
boot camp and the rest in Vietnam. I would argue that FMJ is indeed a 3
act structure. Act one clearly is the boot camp section, running a
little over 40 minutes and ending with Pyle in the latrine. Act two,
also running about 40 minutes, is the episodic, days-in-the-life-of-a-
Marine- in-Vietnam section, up to and including the scene of the men
haggling with the motorcycle prostitute and her pimp. Notice that this
2nd act begins and ends -- typical Kubrickian symetry here -- with
scenes of soldiers haggling with prostitutes. The third act is the
sniper sequence running around 20 minutes. Kubrick again has used the
bookend symetry: a concentrated 1st act (all about Pyle), a loose middle
act (many different subjects), and a very concentrated final act (all
about sniper).
(R.D.)
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