Charlie Wilson, the man behind the secret war
Charlie Wilson, played by Tom Hanks, is an extraordinary character. Democratic deputy of Texas, he was famous in the 80s for his escapes: worldly, alcohol and diligent frequency of power clubs. But behind this image of the eccentric politician hides a strategist determined to fight against Soviet expansionism in Afghanistan.
It all starts when he discovers, thanks to an influential friend, Joanne Herring (camping by Julia Roberts), the atrocities committed by the Soviet forces on the Afghan people. Moved by the situation, Wilson decides to use his strategic position within a sub -construction of the congress to secretly increase the funding intended for the armination of the Mujahideen.
This is how the cyclone operation begins, one of the greatest clandestine CIA missions. With the help of Gust Avrakotos (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman), an agent on the field, Wilson manages to pass the budget of this operation from a few million dollars to over $ 500 million per year. Thanks to these resources, the Mujahideen is equipped with sophisticated weapons, such as the famous Stinger Sholing missiles, which prove to be decisive to combat Soviet helicopters. This military support will help to force the collection of the USSR in 1989, a serious setback in the Cold War.
From the book to the film: a faithful but condensed story
The film is inspired by the book Charlie Wilson’s War: The Extraordinary Story of the great secret operation in history From George Criple, published in 2003. This work, based on interviews and declassified documents, reveals behind the scenes of this operation and highlights the interactions between American political power and intelligence services.
To give life to this complex story, director Mike Nichols and screenwriter Aaron Skin (creator of The west wing) opt for an approach that combines drama and political satire. The film maintains the main lines of historical events, although some scenes have been slightly imaginary. The role of Joanne Herring, for example, is amplified to underline his influence on Wilson. In addition, the interactions between Wilson and the CIA are adapted to accentuate the dynamics between the characters, in particular with the agent Gust Avrakotos, whose exchanges with Wilson offer memorable moments on the screen.
If the film highlights the effectiveness of the cyclone operation, it also suggests the unexpected consequences of this military support. After the departure of the Soviets, Afghanistan sinks in a civil war and some weapons provided to the Mujahideen will find themselves in the hands of the Taliban in the 90s.
Source: Cine Serie
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