Close breaks military bounds of ‘silence’

Close breaks military bounds of ‘silence’

Close, Davis show strength as actors in difficult roles

By Jennifer Richmond

Daily Bruin Staff

It took long enough, but someone finally made a television movie
about gays in the military. Fortunately, "Serving in Silence, the
Margarethe Cammermeyer Story" is unlike most made-for-TV-movies
­ it’s a masterpiece.

Glenn Close plays Greta Cammermeyer, a mother of four and an
army colonel who has been honored, promoted nine times, given a
bronze star in Vietnam and has just been offered the position of
Chief Nurse for the Washington State National Guard.

But all that is about to change.

She meets Diane Divelbess (Judy Davis), an art professor and
painter, while vacationing with friends in Oregon. From the moment
they meet there is an instant attraction. The attraction grows as
the two sit by a campfire talking about their lives and work, and
eventually turns into a full-fledged relationship.

It is through Diane that Cammermeyer discovers her true feelings
for women and finally admits to herself that she is a lesbian.
Through this character relationship, Close reveals her talent as an
actress.

From her opening as a colonel at an army camp, to her discovery
of true love, to her battle with the Army, Close never falters.

When she is told she’s being considered for honorable discharge
for admitting to being a lesbian, Close’s Cammermeyer maintains a
solid I-won’t-back-down stare. She doesn’t reveal her surprise or
upset. Cammermeyer’s reputation for being strong is portrayed by
Close, who proves how strong the character is by not letting her
wall of strength down.

We only see Cammermeyer’s sensitive side three times: when she
tells her boys of her homosexuality, when she comes home after a
confrontation with a homophobe and when she kisses Diane.

Of these three scenes, the latter two are the most moving. Her
breakdown after the confrontation proves how hard she’s been hit.
Cammermeyer has been holding her emotions in for so long, it’s easy
to see why some minor name-calling affects her so deeply. Although
no words are uttered, this scene is the movie’s most bittersweet
moment.

Sobbing horribly, Cammermeyer doesn’t have the strength to
unbutton her own army uniform. So, with sensitive, caring hands,
Diane undoes them for her and helps her off with the coat. Her help
alone is enough to prove to both Cammermeyer and the audience that
Diane is there for her no matter what.

Just like Close, this is one of Davis’ strongest moments. She
proves through her hesitant movement at the beginning of the scene
that as much as she longs to comfort Close, she doesn’t want to
intrude. But because she makes the first move to unbutton the coat,
she proves her feelings of love and affection for her partner.

Later, Diane reveals her sexual orientation on national
television and her sister calls to say she didn’t like the hat
Diane was wearing in the shot. Both women discover that their close
friends and family have known the two were lesbians for some
time.

Cammermeyer and Divelbess finally realize how similar they are
and how much they depend on each other, so they share a long kiss
to prove it.

The kiss is supposedly the longest one between two women ever to
be shown on television, but it’s not worth the hype … it’s not
spicy. There’s no tongue. It’s just a sweet, affectionate kiss and
a brush of the cheek.

If anything, the kiss serves as proof that the two are involved
rather than just friends. Up until this point, there’s no hint the
two women are more than friends. Close’s Cammermeyer keeps saying
she hasn’t slept with Divelbess. So, the scene ties up any lose
ends nicely.

While the story may sound like another underdog-beats-the-system
plot, Close’s and Davis’ portrayals make it a more legitimate film
than the recently shown "O.J. Simpson Story."

TELEVISION: "Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer
Story." Starring Judy Davis and Glenn Close. Premiering Feb. 6 on
NBC, Channel 4 at 9 p.m.