date 7/11/2019 1AM
★★★★☆

One Man’s Hero is just plain great! The Irish have been an oppressed people ever since the English encountered them. At least it seems that way. Perhaps that is why so many people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? People have figured out that if a wooden ship ever landed on the shores of their country odds are that some part of them is Irish.

The Era

One Man’s Hero is set during the Mexican-American war and shows us it wasn’t only England who viciously oppressed the Irish. The U.S. Army had deep religious and ethnic prejudice against the strong Catholic faith of the Irish. You must keep in mind this was a time when Ireland had three primary exports:

  • Nuns
  • Priests
  • Soldiers

To say one was Irish broadcast your being Catholic. Though considered blasphemous by many the was a phrase or saying rather common during that time. The faith of an Irishman is stronger than that of the Pope.

During this era it was not uncommon for military leaders to take their wives on campaign with them. While the practice had someone died out in America due to the brutality of wars fought there, this practice was a carryover from various European cultures. Many of these cultures had, at one point or another, invaded/conquered various parts of what we now call Mexico and South America due to both greed and the Catholic church’s desire to “spread the word via conquest.”

One Man’s Hero – Beginning

Tom Berenger is attempting to lead back to the Union army a group of Irish deserters. The dialog makes it plain the reason for their desertion was the relentless persecution and use of the lash on them simply because they were Irish Catholic. There is not a bone of cowardice in the bunch. They joined the army because it was the only place to get a job.

It doesn’t take long for this group of deserters to end up stumbling into the Mexican army. As they are cast down on the ground to be executed one’s shirt opens to reveal a large cross seen by all. The wife of the leader throws herself between them and her husband. Subtitles inform us the venom she spews centers around a single theme “You cannot kill them, they are Catholic.” Oh, it goes on a bit longer than that and eventually gets around to having a Priest with them providing Mass and comfort to the troops. The fatal bullet does not come because this woman believed Catholic could not kill Catholic.

Latin Mass

Most of you reading this will be too young to have any memories of hearing a Catholic Mass in Latin. I only heard it a few times as a child. It was really odd the few times I went with a relative to their church to see even those monthly paperback booklets in the pews were in Latin. Well, a language I didn’t recognize which I later learned was Latin. Given the speed of conquest in The New World, not to mention the number of countries the church already held sway in, it was deemed that all religious doctrine be in Latin. Latin was considered a language only understood by the “most learned.”

Having both the doctrine and the Mass in Latin meant commoners could not contradict or challenge the interpretation by clergy. It also meant that any Mass in any church in any country was basically the same. You stood, knelt, and responded at the same places with the same phrases. Only the sermon was in your native tongue.

Common Bonding

Latin Mass not only kept the unwashed masses in line, it also provided a common bonding. Thus it was, not long into the capture, the Irish and Spanish soldiers who could not speak to each other attended the same Mass. They did the same things they had been taught since childhood. After that Mass the Irish made a decision to fight for the army which did not persecute them for their faith. They were soldiers, not cowards, and deeply religious.

320 Acres

Not too much later into One Man’s Hero you learn of an offer from the Mexican government made to the Irish, both here and on the Emerald Isle: 320 acres for each man who fights the war to its end for Mexico. The scene of the wooden ships in the harbor unloading Irish soldiers, many who had been trained by Her Majesty’s military is really a feast for the eyes. A “wealthy” family in Ireland might have all of 40 acres during this time and they suffered for being Catholic. Here was a chance to live in a country where they could practice their religion without persecution and own a patch of ground bigger than any could dream of. They came and were known as Saint Patrick’s Battalion. Indeed, if you know anything about the hardships they faced in their own country, it is difficult to imagine why all of Ireland didn’t come.

This is a great movie. I would go so far as to say this is one you should own to watch whenever you think life is treating you badly.

For more movie rental ideas please see list one and list two.