DVD Review: Serving in Silence: Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer

If your heart is hard and set against gays for religious or whatever reason, watching this DVD of the excellent Canadian filmed production that Glenn Close and Barbra Streisand produced might give you some insight to the sheer heartbreak and injustice that many go through trying to navigate and survive a straight world.

Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer is a decorated Vietnam Vet, divorced mother of three boys who served in the army for over twenty years. She had a long and distinguished career as a military nurse but was dismissed in 1992 after revealing she was a lesbian during a security clearance interview. She fought a two-year court battle to serve her country. The Federal District Court in Seattle ruled the military's policy was unconstitutional and based on prejudice. Glenn Close and Judy Davis, who play Cammermeyer and her girlfriend Diane respectively, are excellent actresses and do the roles justice. Close as the Colonel falls in love with free spirited Davis' Diane, the artist she's met. Close/Cammermeyer is a classic overachiever, first-generation from a Norwegian family and stereotypically cold father. Close/Cammermeyer values education and is going for a nursing PhD, and has a well placed job at the VA hospital, and is high ranking in the Army reserves. She is precise, hard working, conscientious and a doting mother to her fractured family. Close/Cammermeyer decides to upgrade her security rating, eyeing a promotion, and during the interview, she completely lets down her guard. She is honest with the interviewer and tells him she is a lesbian. This was obviously before the "don't ask don't tell" Clintonian years, and the news of her Sapphic heart doesn't float well with the Army chieftains. More than 11 years after it debuted on NBC, the Emmy-winning TV movie Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story still is an excellent example of intolerant behavior being challenged victoriously in the courts.

In all honesty, my fifteen year old son watched it with me, and was drawn into the narrative, in disbelief that her being a gay mom was even an issue to anyone. "Girls Gone Wild" has convinced an entire generation that "girls together" is just business as usual.

The film is well acted. It illustrates the chilling, ludicrous nature that good, hard working people can have their livelihood in peril because of the adult relationships they have in private. The cinematography was artfully shot by Glen MacPherson, a Canadian DP. Most of the cast and crew hailed from Canada as Vancouver was the location for the shoot. Jan Rubes, a wonderful Czech actor plays "Far"-Close's judgmental, emotionally frigid father. Other notable performances include Ryan Reynolds playing son Andy, Eric Dane playing son Matt and Molly Parker is terrific playing Lynette, Cammermeyer's daughter-in law. Parker was recently in Hollywoodland, and The Wicker Man. Glenn Close won an Emmy for her portrayal of Cammermeyer, Judy Davis won an Emmy for her role as Diane, and the screenwriter, Alison Cross won an Emmy too. The critically acclaimed movie was executive-produced by Barbra Streisand and Close. The film also won a Peabody Award and a GLAAD. In real life, Cammermeyer once again became chief nurse of the Washington State National Guard, retiring in 1997 after 31 years of dedicated service. The DVD comes loaded with extras including interviews with Streisand, Cammermeyer and Close. There is also several featurettes including "Silent No More: Behind the Scenes of Serving in Silence," "Hollywood Premiere: January 23, 1995," and "1996 GLAAD Media Awards." This DVD should be mandatory part of high school curriculum to teach the values of hard work, education, honesty, tolerance and being true to yourself. These are lessons for all sexual orientations. Serving in Silence: Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer is now available at Amazon. As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.