MovieChat Forums > First Blood (1982) Discussion > Delmore Barry

Delmore Barry

posted 3 years ago by Obifuntoknowme (1104)
11 replies | jump to latest

I love all of this film but I think one of the best and most underrated scenes is at the very beginning, when Rambo is visiting his war buddy Delmore Barry.

We the audience can clearly see that Rambo is in a fragile state having recently returned from the carnage of Vietnam. Nevertheless he is attempting to reconnect with a buddy, his last surviving buddy from the war. When he is told that Delmore has passed you can immediately see a change in Rambo. The one thing he was holding onto, that last vestige of hope is taken away and it is devastating to see.

IMO this is a very underrated scene - when Rambo is told the sad news we hear the subtle music strike up and we realise that Rambo will never be the same from this point. It is a pivotal moment in the film. You can clearly see the sadness, the disappointment, the anger all edged onto his face at once, it’s good acting from Stallone. I love this scene.

Great film.

[–] strntz (11315) 3 years ago

I agree about that scene. Yes, it was beautifully shot, but we get to see what probably was the last vestige of normality for Rambo go away when he found out his buddy died of cancer from agent orange and that he was the last of his group.

[–] Obifuntoknowme (1104) 3 years ago

Definitely 👍

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7522) 3 years ago

Yeah. It was a good scene. It was a very sad scene though. You feel bad for Rambo there. And the rest of the movie reflects his sadness from that scene.

[–] Obifuntoknowme (1104) 3 years ago

Couldn’t agree more 👍

[–] millsey72 (9764) 3 years ago

I always found that scene boring and always fast forward to his confrontation with the sheriff whenever viewing this movie

[–] millsey72 (9764) 3 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ccr1633 (1482) 3 years ago

This was back in the day when there were at least a few screenwriters with maturity and intelligence who wrote films for adults.

[–] Obifuntoknowme (1104) 3 years ago

Yes indeed.

[–] stones78 (426) 3 years ago

Sly can be a very good actor at times, even though he gets(sometimes deservedly)criticized, but he can act.

[–] Obifuntoknowme (1104) 3 years ago

Yes I agree. Given the chance, with the right material and director he definitely can. Just look at Copland.

[–] aavfreak (2984) 3 years ago

Man, now that you bring this up...

Yes, this is hugely underrated scene. I watched this movie as a kid and never got that and never would have gotten that.

To this day, almost 20 years later, I still keep in touch with the Marines I fought in OIF with. Although we lost some, I've never thought about what it would be like to make it out with only two of us surviving - and then to find out that the other died before I had a chance to reconnect. Shit, that had to be tough.