Movie-TV Credits
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Bruce Greenwood is 4th billed in this important feature film
for Paramount, helmed by Academy Award winning director William Friedkin with a cast led by Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson. The story concerns an officer (played by Jackson) on trial for ordering his troops to fire on civilians after they stormed a U.S. embassy in a third world country. The impact on the nation's image and a possible war embroils the President's top advisor, William Sokal, played by Greenwood in a key role. Jones headlines as Jackson's attorney and the starry co-stars include Guy Pearce, Blair Underwood, Anne Archer and Ben Kingsley, who had one key scene with Greenwood. This contemporary political thriller was shot in Morocco, South Carolina, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles. Though production began on March 15, 1999, Bruce joined the filming in early May and completed his part in June with a call back in January 2000. The film was released on April 7, 2000 and was no.1 at the box office its first two weekends. A notable effort to explore the probable reality that war has no absolute heroes or villains, Bruce Greenwood's role was altered considerably after test audiences seemed confused by the lack of resolution. His call back in January resulted in two additional scenes in which Sokal becomes the necessary evil protagonist, a change of direction that probably made the film more popular but certainly diluted its original message.
Producer Richard Zanuck describes Bruce's character in the following quote from the website:
The movie is widely available on video and a DVD with extras that include two interviews with Bruce Greenwood. Paramount Pictures, Inc., 2000.
Rules of Engagement Website
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 William Sokal confronts the problem |
6.0 secs |
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Sokal's outrage |
1 min 39 secs |
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Destroying the tape |
46 secs |
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William Sokal in court |
29 secs |