a photo returned

June 20, 2009 3:57 PM

A photo returned... A short video of a man returning a photo to the daughter of the man he killed, and from whom he removed the photo, during the war in Viet Nam.
posted by HuronBob (21 comments total)

This is a really powerful and amazing story. But whoever wrote that awful narrative, then intoned it like he was addressing a room full of third graders, then drizzled the whole thing with syrupy music, needs to be ashamed. This is almost better viewed with the sound muted.
posted by jbickers at 4:04 PM on June 20, 2009 [13 favorites]

Agreed, jbickers.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 4:31 PM on June 20, 2009

God, yeah. That guy's voice craps all over that and doesn't really do much other than distract. He waffles on in a stupid, disinterested way and with very little added in the way of background about why or what moved the guy to want to take the photo back.

Great story. Shitty film.
posted by Brockles at 4:37 PM on June 20, 2009

AH, mefi snark!

That said, can we please have some sort of crying/humaninterest-filter limit?

I mean the "up" girl, the cat-king, and now this?

But thank god we got the mefi snark to help toughen our souls against this torrent of posts lately. Whew!
posted by symbioid at 5:16 PM on June 20, 2009

Gorgeous moment. Just gorgeous. And even as I watched it, I realized I didn't want to read the comments it will generate because in no time at all someone will be carping on something that makes it seems cheap, profit-motivated, inadequately produced or baldly cynical.

I reallly should listen to my inner voices more.

Because frankly, the only two people who matter in that clip are both deeply sincere and far more courageous than I could ever be in bringing long-suppressed demons and profound pain once more to its surface on what surely are the ripped-rawest edges of their hearts.

Thanks for posting it, HuronBob. I am 57 years old. I really appreciate it.
posted by Mike D at 5:55 PM on June 20, 2009 [6 favorites]

I like the concept of "intimate strangers."

Thanks for posting.
posted by TomMelee at 6:02 PM on June 20, 2009

Longer, higher quality version here at the Dateline NBC website.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 6:07 PM on June 20, 2009

I when I say longer, I mean a lot longer--spread out over six clips, lots more background, and connections to the experiences of current soldiers. The syrup in the youtube clip is a little more tolerable when you've followed the whole story at a slower pace.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 6:14 PM on June 20, 2009

Pater, thanks for filling this post out.

I agree, this clip, if you knew the basic story, could well be watched with no audio....
posted by HuronBob at 6:31 PM on June 20, 2009

God, yes, that writing and that tone of narration. Really awful. And on such a truly touching story. I will check out the full version, though, and thanks for linking to that, Pater Aletheias.

Meanwhile...

...can we please have some sort of crying/humaninterest-filter limit?
posted by symbioid at 5:16 PM on June 20 [+] [!]

I'm thinking maybe something along the lines of a symbioid/tiresomely cynical-filter limit might be the way to go instead.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:52 PM on June 20, 2009

flapjax, i'm with you! yes, I guess I was snarky (more meta-snarky than anything).

But honestly, these three posts moved me to tears and I LIKE that. :) I mean, I don't know if I could handle every post being such, but it's nice to see some human-interest type stories that jerk a tear or two. I was just surprised at the high proportion of these posts compared to the usual number (or maybe I'm just seeing it now, because I'm looking for it more???)

I guess I could have been more clear that I appreciated this, and was more disturbed by the snarkiness in the comments prior to mine.

That said, yes, it was a touching story, and yes I did have some tears on this.
posted by symbioid at 8:26 PM on June 20, 2009

And, now wait a minute, flapsy! Re-reading your comment, YOU were dishing on the "tone" and "awful" narration!

Let's all agree that each and everyone of us has been infected with the trademark mefi snark!
posted by symbioid at 8:29 PM on June 20, 2009

That's the Dateline guy. Every episode features his lascivious, pandering narration. He's horrible.
posted by HotToddy at 8:38 PM on June 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

I heard that he was cursed by some kind of occult priestess and every time he does a story without that horrible narration, his head gains a quarter of an inch in height and loses the same amount of width.

I don't know...seems plausible to me...
posted by Pater Aletheias at 8:51 PM on June 20, 2009

On the subject of things returned by the people who killed their original owners, a few years a go, the whole Vietnam was in a fever over the the returns of a young female doctor's diary to her family. It was then published, sold numerous copies, much touted about and the writer held as an inspiration to the modern Vietnamese youths.

Give me sometimes to gather some links, I think she deserve her own post.
posted by LenaO at 9:32 PM on June 20, 2009

Very touching. It's nice to know forgiveness can be had even in some of the worst of situations.
posted by Malice at 11:52 PM on June 20, 2009

Such a moving story! Made me cry. Yes, what courage those two people have. How powerful and uplifting really to see them hug and cry in each other's arms.
posted by nickyskye at 12:55 AM on June 21, 2009

I don't know about you, but I'd be nervous as Hell if I had to do something like that.

Great story.
posted by bwg at 2:00 AM on June 21, 2009

Made me cry, too.

I guess that makes the Vietnam war all OK now, what a relief. Looking forward to a similar resolution 30-odd years from now in Afghanistan and Iraq.
posted by Meatbomb at 3:12 AM on June 21, 2009

Very touching. It's nice to know forgiveness can be had even in some of the worst of situations.
posted by Malice

Ironic.
posted by gman at 5:53 AM on June 21, 2009

Wow. Just - wow.
posted by widdershins at 1:09 PM on June 25, 2009