The Last Samurai, 2004

Civil War hero Captain Nathan Algren, played by Tom Cruise, becomes increasingly dissatisfied with life as he discovers that he cannot escape the horrors of his past. When the opportunity of another war is presented Algren quickly agrees to travel to Japan to fight the Samurai. Once there Algren is separated from his allies and finds himself wintering in a Samurai’s village with the family of man whom he killed. During this time he learns not only about his captor’s way of life but also about himself, eventually pledging himself to the Samurai’s cause.

Lessons Learned

In the beginning of the film we see Captain Algren continuously drinking himself to a stupor to avoid his own past. Yet even at this low we see Algren showing some characteristics of a good leader. Upon arriving in Japan Algren quickly shows himself capable of taking charge of the training of the Emperor’s soldiers, shows promise in helping the fledging soldiers learn the art of war, and a strong work ethic and personal resiliency in his own actions. It was these last two aspects, a strong work ethic and personal resiliency, which causes Algren to be both imprisoned and spared by his capturers.

Competencies Addressed

Work Ethic:
Being diligent to ensure the successful completion of tasks related to one’s job as a leader.
Personal Resiliency:
Withstanding and overcoming stressful situations.
 Taking Charge:
A willingness to initiate the activities of groups and lead others toward common goals.
Coaching, Developing and Instructing:
Coaching, teaching, and advising others to help them develop their knowledge and skills. Creating individual development plans. Selecting appropriate training courses to address developmental needs.

Once in the Samurai’s village Algren must overcome both the effects of his strong dependence on alcohol as well his past actions. To aid him in these battle Algren begins to travel the village, watching the day-to-day life of the peasants and the Samurai. During this time Algren not only learns the language of his capturers but begins to develop an understanding of their way of life. Here he shows how a leader takes the opportunities to understand the culture of the society he is residing in and how this culture affects the behavior of individuals within this group.

Competencies Addressed

History and Geography Knowledge:
Knowledge of the physical location and relationships between different land and sea regions and the historical events that have shaped the culture of inhabitants of these regions.Foreign Language Knowledge of Foreign Languages:
Understanding a non-native language in order to communicate in oral and written form with people who speak that language.
Sociology and Anthropology Knowledge:
Knowledge of the political systems, values, beliefs, economic practices, and leadership styles of countries other than one’s home country, as well as knowledge of universal group dynamics, behavior, and socio-cultural history.
Philosophy and Theology Knowledge:
Knowledge of ethics and the philosophical viewpoints behind various ethical models and understanding how different philosophical and religious systems affect behavior of groups and individuals within a cultural context.  

Another lesson to be learned from the film comes after Captain Algren joins the cause of the Samurai. After it is apparent that advocating for the Samurai’s traditional Japanese lifestyle is useless Algren devotes himself completely to the Samurai’s cause. With his understanding of both the American culture and the Japanese culture he is able to understand the influence of Western warfare on the tactics employed by the Emperor’s soldiers. With this knowledge he proposes a risky plan of attack for the last of the Samurai.

Competencies Addressed

Perceiving Systems:
Acknowledging important changes that occur in a system or predicting accurately when they might occur.
Evaluating Long-Term Consequences:
Concluding what a change in systems will result in long-term.  
Critical Thinking:
Logically identifying how different possible approaches are strong and weak, and analyzing these judgments.
Intelligent Risk-Taking:
Being willing and able to take calculated risks when necessary.  

A final lesson of leadership is illustrated as the film draws to its conclusion. After his defeat Captain Algren goes to the Emperor, reminding him the traditional values and the way of the Samurai. At this point Algren takes responsibility for his own mistakes and for the part that he played in the conflict with the Samurai despite the risk of doing so.

Competencies Addressed

Social Action:
Actively creating necessary change in one’s community or country by advocating for underrepresented or needy groups.
Being Accountable:
Accepting responsibility for the effects of one’s own actions.  
Humility:
Being able to have a realistic perspective of one’s worth and ability to admit to one’s mistakes.
Courage of Convictions:
Avoiding behavior that is unethical even if it may appear ethical to the public or may be consistent with the public opinion. Upholding decisions that are ethical yet unpopular.