Honor and Obey (1988): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1988, Honor and Obey is a notable film directed by Warren Sonbert, running about 21 minutes.

What it’s about. In Warren Sonbert's Honor and Obey soldiers march in formation, a tiger stalks through the snow, religious processions wind through the streets, and palm trees wave in a tropical breeze. As brightly colored images of authority figures blend into scenes of cocktail parties, this 21-minute silent film flows along with the grace of a musical score built on complex tensions hidden among the notes. "Whose authority will you obey?" the film seems to ask, as it deftly avoids simple-minded juxtapositions. Instead, we see a melange of images so full of geography (Notre Dame Cathedral, the Sydney Opera House, Fifth Avenue), that the work mocks the idea of any specific setting. Sooner or later, social and natural laws meet and probably clash, Mr. Sonbert suggests, but in this scenario of discrete images, all is apparent harmony. -- Caryn James, The New York Times

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Honor and Obey page.