The Green Berets (1968)

A Rugged History Lesson

John Wayne stays true to form in this early view of the Viet Nam War. Full of action and intrigue as it takes a look at the Green Berets in battle.At the time John Wayne made this motion picture, The Viet Nam War was controversial and the critics numbered many. John Wayne took on the critics and the task of portraying an unpopular war in our nation's history. This movie is for those fans who love John Wayne in the thick of battle.
July 12, 2008

Wayne's War

John Wayne's answer to the anti-war movement was, for a good many years, the only film about Vietnam. It's easy for people to knock this movie or the war itself -- and anyone who thinks the people of South Vietnam are better off under a communist dictatorship than the government they had, then we have nothing to talk about. Actually this was made before she became "Hanoi Jane" -- a tag which follow her to the grave, GREEN BERETS is basically a WWII movie set in Vietnam. It has moments. Also starring David Jansen, Aldo Ray, Jim Hutton, Jason Evers, Bruce Cabot and Mr. Sulu himself, George Takei. May 20, 2008

The Green Berets

Whoever produced this DVD recorded only 1/3 of the movie. I only get to watch 1/3 of the movie before it goes blank. I do not know what happened to the other 2/3s. Amazon should not be selling this DVD. I threw away $11.99 plus shipping. Do not purchase this DVD. April 12, 2008

A boost to LBJ and Nixon.

Here we get a simplistic view of a very complex war. We didn't know in 1968, when this film was released and when the action for American soldiers in Vietnam was very hot indeed, that it would be a full seven years before this political morass of a conflict would be ultimately ended and that the Americans would lose the war. In fact, in '68, the idea that we could possibly lose the Vietnam War probably didn't even occur to the average American.

I said all that to lay the proper groundwork for the film. This is clearly a pro-war movie and it has suffered significant critical review (especially in retrospect) as a result. Hollywood drew upon their biggest gun, John Wayne, for the role of the tough and heroic Colonel Mike Kirby who ultimately "wins the battle" -- even Hollywood anticipated the risk of going out any further on a limb than this, given that they were no doubt more clearly apprised of the otherwise little-known actualities of America's lack of direction and progress in Vietnam.

The story itself is a simple one: American soldiers are trying their best to crush the purveyors of horrific Communism and thus save the vulnerable South Vietnamese people from eternal, unfathomable atrocities which were generally associated with the North Vietnamese rulers and Vietcong soldiers during this time period. This Herculean task was to be accomplished, in this case, through superior tactics, by the employment of superior American weaponry, and, through the patriotic intestinal fortitude of John Wayne's sterling leadership. Of course, this microcosm of the war was allegedly representative of what we were supposedly doing all over South Vietnam.

What you will NOT see in this film, which most later movies exploited, is drug use by American soldiers, prostitution for the troops offered by Vietnamese women who were trying to survive their circumstances, or any of the other common, supplementary, and graphic appurtenances to the typical lengthy war. Other than Jim Hutton's little humorous Black Market escapades, it's mostly shooting and body counts. Here, the viewer can expect a very straightforward presentation of battle, tenoned with the occasional swatch of personal anguish.

"The Green Berets" is the antithesis to the more self-loathing, later-period, movies like "Apocalypse Now," (1979) and "The Deer Hunter," (1978). And it's probably accurate to say that each of these three flicks were reflective of the American public's general sentiment (in hindsight of Vietnam, regarding the latter two) at the time of their respective releases. I feel certain that both LBJ and Nixon would have wished for the production of a lot more movies like "The Green Berets".

I based my 3-star rating on my view of the film AFTER having separated it from period politics. It's well-done in terms of cinematography, is supported by a quality filmscore (composed and effected by Miklos Rozsa), bulging with notable stars of the era (Jim Hutton, Mike Henry, Jack Soo), albeit I've never been a huge fan of David Janssen. I've always been turned off by his eternal despondence and grimness throughout his film career, ergo "The Fugitive" television series. In the end, one can't escape the propaganda feel of this film. Even at the time of its initial release I recall thinking that it was pretty stiff, and wreaking somewhat of Ozzie and Harriet-ness.

"The Green Berets" was filmed at Fort Benning, Georgia and if you look closely, you can spot that they utilized caucasians as some of the Vietcong soldiers. I do think that it was a fine performance by John Wayne, even though I'm not exactly rabid on The Duke as some folks are. Still, one cannot deny that he was perfect in the role. The film was co-directed by Ray Kellogg, John Wayne, and Mervyn LeRoy, the latter being uncredited.


To summarize, I still enjoy seeing this film occasionally but about the only accurate part of it was the portrayal of the media's rising cynicism in regard to our continuing role in Vietnam. March 2, 2008

Avoid This Like A Horseshoe Ambush

I read someone else's review about this, and it peaked my interest enough to write my own about a movie that is a misfire on many levels from the outset to the bitter end.

First, there's the dialogue, which is ueber patriotic from the get-go to build support for the war. (It was released in 1968). Some of it will give you the chills of embarrassment when a South Vietnamese Army captain says: "First, kill all stinking Cong..." You forget the rest of what he says as you feel your face flush red and wonder why the two actors he's addressing aren't laughing their web gear off. An abundance of military colloquialisms, popular at the time seem inserted rather than natural e.g. "bought the farm" or "Puff, the Magic Dragon." Loosely translated that means you're dead and you're about to die--respectively.

Next, we have the plot.

One lone reporter is anti war and antagonistic to the mission of US Army Special Forces (Green Berets), and he's going to prove it by going to Vietnam and see it first hand. He attends an orientation at Ft. Benning where the scenes, especially of the airborne school, are real. It is during this part of the movie that John Wayne is trying mightily to remember his lines, and not appear like someone who should have retired twenty years earlier.

Next we see Jim Hutton, an enlisted greenie beanie who is a scrounger which translates as thief, who sleeps in "jammies," and has a 1941 style barracks full of collectibles that no self-respecting special forces soldier would be caught dead with.

Now the rest of the characters who all go to Vietnam:

They are as numerous and predictable as it is easy finding cheese in any box of C rations. Sergeant Muldoon is the tough senior NCO and weapons expert who liked to make things explode with his chemistry set as a kid. (No kidding)! There's the mild-mannered doc who inoculates entire villages. There's Jackie Soo who appears that he hasn't graduated from acting school but you secretly hope will start singing "A Hundred Million Miracles." Then there's Sgt. Provo, who before you can say, "There's a snake in my boot," notices that names of every building in country are named after someone who was killed in action. (Gee, guess what happens to him)! Next, a cute Vietnamese boy trying to look like a puppy dog without a tail sees the Hutton character Sgt. Peterson as a father-figure. So, naturally, you know what's going to happen to Hutton.

After saving Vietnamese and fighting off VC attacks, lo' and behold, the reporter played by Michael Jansen says that he's going home to write something different that his editors will not like. (Ya' don't say)! John Wayne is proud of him. And of course, there's the little Vietnamese boy who runs to each returning helicopter to see if his Sgt. Peter "San" has returned. John Wayne goes to talk to him.

There is plenty of shoot-em up action matched by an equal number of dull moments and bad dialogue. John Wayne goes by the code name, Bulldog. That seems about right as this movie is a complete hund.

Avoid this like you would a horseshoe ambush.

Airborne!


P.S. I would like to thank my Amazon friends, you know who you are, for all your support. It's my distinct pleasure knowing you. A man can never have enough friends--especially people like you.
February 20, 2008

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