Reviews (21)

Now isnt that him???
The first time I saw this movie ,someone told me that there is actually a scene in which Mario Lanza does indeed appear.... after about the third time, I think I found it....It is the scene in the cathedral after the King dies and the Prince is singing "I'll walk with God". Not the close up, mind you, but the very long wide angle shot. That said, regardless of why Lanza was fired or quit or got too fat(All stories that go around).This is a delightful old fashioned film. Edmund Purdom does an admirable job(especially of the dubbed songs)in a really tough turn.Ann Blyth is a perfect Kathy and the supporting cast is among the best.What a hoot to see Richard Anderson and John Ireland as the leaders of the rival corps. I dont suppose they could really sing either,but...
An all around good time!

Beautiful music...Heartbreaking Story
I will not recap the story behind this beautiful musical....other reviewers have done this well. All I want to say is be prepared to be delighted by the music and destroyed by the ending of the story. No matter how many times I've seen The Student Prince I end up a whimpering mess at it's conclusion. Very bittersweet and all too real, impossible love situations destroy me. That look on Ann Blyth's face, as the Prince she loves but cannot have visits her one last time, haunts me well after the film concludes, at which time I'm crying like a baby. In fact, as I write these sentences I'm crying again!! Too bad that Mario Lanza was not given the acting role (for whatever reason). We do get to hear his glorious singing voice dubbed with actor Edmund Purdom doing a credible acting job. But it is the radiant Ann Blyth (with her own beautiful singing voice) that steals the show for me, and I'm a gay man!! I only hope the DVD will follow soon.
Recommended for all lovers of romance. Have the tissues ready for the ending.

Mario's Voice and Edmund's Body
Mario Lanza was slated to star in this great movie. Unfortunately, he gained a lot of weight and was replaced - not just directorial differences, but Lanza's eating/drinking were taking him over - a sad by-product of fame for some. Edmund Purdom is not Lanza but he does make a handsome prince. When I first saw the close-ups, I noticed that the synching wasn't quite in-synch...but one soon forgives and forgets. This is a lovely story with outstanding music - in all, a delight.

excellent musical.
"The Student Prince," with Ann Blyth and Mario Lanza is a wonderful and beautiful film. I so enjoy it. It's colorful such a great fairytale and some of the best songs. Mario Lanza and Ann Blyth are great actors abd singers. The costumes and scenery deserve a award. A must see film well worth watching many times.

Lanza Was Right... the Directing is Terrible!
This is the worst film to feature Lanza in any way. Lanza and the Director just couldn't get along and I can see why. The Director has poor Edmund walking his wooden way through this film while incongruously opening his mouth and emitting all of the unrestrained passion of Lanza's voice. Lanza wanted to play the Prince evolving from a disciplined Prussian into a passionate lover. The Director would not allow the metamorphosis. Lanza would have been great in this role, but he just couldn't tolerate what he thought (correctly, I believe) was the absurd juxtaposition of the sometimes sentimental other times pleading or romantic music/lyrics... with the Director's insistence that the lead be played almost devoid of emotion. It was Director vs. Mario and the result was that this is the film marks the beginning of the tragic end of Lanza's painfully brief career. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

One of the most amazing films I've ever seen
The Spitfire Grill is a movie that shows the beauty of life and the hope that can be found inside it. This film can make you cry; I've seen this a few times and I still cry. You cry because you feel like you've lost part of your heart when it's over, like it's part of you. Allison Elliot portrays a girl that just needs love, and she's remarkable at it. Everyone should see this.

A Heartbreaking Treasure
This is a moving and rewarding film that places our heart in it's palm and slowly squeezes until we feel it's pain. You will never forget Alison Elliot's quiet performance of young Percy Talbot, fresh from prison and trying to start her life over. In a sad and pivotal moment in the film, she reveals the heartbreaking reason she was incarcerated, and why she has picked Gilead, Maine to start over; "I thought maybe....in someplace small..."

The day to day life of a small town and it's people is perfectly captured as Percy comes to work for Hannah (Ellen Burstyn) at The Spitfire Grill. Hannah knows about pain and gives Percy a chance. Marcia Gay Harden gives a fine performance as a shy and sweet soul who's husband uses her for a doorstop and hates Percy for being her friend and encouraging her to be herself.

Many lives are touched in this small town by Percy who has seemingly found her home at The Spitfire Grill in Gilead, Maine. There is the mystery of the food Percy leaves out back at Hannah's request that is gone the next morning. There is the underlying sadness of Percy's past that is always present. An essay contest to find a new owner for the Grill so Hannah can retire is part of the small town mosaic painted in this wonderful film.

There is tragedy as well as we are reminded how life does not always give us the chance to start over. There is also redemption and the message that what we do in our lives does affect others and can even change the way they think. To say this is a small independent film is to do it an injustice. This is a great big film about the small things in life, the things that matter. If you really love the movies and want to see something you'll remember and keep in your heart forever then this is your DVD. Don't miss this one.....

A Wonderful Film of Redemption
I won't get into any plot details, as several previous reviews have already discussed the character and scene development. I thought the film was a minor masterpiece in its subtle understatement and remarkable artistic achievent. The film seemed to adumbrate several themes; namely, the quest to find peace and harmony in a remote town far away from the hustle and bustle of modern urban stress. As it turns out, however, that there is an undeniable malaise which pervades this small town located in the far away wilderness of Maine. The name implies biblical associations. There are the themes of loss, of alienation, of lack of understanding and communication among the towns people. Despite the undeniable beauty of the place, there emerges a sort of spiritual wasteland which poisons the town. Along comes Percy, a stranger with her own desolate past. As the movie progresses Percy's involvement and commitment to her work and to several of the inhabitants involve the viewer's growing awareness that she is somehow a redeeming force. The scene between Percy and the reclusive, hermetic son near the end fully defines her role as the young woman redeemer of this wasteland. Her death, not unlike the ultimate sacrificial act brings the townspeople together in a sort of final requiem. The town is awakened and is ready to accept the new caretaker of the Spitfire Grill. A wonderful film.

It captures the Spirit of a northern New England town!
Having lived both in Maine and in northern New York, I can tell you that the Spitfire Grill captures exquisitely the spirit and essence of a small town in both of these places. Characters abound in these parts of the country --just as they do in this excellent movie, "The Spitfire Grill". This is one of those movies that has a little bit of everything. It is good, clean entertainment that even the kids can watch. It is at times thrilling, at other times heart warming; and it may even bring tears to your eyes. Acting is all around superb! The Spitfire Grill is now one of my all time favorites. Its both in full screen and widescreen.

The colors of New England never fade.
I came upon this film completely by accident years ago. It was being shown on a cable channel and out of sheer boredom, I decided to watch. It is, quite simply, a beautiful story. I couldn't find a fault anywhere. Having grown up in the East Coast, the film depicts New England accurately down to the last fall, colored maple leaf.

We have the small town values and concerns pitted against the dark and mysterious past of a stranger, an outsider. Redemption. Acceptance. Forgiveness. Understanding. The more you need, the harder you'll have to work in order to get it. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

One of the first Hollywood films to deal openly with white racism toward Japanese Americans during World War II, this drama directed by 1950s action maestro John Sturges (The Great Escape) stars Spencer Tracy as a one-armed stranger named MacReedy, who arrives in the tiny town of Black Rock on a hot day in 1945. Seeking a hotel room and the whereabouts of an ethnic Japanese farmer named Komoko, MacReedy runs smack into a wall of hostility that escalates into serious threats. In time it becomes apparent that Komoko has been murdered by a local, racist chieftain, Reno Smith (Robert Ryan), who also plans on dispensing with MacReedy. Tracy's hero is forced to fight his way past Smith's goons (among them Ernest Borgnine and Lee Marvin) and sundry allies (Anne Francis) to keep alive, setting the stage for memorable suspense crisply orchestrated by Sturges. Casting is the film's principal strength, however: Tracy, the indispensable icon of integrity, and Ryan, the indispensable noir image of spiritual blight, are as creatively unlikely a pairing as Sturges's shotgun marriage of Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen in The Magnificent Seven. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Magnificent movie, Tracy is brilliant
Spencer Tracy delivers yet another outstanding performance in this under-rated sleeper. He is mesmerizing as the one-armed MacReady, ably supported by the devious Robert Ryan and Ernest Borgnine, in a role rivaling his vicious "Fatso" characterization in From Here to Eternity.

However, the original cinemascope format does not translate well in this version and a wide-screen format is necessary to do justice to the film. In many scenes, one or more of the actors are cut out entirely from the frame which is irritating and distracting. In several moments, we hear Tracy's voice but he is nowhere to be seen on screen because of the limitations of a TV screen format.

It's good to see this film finally getting the recognition it deserves for an excellent script (years ahead of its time) and a stellar performance by the inimitable Spencer Tracy.

An underrated film driven by stupendous acting
Although well directed by John Sturges, this film set immediately after the end of WW II is driven by great performances by a great, great cast. Spencer Tracy's role as the one-armed John J. Macreedy, who has come to Black Rock to deliver a war medal to the father of a Japanese-American hero who died fighting in WW II, is sufficient by itself to have made this a great film. But luckily, it features several other stellar performances, including several of the best tough guys in American film history, Robert Ryan, Lee Marvin, and Ernst Borgnine. The cast is rounded out by the extraordinarily beautiful Anne Francis (a beautiful and not untalented actress who despite a long career never managed a break out role that might have propelled her to stardom), the reliable Dean Jagger, and the great Walter Brennan.

Although John Sturges is known as a great action director--and this film does have some great action sequences near the end--this film is driven by interpersonal conflict and confrontational dialog. Nearly every line spoken by one character to another seems to contain a mystery or a threat. As a result, there is an edge to this film from beginning to end. The script is brilliant, with a good mystery but even better dialog.

It is impossible to overpraise Spencer Tracy's performance in this one. He is always completely natural in his acting, but no less so in this film playing a one-armed man. He hardly comes across as someone with a handicap, but a tough-as-nails force of nature. As tough as Ryan, Marvin, and the others are in the movie, Tracy can match them grimace-by-grimace.
I'm not sure why this film isn't better known than it is. Given the quality of the performances and the stature of the principle actors, you would think it would be a mainstay on TV and rental shelves. Anyone unfamiliar with this film should do him or herself a favor and get it as soon as they can.

Sublime work
The intolerance has not political color , identity card and it has not related with a specific nation.
Bad day... is a dark and bitter story in a small town about a murderer . The victim is a japanese citizen , killed by a leader who hated all men who came from the Eastern World .
Far beyond the horrors lived in WW2 , the hate still remains in the heart the soul and the memories of this little community who decides "to clean" the town from this japanese disease.
Spencer Tracy will be sent to investigate the sudden dissapearance of this japanese citizen.
Knock out performance of Spencer Tracy and unforgettable punch from Robert Ryan. Lee Marvin plays a little role.

Good Day at Black Rock
All the negative comments made below by "almond cakes" are accurate. However, the film is extrememly enjoyable in spite of the "flaws" he mentions. I can't imagine these events actually taking place, but wouldn't that logic also apply to Star Wars? And The Wizard of Oz. And The Terminator? And thousands of other movies where credibility is stretched a little? John Sturges and the cast he directs are sensational in this movie. Though some of the events depicted may seem far-fetched, I don't mind going along for the ride. It's well worth your time, if for no other reason to see Spencer Tracy upstage a whole bunch of very talented actors competing with him for attention. Tracy shines brighter than the rest without even seeming to try.

Stands the test of time...
Spencer Tracy's performance is bombproof in this tale of bigotry and hatred. It is a universal story that will stand the test of time by illustrating how xenophobic behavior is allowed to fester in small towns, (and in small nations). It is admirable that it was made in 1955, only a decade after WWII had ended.

If you're a movie fan, it is hard not to be in awe of the tension that is created in this story. The determination of John J. MacReedy (Spencer Tracy) is remarkable as he persistently probes the town's inhabitants to find out what happened and then tries to save himself when he realizes what probably did happen. The brief fight scene with Borgnine in the 'restaurant' is realistic and highly satisfying.

The reviewer on this page who thought the story was hokey and flawed might be more satisfied watching something like 'Flubber' because they obviously weren't getting the message...

Tracy was nominated for Best Actor for 'Black Rock' and was up against James Dean, but ironically lost to Ernest Borgnine for his role in 'Marty.' ... Read more

Amazon.com

This Western has become a modest cult favorite since its release in 1993, when the film was met with mixed reviews but the performances of Kurt Russell (as Wyatt Earp) and especially Val Kilmer, for his memorably eccentric performance as the dying gunslinger Doc Holliday, garnered high praise. The movie opens with Wyatt Earp trying to put his violent past behind him, living happily in Tombstone with his brothers and the woman (Dana Delany) who puts his soul at ease. But a murderous gang called the Cowboys has burst on the scene, and Earp can't keep his gun belt off any longer. The plot sounds routine, and in many ways it is, but Western buffs won't mind a bit thanks to a fine cast and some well-handled action on the part of Rambo director George P. Cosmatos, who has yet to make a better film than this. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (273)

Frontier justice
TOMBSTONE must rank as one of the best westerns in the post-Peckinpah/Leone era. This is due to many of the traditional elements that made the western genre a uniquely American genre, not to mention the disillusionment that the characters in Peckinpah's and Leone's films felt.

This film focuses on legendary Kansas lawman Wyatt Earp who hopes to stick with retirement from law enforcement by journeying with his brothers (Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton) to the Arizona mining town of Tombstone, along with Wyatt's good friend Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer). The trouble is, however, Tombstone is a practically lawless place. And when a group of outlaws known as the Cowboys begin to turn Tombstone's streets red with the blood of innocent people, the stage is set--not merely for the celebrated gunfight at the O.K. Corral, but the revenge that comes after Paxton is killed and Elliott wounded.

Much has been made of Kilmer's performance as Doc Holliday, and he certainly does a lot with the role. I myself think that the real star is the often underrated Russell, who looks virtually like a dead ringer for Wyatt Earp. So often, Russell's talents were underutilized by filmmakers. Here, he really shows his mettle as an actor. Powers Boothe and Michael Biehn, as the head honchos of the Cowboys, make for incredible heavies; and the legendary Charlton Heston has a cameo as well.

Well directed by George Cosmatos (RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART 2), scored by Bruce Broughton, and excellently photographed by William Fraker (BULLITT) on Arizona locations, TOMBSTONE is a must-see western, proof that there is still life in this genre if only Hollywood would return to it more often.

All-Star Western
Tombstone is an excellent western that spares no expense in terms of its starring cast.

The movie begins with the three Earp brothers--Wyatt, played by Kurt Russell; Virgil, played by Sam Elliot; and Morgan, played by Bill Paxton--journeying to a small mining town called Tombstone to, in Wyatt's words, "make our fortune." As an aside, I just want to say that Russell bears an uncanny resemblance to the real Wyatt Earp. If you don't believe me, then do a web search and check it out for yourself.

After crossing paths with a thuggish band of criminals known as "The Cowboys," Virgil decides to become town marshall, with Morgan as his deputy--much to the consternation of Wyatt. As a showdown with The Cowboys looms, Wyatt eventually throws in with them for the legendary Gunfight at the OK Corral.

Without a doubt, my favorite character was the doomed Doc Holliday, played flawlessly by Val Kilmer. Kilmer may have a reputation of being difficult to work with, but he nails the Holliday character and was deserving of an Oscar nomination (which he didn't receive). His smugness, wrapped in a Georgia accent, is truly a joy to behold. He has so many wonderful lines and scenes that they are too numerous to list here. As was historically accurate, Holliday also throws in with the Earps for the OK Corral shootout.

The movie goes on to detail the events after the OK Corral confrontation--including the murder of Morgan and the maiming of Virgil, and Wyatt's subsequent revenge against The Cowboys. Minor plotlines include Wyatt's interest in a stage performer, played by Dana Delaney; and Wyatt's wife's addiction to opium.

The all-star cast includes Michael Biehn as the sadistic Johnny Ringo--a mirror image of Doc Holliday; Powers Boothe, as Curly Bill Brocious, the self-annointed "founder of the feast" known as The Cowboys; Billy Bob Thornton, as the bullying Johnny Tyler; and Charleton Heston, in a cameo as Henry Hooker.

While the film may not be as historically accurate as some accounts, it certainly is enjoyable.

Absolutely riveting account of a well known story
This is probably the best telling of the Wyatt Earp/Doc Holliday saga I have ever seen. I have watched many movies about the legendary fight at the O.K. Corral, but none have been as enthralling as the characters in "Tombstone". Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer are more believable as Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday than any other actors portraying those characters. The much praised John Ford Classic "My Darling Clementine" while a great movie, was riddled with inaccuracies even to the point of making Doc Holliday a surgeon rather than a dentist. "Tombstone" tried to stay as true to the actual characters as possible and in my opinion more than succeeded. On the heels of the slow, dragging Kevin Costner epic "Wyatt Earp", "Tombstone" is much faster paced and holds the viewers attention with drama, action and breathtaking scenery all the way to the tearjerking end. Well made movie that should hold it's own for a long time to come, I'm definately a fan.

"Not me, I'm in my prime"
Val Kilmers performance as Doc Holliday should have gave him the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1993.It was clearly the best performance to date of his carreer.Hollywood just seems to ignore and dismiss this type of movie. Kilmer steals the show from Kurt Russell,as Wyatt Earp.The powerful cast includes Micheal Biehn as Johnny Ringo, Sam Elliott as Virgil Earp, Stephan Lang as Ike Clanton, as well as Powers Booth, Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thorton,Michael Rooker, Billy Zane,Jason Priestley, and last but not least, Charlton Heston in a cameo appearance as rancher John Hooker.Again, Kilmer steals the show as Doc Holliday.His performance as a retired dentist that suffers from alcoholism and tuberculosis, is nothing less than masterful, first rate acting. Dennis Quaid played the same character in "Wyatt Earp" that came out about six months later, and this reviewer thinks his performance, while good, was not up to the same standard as Kilmer.There are many "one liners"that everone remembers and have become classic.A definite "must see" western that I would rate in the top five for all-time for this genre.

Who's your Huckleberry?
This is a fun movie. Kurt Russell is dead-on as a wiley Wyatt Earp and Val Kilmer steals every scene he appears in as Doc Holliday. Bill Paxton is good as Wyatt's brother Morgan. Is there anyone that looks better under a cowboy hat than Sam Elliot? He plays brother Virgil Earp. Not so much a true narrative as a series of vignettes featuring the above characters (with the centerpiece Shootout at the OK Corral) the film is nonetheless a very entertaining look at these characters. Powers Boothe is menacingly bad as Curly Bill, the leader of the outlaw Cowboys.

Kilmer's Doc Holliday, in particular, is a load of fun. "I'm your Huckleberry" he taunts Johnny Ringo, and although I have no idea where this saying originated, Kilmer repeats it in this film to entertaining effect. Later on he is asked why he sticks his neck out for Sheriff Earp. "Wyatt Earp is my friend", he replies simply. The other man scoffs "I've got LOTS of friends". "I don't" says Doc.

This is the kind of movie that perpetuates the "Legend of Wyatt Earp", but it's also the kind of movie that grown men still quote liberally with big smiles on their faces more than a decade after it's initial release. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

No film better utilizes Audrey Hepburn's flighty charm and svelte beauty than this romantic adaptation of Truman Capote's novella. Hepburn's urban sophisticate Holly Golightly, an enchanting neurotic living off the gifts of gentlemen, is a bewitching figure in designer dresses and costume jewelry. George Peppard is her upstairs neighbor, a struggling writer and "kept" man financed by a steely older woman (Patricia Neal). His growing friendship with the lonely Holly soon turns to love and threatens the delicate balance of both of their compromised lives. Taking liberties with Capote's bittersweet story, director Blake Edwards and screenwriter George Axelrod turn New York into a city of lovers and create a poignant portrait of Holly, a frustrated romantic with a secret past and a hidden vulnerability. Composer Henry Mancini earned Oscars for the hit song "Moon River" and his tastefully romantic score. The only sour note in the whole film is Mickey Rooney's demeaning performance as the apartment's Japanese manager, an offensively overdone stereotype even in 1961. The rest of the film has weathered the decades well. Edwards's elegant yet light touch, Axelrod's generous screenplay, and Hepburn's mix of knowing experience and naiveté combine to create one of the great screen romances and a refined slice of high society bohemian chic. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (156)

Fascinating ......they're after the same rainbow end
I love this film.From the first scene when the yellow cab stopped with Holly alighting,having her breakfast in front of Tiffany's to the very last scene when Holly & Paul reconciled and kissed in the rain...

Simply marvellous piece of work. With the flawless performance from Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. The unique mood of the movie.And my fave song "Moon River". Who can forget the part when Holly sitting by her window plucking the guitar strings and singing...."Moooonnn River...." Great adaption from Truman Cropte's book with many magical touches and refinements. It's about a free-spirit girl Holly's struggle in Life,her fear of Love and commitment, she didn't even think she own her nameless 'cat'. Paul is a struggling writer who actually a 'kept-man' by a rich lady. Fate brought them together,first as neighbours to friends and eventually lovers. They were soul mates who needed each other and are made of each other....they are after the same rainbow end.

The idea was refreshing....esp.doing things that each have never done:- Strolling down New York street in the morning, stealing, visiting the Library and of course Tiffany's. Simply amazing, fantastic and romantic .

The best part about it was both Holly and Paul were practical people with dark secrets and not really perfect human beings and it make the story more realistic but not losing the romantic fairy tale feel.

This film is one of the best in movie history. It touches my heart my soul with scenes with the perfect combo of laughter,sadness,ironic,truth,secrets,romance,life,etc....... Timeless and Unforgettable......

Fascinating¿They are after the same rainbow end!
I love this movie. From the first scene when Holly(Audrey Hepburn) alighted from the yellow cab to have breakfast in front of Tiffany to the very last scene when Holly and Paul(George Peppard) reunited and kissing in the rain.

Mesmerizing film, shine in all departments. Excellent adaptation from Truman Capote's same name novel. Skillful directing by Blake Edwards and flawless performances from both the leads and not forgetting great supporting casts. This role was made for Audrey Hepburn, she was graceful, witty, charismatic and totally awesome. One of her best performance ever!

The story was about a free spirited and helpless Holly Golightly who lived with a nameless 'Cat', didn't want to own anything and afraid of love and commitments. Life pretty much socializing because holly's goal in life to marry one of the richest man under 50. Things take a twist with Paul Varjak moved into the apartment below hers. Paul was a struggling writer who actually a kept man by a rich lady. They became neighbour to friends then soul mate and eventually lovers.

This is not the usual romance story, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is a timeless classic, showed sincerity, sensibility and class.

I also love the song of this movie "Moon River". Who can forget the part when Holly plucking the strings of the guitar and singing it "moonnn----riv---ver"......

This movie touch my heart with memorable characters, song, etc and I've watched it from time to time because each time I watch it, I renewed the feeling. Marvellous vintage classic.Simply divine!

One of the best chick flicks ever
I loved Breakfast at TIffany's. I had read about it from all of the gossip girl books and eventually became curious about the movie. I figured the movie would be good but I didn't expect to fall in love with it as much as I did. It is one of the best romantic comedy, chick flicks I have ever seen.

Good for ALL ages!
Because of the fact that I'm only 17 years old, I just got around to watching this movie. I'd always heard about it but I never knew what it was about. And, to be quite honest, I didn't even think about watching it because I thought it was in black and white! (Eh, I didn't know when it was made!)

My dad made me watch it this past weekend and I fell in love with it! Unlike most romantic comedies made today, both main characters are broke. It doesn't follow the mold of: poor/average girl falls for rich guy blah blah blah or the other way around. It was funny (Mickey Rooney's character was HILARIOUS!) and sad (when Holly finds out about Fred) and sappy (the last 20 minutes) all at the same time.

This movie is great for anyone, whether you saw it the first time around or you're a "late viewer" like me.

my fav movie!
i love this movie so much!
it is a love story but its not sappy it is so fun to watch

it is not an earlier version of pretty woman at all (as another review stated) audrey hepburn does not play a prostitute really she just has a lot of suitors. Anyway i completely recommend it so worth the $ ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Too slow and, well, boring
Maya Angelou is one of my favorite authors (see my Maya Angelou "buyer's guide"), so I was really excited when I got my hands on a copy of this made-for-TV movie which is based on her autobiography of the same title. After watching it for about an hour, I had to turn it off. It is far too slow and - I hate to use the word but here I go - boring. Most of the actors don't really seem to fill their roles really well, with Esther Rolle being the exception. She really comes through in this movie and was perhaps the only thing that kept me interested (though she couldn't save the movie).

Joseph Campbell was quoted as saying that, ultimately, all stories have been told. Most stories are based on the journey of the hero. This is certainly the case with Maya Angelou's life as depicted in I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS. Campbell indicated that what makes a story worthwhile is the orinigality of the way it is told. And that is the problem with a TV movie based on Angelou's book: it doesn't have Angelou to tell it. In other words, I believe that Maya Angelou as a story teller and personality is just as interesting as the story she tells. A movie version of her life cannot be told by her but must be told by screenwriters, directors, actors, etc., and therefore suffers.

I cry deeply at her moving life
I am truely a fan of the amazing Maya Angelou. As A white man in his late 20's, you may find this bewildering. She has been a light in my life from her very first novel/autobiography. We were not asked to read the book in High School (mid 80's) like many schools, but I took it upon myself to do so. It wasn't assigned to me until college. (The rest of her story, it took upon myself to explore.) I did not know that there was a film of this work until I got married in 1993, when I quoted a bit of peotry of Ms. Angelou at my reception. Someone told us about the film and eventhough there was some creative omitions, the power and strength of the young lady came through. I am greatful for Ms. Angleou and her works. And it was wonderful to see that someone was able to put to screen what was in my imagination.

Don't Read The Book Before You Watch This Movie
I made the mistake of reading the book before watching this movie. I believe I am one of Maya Angelou's biggest fans; however, this movie failed to touch the main "senses" of her writing.

Imparts something to all who read it.
I read this book when I was in high school ages ago and thank goodness I did. It was one of those tidbits that helps to shape who you are and what you think of yourself. I was and still am an avid reader but this book was the first book I read told from a young black girl's perspective. Imagine it.... It blew me away. But as I read this book it made me realize even more so that people are people. While your environment certainly dictates what sort of priorities you have when you are young you basically think the same things. I don't think the times have changed so much that this book wouldn't still be relevant to the youth of today. For young girls (especially black girls) it deals with self esteem and those raging hormones (commonly referred to as "I'm in Love"), and for youth of any sex or color it deals with just growing up.

If you have anyone in your life that is young, impressionable and going through their teens this book should be required reading. They may not want to do it but I don't think they will be sorry they did do it. You might want to read it or reread it if it's been awhile and then actually take some time to discuss it with a young person. Maya's style is easy to read and to absorb and still stands the test of time.

just like the book, it's an excellent story!
I was forced to read the book for my education class in college. i thought at first that it was going to boring but the more i got into it, the more i truely enjoyed seeing a different side to Maya. i liked the book so much that i had to go out and rent the movie! both are wonder representations of what hard work and determination can do for people! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Barry Levinson (Wag the Dog) directed this comedy-drama about an Armed Forces Radio disc jockey (Robin Williams) whose manic, hilarious delivery from a studio in 1965 Saigon gives U.S. troops in the field a morale boost (while upsetting military brass). Based on the real-life experiences of deejay Adrian Cronauer, the film is actually more concept than story: put Williams in front of a microphone and let him go nuts. Still, the surrounding stuff about the influence upon Cronauer of the endless deaths among his listeners--as Cronauer tries to stay funny while feeling the mounting losses--is affecting. Williams got a much-deserved Oscar nomination for his work. DVD release available. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (34)

funny comedy, so-so drama
This flick really put Robin Williams on the map, and deservedly so- he's freakin' hilarious in this movie! Good acting jobs by all major roles; Forest Whitaker also does nicely as the "protege".

However, the fault of this movie is where it tries to be serious. Williams's politics are thinly veiled, as the only people who oppose anything he does (VC's, bully GI's, "the brass") are stereotypes. Nothing Haup or Dickerson say or do is ever pleasant or reflective of any redeeming qualities whatsoever. In addition, after picking oneself up from the floor from laughing at Williams's brilliant jokes, one can step back and understand (empathize?) why people might not have liked such comments as "If it's being done well, here or abroad, it's probably *not* being done by the U.S. Army!" Now, maybe that's true, maybe it's not, but a lot of people work (and worked) very hard to be sure that what the U.S. Army did is/was done well, and these people wouldn't be the jerks that Dickerson and Haup (sp?) are in this film if they took offense to a deejay like Williams's portrayal of Cronauer.

In short, watch this movie and enjoy the humor, but think twice before taking any sort of "deeper meaning" more seriously.

He bucked authority and won the hearts of the soldiers
Starring Robin Williams as Airman 1st Class Adrian Cronauer, this 1987 film is loosely based on a real radio DJ whose outrageous sense of comedy bucked authority and won the hearts of the American soldiers in 1965 Vietnam. The audience never learns much about Cronauer's character as there is virtually no back story. He is just set down in Vietnam at a time in history when the American police action is about to escalate. When he gets to know the Vietnamese villagers, however, his character slowly changes. Of course there is conflict with his very uptight superiors which adds to the comedy. Eventually though, the story becomes more complex than the comedy and, at film's end, Cronauer has become more mature and wiser.

I found myself giggling at the jokes, but eventually the comedy all had a certain sameness. However, I did get into the story. There wasn't much military action, only some strong hints of what was to come. Wisely, the film focused on the characters and portrays the Vietnamese villagers as real people who Cronauer teaches to curse in American slang and with whom he plays baseball, using mangos as the ball. This is a good video, lighthearted and yet with a message. Robin Williams' performance is excellent. And, although some of the action was a little too slow for my taste and the comedy ran thin early, I still do give it a good recommendation.

Gooooood Moooooorning Amazonnnn!!!!
Robin Williams, one of my favorite actors, is great as the crazy DJ who shakes things up for the soldiers of Vietnam. With his ability to do so many voices, love the Cronkite, and also his talent to convey some of the most diverse emotions, Robin Williams leads the movie. William's character is a radio dj, as I mentioned, who seems in his own world, and happy with it. Yet, with the violence of vietnam but also it's appeal, which to him is the Vietnamese people themselves, he is torn. One of the more uplifting stories about Vietnam this movie is very good and very funny, as only William's, even early in his career, can be.

Morality Charged Comedy
When Williams gets to do his stand up bit behind a mike as a Vietnam War disc jockey the results are hysterical. However, when the movie timidly ventures out from the safe confines of the airbooth, the movie seems ungainly. Williams' Adrian Cronauer is actually kind of a jerk. A funny jerk but a jerk. Being uncooperative, giving people a hard time and being a smart alecked rebel-without-a-cause seem to his modus operandi for the 1st 2/3 of the movie. The movie seems to be trying to tell us the Vietnam War was bad and sad, censorship is bad, mean people suck, many people in influential positions are self-interested jerks and the Vietnamese citizens were just people like you and me. I couldn't escape the impression that the scritwriter was much more interested in making a Robin Williams Movie than in showing any real interest in the Vietnam War.

Wakeup Call, Williams Style.
1965 was the year when, as a result of the Congressional Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, American military buildup in Vietnam began in earnest, and troop strength grew by a factor of no less than eight; from 23,000 at the beginning of the year to roughly 184,000 at the end. 1965 was also the year when a new AFN DJ arrived in Saigon, which over the course of that same year would transform itself from a sleepy French-Vietnamese colonial town into the nightmare it has since come to be in the memory of countless vets.

The new DJ in question was Adrian Cronauer; fresh from an assignment in Greece.

While the idea for a fictionalized account of his Vietnam experience was Cronauer's own, fueled by the popularity of "M*A*S*H," the script for Barry Levinson's "Good Morning Vietnam" was ultimately penned by screenwriter Mitch Markowitz with only some input from Cronauer himself, who has since gone out of his way to underline the fictional nature of the account and stress that his true stance was not so much anti-military as "anti-stupidity." Thus, the film has to be taken with a considerable grain of salt; both as far as the portrayal of 1960s' armed forces radio and as far as the movie's plot is concerned. But that doesn't make it any less poignant; nor does it take away one iota of Robin Williams's performance as Cronauer: Indeed, the role of an irreverent, unstoppable DJ seemed tailor-made for Williams, who had burst onto the scene with his inimitable brand of lightning-quick ad-libbing ten years earlier in "Mork & Mindy" - and of course, all of Cronauer's hilarious broadcasts in this movie are ad-libbed, too.

The film follows Adrian Cronauer from his arrival in Saigon in the spring of 1965 to his forced departure about a half year later (although the real Cronauer in fact stayed for a year and was not forced out but left when his regular tour of duty was over). While a comedy, and although not trying to be anywhere near the "definitive" take on Vietnam, it does take a close look at the year when the conflict escalated and, in particular, at the resulting toll on human relations. Robin Williams earned his first of to date four well-deserved Academy Award nominations for this role (the others were for "Dead Poets Society" [1989], "The Fisher King" [1991] and "Good Will Hunting" [1997], the movie for which he finally scored on Oscar night). And in his inimitable way he provides pointed comic relief not only over the microphone but also, and always with a unique ear for the situation's mood, whenever the script would otherwise threaten to veer off into melodrama; such as after his discovery that his Vietnamese friend Tuan is actually a Viet Cong fighter named Phan Duc To ("It's unbelievable. Five months in Saigon, and my best friend turns out to be a V.C. This will not look good on a resume!!"); and in scenes that would otherwise be burdened with a bit too much cliche and/or deliberately funny writing, such as the conference after Cronauer's first broadcast, where Bruno Kirby (Lieutenant Hauk) gets to deliver such gems as "Don't say that the weather is the same all the time here, because it's not; in fact, it's two degrees cooler today than yesterday" and "I hate the fact that you people never salute me - I'm a lieutenant, and I would like salutes occasionally. That's what being a higher rank is all about." Even if Kirby himself gets to make up for these a little later in the same scene with the comment "We are not going to escalate [Vietnam into] a whole war so we can get a big name comedian" (Bob Hope who, as the men have informed him, does not "play police actions"), it takes Williams's/Cronauer's final weaving of the lieutenant's preferred abbreviations into a single sentence to truly put the finishing touch on the scene.

Although "Good Morning Vietnam" is clearly first and foremost a star vehicle for Robin Williams, he is joined by an outstanding supporting cast, including inter alia, besides Bruno Kirby, Forest Whitaker as Cronauer's good-natured sidekick PFC Montesque Garlick, the ever-reliable J.T. Walsh as his second great nemesis, Sergeant Major Dickerson (whose stock character of a straight-laced white middle class guy would probably not have come off convincingly as a villain vis-a-vis anybody *but* Robin Williams) and, in particular, Tung Thanh Tran as Tuan and Chintara Sukapatana as his sister Trinh: Her plea with Cronauer not (even) to seek her friendship, let alone more, because for her such an association with a man (particularly a foreigner) is culturally unacceptable, is one of the movie's most quietly powerful scenes. Exceptional is further Peter Sova's cinematography, which convincingly captures the daily realities of a city and a country on the brink of an all-out war, and is brilliantly complimented by the editing, which in turn also uses the soundtrack - more or less a mid-1960s "greatest hits" compilation - to maximum effect; be it in framing daily military routine, the soldiers' enjoyment of Cronauer's style of broadcasting or combat action: Indeed, hardly any image could make a more powerful statement on the cruel absurdity of war than seeing a village blown up to the tune of Louis Armstrong's "It's a Wonderful World."

Thus, "Good Morning Vietnam" is in its own way as poignant a wakeup call as any other movie about Vietnam - or about World War II, or any other war for that matter. It deservedly netted the Political Film Society's 1989 Peace Award, in addition to Robin Williams's Oscar nomination and his Golden Globe and American Comedy awards, as well as the movie's ASCAP soundtrack award. And it certainly bears revisiting - for its overall quality, for Robin Williams's performance, and also for lessons learned and deserving never to be forgotten. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Clint Eastwood (making his very assured directorial debut) is a poetry-spouting stud-muffin DJ stalked by a maniacally amorous fan after a misguided one-night stand in this enjoyably schlocky, undeniably effective film about good intentions gone murderously wacky. Although many of the very '70s trappings presented here may ultimately be too dated to be taken seriously (including a very self-indulgent jazz number and a hilariously gooey seduction number between Eastwood and Donna Mills), the core premise of infatuation taken out of bounds remains uncomfortably plausible--and was influential enough to be appropriated by one of the biggest hits of the '80s. (Here's a hint--it starred Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, and a very unfortunate bunny rabbit). A well-staged and occasionally very frightening thriller worth watching for Jessica Walter's peerlessly unhinged performance alone. Frequent Eastwood collaborator Don Siegel (director of Dirty Harry, Coogan's Bluff, and The Beguiled, to name but a few) has a nice cameo as Murphy, the mustachioed, chess-playing bartender. --Andrew Wright ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Into The Mist
Play Misty For Me is Clint Eastwood's directorial debut and it is an entertaining thriller about obsession that is a precursor for films like Fatal Attraction. Mr. Eastwood plays against type as a DJ Dave Garver, who works at a jazz station in Carmel, CA (The town where Mr. Eastwood would become the real life mayor ). Mr. Eastwood is usually the strong, silent type who seeks revenge or is an enforcer. In this film, he is a sensitive ladies man, who reads poetry on the air and plays jazz music. He is also the victim. He has what he thinks is a one-night affair with Evelyn Draper played by Jessica Walter. Evelyn claims that there's no strings attached, but that turns out to be the farthest thing from the truth. She stalks Garver, showing up unannounced at his home, at a bar he frequents and in one instance tries to kill herself in his bathroom. In the meantime, Garver is trying to get back together with his former girlfriend Tobie played by a young Donna Mills. Evelyn trashes Garver's house and almost kills his housekeeper, Birdie (Clarice Taylor) and is taken away by the police and put into an asylum. Garver thinks it's over, but Evelyn gets out of the asylum and there is one last chilling scene involving scissors and a knife. Mr. Eastwood uses the natural beauty of the Monterey Peninsula to great effect in the film, with wide shots of the rolling surf and picturesque sunsets. There is one odd montage in the middle of the film which is like a music video set to Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", in which Tobie & Garver roam through the landscape and end up in a secluded pond. The use of the two year old song in the film actually propelled it to number one on the charts and made a star out of the relatively unknown Ms. Flack. There is also a scene from the Monterey Jazz Festival with actual performances by Johnny Otis and Cannonball Adderley. The actors all give credible performances. Even though Mr. Eastwood is playing the sensitive type, he still exudes his famous cool. Ms. Mills is luminous and she is just fragile enough to be a victim. Ms. Walter is perfect as Evelyn. She plays the part of a psychotic, unhinged, scornful woman just enough over the top to be scarily believable, but not too over the top to become cartoonish. The film is a strong debut for Mr. Eastwood as a director and despite some dated material, the film holds up as an effective thriller.

A One Night Stand Gone Wrong
"Play Misty for Me" was Clint Eastwood's debut film as a director. He shrewdly had old friend and colleague, veteran director Don Siegel, who directed him in his box office winner "Dirty Harry," along as a potential backup if needed, giving him a role as bartender of the haunt the actor frequents as male lead in the film. Eastwood's idea to film "Misty" in his hometown, scenic Carmel in Northern California's Monterey Peninsula, was an excellent choice. It gave cinematographer Bruce Surtees an opportunity to take advantage of the visual beauty of the area, which he does with abundance, making the film a scenic pleasure to watch. Eastwood, a noted jazz lover, also shrewdly takes advantage of filming opportunities at the annual Monterey Jazz Festival. Playing a disc jockey in the film, we see time frames based on the number of days to the upcoming festival, which Eastwood plugs frequently. Lots of excellent firsthand shots of the festival are seen, while certain artists are observed showcasing their musical talents.

As for the plot, the story line is credible, sharply on point. Eastwood meets Jessica Walters one night at Siegel's bar after he has finished doing his show. He walks her home, learning she is the faithful fan who keeps requesting the Errol Garner classic, "Misty." When she makes herself available, he hesitates, revealing he is hung up on someone, namely Donna Mills, then away pursuing her art career in Sausalito. Walters responds that there is nothing wrong with them making love with no attachments, after which Eastwood agrees to what he wrongly believes is a one night stand.

Eastwood is ultimately smothered by the persistent and mentally disturbed Walters, who surprises him by showing up unannounced at his home shortly after their sexual escapade with a bag of groceries in her arms, declaring her intention of fixing him dinner. He tries repeatedly and vainly to shake her, his romance with Mills being jeopardized in the process. He even loses an opportunity to develop a musical program concept for an interested producer, Irene Hervey, after Walters, wrongly believing she has interrupted a date, launches a savage verbal assault on the other woman when she finds them lunching at a local restaurant. Eventually a frenzied Walters attacks and hospitalizes Eastwood's cleaning lady, Clarice Taylor, with a knife, after which both are hospitalized, in Walters' case being involuntarily confined for her mental problems.

Just when Eastwood believes he is rid of Walters for good he receives a call from her. She reveals she is at San Francisco Airport awaiting boarding of a flight that will take her to Honolulu, where a job awaits her following her release from the mental facility. Eastwood declares there are no hard feelings on his part, asks how she is feeling, and wishes her well.

As he goes back to playing records, agreeing to play Walter's last request, her favorite tune, "Misty," Eastwood begins reflecting on the lines from the poem Walters recited for him before ending their call. It was from Edgar Allen Poe's "Annabel Lee." Mills has told him that her new roommate is named Annabel. When he calls Mills the phone is answered by Walters, who has tied up Eastwood's girlfriend. She tells Eastwood she is waiting for him. Eastwood puts on an old tape and leaves the studio for Mills' Carmel Highlands residence and a fatal showdown with Walters, who intends to kill them both in her fitful rage.

This brutally realistic film paved the way for later movies displaying stark sexual realism such as Michael Douglas' two triumphs, "Fatal Attraction" and "Basic Instinct." My only qualm is that the violence could have been toned down in the case of the knife attack on Clarice Taylor without losing any drama or story impact. All in all, however, this is a gem combining a strong story that moves briskly with the dramatically beautiful scenery of one of the world's most captivating areas.

Good debut directorial!
Play Misty meant the forst movie of this talented folm maker. This one is a tense psychological thriller which opened the inspiration sixteen years later to Fatal atraction, Jessica Walter (Nominated as best dramatic actress in 1971 for the Golden Globe), gives a surprisingly role as never before , as the outrageous lover who literally remains obsessed with Dave Garver (Clint)a nigttime disc jockey who loves the jazz and receives all kind of calls by phone.
His affair is obviously unexpected , but it will lead to several bitter headaches and disturbing situation.
Well thriller , and stills keeps its expressive force.

What Clint Eastwood called,"The original 'Fatal Attraction'"
I first saw "Play Misty for Me" in the theatre way back in the early 1970's.Remember it well.It was a triple feature at the drive-in when tickets were around two bucks.That's something you don't see anymore,triple features,drive-ins and movie tickets for two bucks.Saw it recently on home video and the picture has held up rather well.Clint Eastwood plays Dave Garver, a late night DJ at a Jazz radio station in Carmel,California,(remember he was elected mayor there in 1986 in which he served a two year term in office). Jessica Walter gives a terrific performance as Evelyn Draper who is a big fan of Garver's radio program..Donna Mills is also very appealing as Garver's girlfriend Toby.It features fine cinematography by Bruce Surtees and a good score by the late Dee Barton.In an interview in 1988,Eastwood referred to "Play Misty for Me" as the original 'Fatal Attraction'".This was shortly after that picture came out and became a big hit.(Glenn Close was nominated for Best Actress for her role.She didn't win but she should have though.)"Misty" was made 16 years earlier and I thought it was just as good.The DVD edition has some interesting extra features too.

Some trivia for you,Steve McQueen considered the role of Dave but changed his mind.Eastwood made a long distance phone call to Roberta Flack to ask her permission to use her song "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" in the film.Shortly afterward the tune became one of the biggest selling hits of the 1970's.In the top fifty best selling songs of the entire decade according to "Casey Casem's American Top Forty Countdown".Unfortunately "Misty" was not a hit at the box-office.It was a hit with many critics though.The screenplay was written by the late Jo Heims.She was a secretary at Eastwood's production company Malpaso.It was co-written by the late Dean Riesner who co-wrote the screenplay for "Dirty Harry".Eastwood's friend and mentor and frequent Director Don Siegel has a cameo as Murphy the bartender.A few months later the two went on to make "Dirty Harry".And,"Play Misty For Me" was Clint Eastwood's directorial debut.And,a very impressive one indeed.A preview of things to come.

Buy "Misty for" Yourself
Not only was this a SCARY, disturbing thriller, it was beautifully crafted and very well cast. Even the musical score played a part in the film (hence part of the title - "Misty") and Roberta Flack's romantic ballad "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". But with music aside, this movie did not have an ounce of predictability the way many thrillers have. Instead it presented originality, suspense, drama, and wonderful acting and directing all in one complete package. This movie even took at artistic view at the backdrop and scenery (set along the beautiful Monterey/Carmel, California coast). By incorparting all these elements made this film a true complete work of art. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Jane and Eckhart in a must see for thriller movie lovers
Thomas Jane and Aaron Eckhart star in this story of a drug runner gone good. Casey Wells has a home in the 'burbs, a sucessful wife and a past far behind him but when his ex L.A. pal Nick,(Eckhart)shows up for a reunion a normal Thursday goes bad. His ex partner wants to take Wells back into to the drug life and Wells starts to learn that the past always catches up with you. Great pick for thriller lovers. Lots of action and a creative story line. This is one of those movies that gets better each time you watch it. Eckhart fans(In The Company Of Men, Your Friends and Neighbors)will get a kick out of his smooth portrail of an in-too-deep drug dealer and Thomas Jane(Face/Off,Deep Blue Sea)is great as a formerdrug dealer with a past to run from,this guy has talent. Special appearance by Mickey Roarke is a cool twist and a great ending that's sure to make you realize that in life there are always options.

Thursday--What Fun!!!!
This has quickly become one of my all time favorite movies. Thomas Jane is marvelous as Casey, a former drug dealer who has moved from L.A to Houston, become an architect, gotten married, and bought a cute little house in the 'burbs. He likes being an upstanding citizen whose greatest danger in life is getting caught in his automatic lawn water sprinkler system. Things are so good, in fact, that Casey and his wife are trying to adopt a baby. All is bliss--until Thursday--when who should show up on his doorstep but his old drug-running buddy Nick (Aaron Eckhart) and leaves behind a mysterious locked metal suitcase. Strange people start showing up at Casey's house, including the nosy psychologist from the state adoption board who has come to conduct a psychological evaluation on Casey's fitness for prospective parenthood. Definitely some elements of "Pulp Fiction" here, but still fresh and funny. Even Mickey Rourke shows up--what else can you say? Just this: The humor is black, but the heart of this movie is pure gold.

Why doesn't anyone speak of Paulina?
Everything that's been said is true ... but I wonder why nobody mentions Paulina Porizkova! She was one bad chick!! Wonderful movie, but again, like said above ... why so much for a used CD? I sure wish I had a few copies ... I'd sell 'em for half that and be thrilled - HA!

Great movie
This is an awesome movie. It's just a shame it didn't get enough publicity to warrant more production. I can't find this DVD anywhere. If you like Boondock Saints you'll probably like this.

Amazing !
The only drawback to this movie is that it isn't longer. If you like Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction, then you will love this movie. It is easily one of my all time favorites. I still can't believe that this movie didn't make a huge splash at the box office and that more people don't know about it.

P.S. If you want a REALLY good laugh, then click on the "used and new" icon on this page. Check out how much money those dorks want for a used dvd of this movie. Guess how much those used dvd's of Thursday will be worth when it gets re-released on dvd one day. Can you say "worlds most expensive coasters" ? ... Read more

Reviews (48)

A movie I have searched for , for a long time.
Having been born in 1968, the year of the tet offensive, I have only second and third hand imformation from books, movies, and anecdotes, concerning that time in history. So, it is from that perspective I review this movie. This story takes place during the Tet offensive, in which a small American firebase is forced to defend itself against overwhelming odds. The only hope for this base is a battle hardened seargent, who takes control of the situation and becomes the young soldiers only hope for survival. This movie is in my opinion the most realistic war film, prior to "Saving Private Ryan" and holds the top spot along with "Hamburger Hill" as the best of the Vietnam war movies. Forget "Apocalypse Now" this is the movie that tells the Vietnam experience. Buy it you will not regret it.

I'm not a soldier, but I REALLY enjoyed this movie
I can't really comment on it's authenticity, but I enjoyed this movie more than most Vietnam era equivalents. Wings Hauser is very good in his role, but I can't say enough GREAT things about R. Lee Ermy in this movie. His voiceovers about the situations faced by he and his troops, as well as his acting and actions are top notch. This movie is visually powerful, and yet manages to tow a fine line between history, and entertainment. As well, it takes a suprisingly neutral stance on the Vietnamese themselves, giving you things to ponder as you watch it, making you wonder if you would behave any different if your country were being 'invaded'. It pays its respects to the compatants on BOTH sides, and isn't just another one of your typical American flag waving propaganda war films. This movie deserves to be seen by a wider audience, it is a keeper.

Brilliant
I have just watched this film and I thought that it was the best Vietnam War film I have evey seen. After watching Full Metal Jacket, Platoon and Hamburger Hill I find 'Siege of Fire Base Gloria' refreshing and hard hitting. War at the best of times is harrowing and usless but this film brought home the comradeship and closeness one finds in the services and during times of conflict. It was well directed and very well acted and showed a true representation of war you would not find other wise by actually being there. Its a shame you only have five stars because this film and its actors deservse 10+

HA HA HA !!!
This is defintely a B-grade movie when a company of VC with AK-47's and a squad of GIs with M-16's stand 10 paces away in full view of eachother during broad daylight, then fire away on full automatic for minutes on end.
Probally the highest body count of any movie ever made!
Rambo, eat your heart out!!

excellent movie
This has got to be the best movie & the most realistic on Vietnam ever made. ... Read more

Reviews (882)

Scott gets the look, as usual
[This review speaks mainly to the film, not the 3-disc special edition release]

Black Hawk Down is a tough movie to qualify. It's visually amazing--this is some of the best combat I've seen in a movie. It's thrilling, it's realistic, it's exciting. I wouldn't exactly call this an anti-war film because it depicts war as the ultimate thrill, a real game of real bullets and blood. Yes, it's hell, but with Ridley Scott directing it looks like a very, very good video game.

I don't know why this movie was made. There is no political leaning, there is very little context. It's a blow by blow account of what happened when over 100 Army Ranger and Delta Force soldiers were stuck in a hostile part of Mogadishu, Somalia in late 1993. The enemy, as to be expected from a Jerry Bruckheimer film, is given no identity. They are throngs of Africans, many of them kids, firing round after round and coming like swarms of bees even as they get cut down by the superior US firepower.

The problem is that the movie goes to very impressive lengths to play out this story. The production is huge--the battle scenes, the city scenes (filmed in some bombed-out-looking part of Morocco apparently), the gunplay, etc. This is an expensive film, and I have to wonder why the money and resources go into something like this if there is nothing to say. Then it becomes pure entertainment, which is all the film turns out to be. That's fine, but again, once in a while it would be nice to inject some intelligence into a project that obviously commanded so many other resources and considerations.

Why was America in Somalia? Granted, that is not the concern of the film, but some kind of context for the war, the rebels, the aims of the mission, the pov of Somalis who were killing to negotiate, as one Somali says in the only behind-the-scenes bit in the film, would have put the film over the edge and actually made the audience ::gasp:: think about why America fights where it does.

There's also the obligatory war film clichés that are just hard to stomach when we know that these are real soldiers being trivialized for the popcorn crowd. Tom Sizemore, as a veteran and tough-as-nails McKnight, goes back into the fray to rescue more men and walks calmly through the street as bullets ricochet around him, like Robert Duvall in Apocalypse Now. Modern movie special effects can simulate rockets blowing people apart, literally, and leg wounds being operated on with someone's bare hands, muscle and sinew and all. It is typical of Hollywood today: they have limitless resources, but those resources (being able to shoot a film as visually and technically impressive as this) serve a story that could use a bit more tweaking and humanization. But the filmmakers are
not interested in that angle.

It would be nice to know why Mogadishu is hell on earth, with hordes of enemies tearing people out of helicopters and raining rockets on American soldiers. Yes, the soldiers were brave, they were highly trained, but the mission was a disaster, and it does the real story a disservice to portray it as just another chapter in American gung ho-ism. Also, the single most memorable bit of that real story was the body of an Army Ranger being dragged through the streets by an angry mob that spit on him, and much worse. That was a disturbing bit of footage for Americans to watch. Would that have been more tasteless than showing an RPG rocket stuck in someone's side? Massive, gaping wounds? Missing legs? Why clean up real events and their aftermath for the sake of a night out at the movies? Maybe they should put their mouths where the money is.

Make no mistake--I couldn't turn this film off. It's exciting; it made me want to play Ghost Recon or one of those games. It also made me want to find out more about this grim chapter in President Clinton's tenure as Commander in Chief, even though it was his predecessor who landed troops there when he was a lame duck. Somalia was an embarrassment, an event that told America we were no longer willing to sacrifice men--18 as compared to over 1,000 Somalis killed in battle--in some foreign wasteland. The film is not enlightening in that regard. It's exciting, it's Jerry Bruckheimer, folks. Watch it and decide for yourself.

It looks like they went to very impressive lengths to put this out on DVD, as expected with a production like this. Definitely worthwhile to pick up, as multiple commentaries, deleted scenes, and other goodies sweeten the deal.

A Special Operation
It's about time! Sony Pictures finally got around to releasing a deluxe edition DVD of director Ridley Scott's magnificent fact-based war thriller "Black Hawk Down". Fortunately, it's well worth the wait; sporting three discs with every concievable extra feature, it could well be the best DVD package I've ever seen.

Possibly the finest of all pure war pictures and unquestionably the best movie ever made about the Special Forces, "Black Hawk Down" recounts the fierce battle that ensued in Somalia on October 3, 1993 during a mission by the Army's Rangers and elite Delta Force operators to capture two lieutenants of a repulsive warlord.

The film presents a raw, vivid dramatization of the fight, with graphic depictions of violent death on both sides. The difference is that Scott, unlike many of his contemporaries, mostly manages to steer clear of sentimentality, preachiness and jingoism (no small feat when you're making a war movie). Understanding the need for occasional breaks in what is essentially a two-hour-long battle scene, Scott also injects a little comic relief in the form of three lost Rangers and some other great little moments (my favorite is the part where Sgt. Eversmann, played with surprising vigor by Josh Hartnett, has to pause in the middle of battle to pull a scalding-hot spent shell casing from inside his uniform; little details like that are cinematic gold).

The first disc has the film along with three outstanding audio commentaries: one from Scott and producer Jerry Bruckheimer; one from screenwriter Ken Nolan and Mark Bowden, author of the original book; and, most interestingly, another by four actual veterans of the battle, who expand on true elements of the story and comment on some of the film's technical innacuracies ("This scene is really cool - too bad it never really happened").

Disc two features a 150-minute "making of" featurette that explores just about every facett of the production, including technical accuracy, CGI effects and footage of the actors at Ranger boot camp.

Disc three has two absorbing documentaries about the battle from the History Channel and PBS's "Frontline". There's also a feature that allows you to watch the fast-roping insertion scene from multiple camera angles and some Q & A sessions with the filmmakers and actors. There's a nice moment in one of these sessions in which Jason Issacs, who plays the aptly named Capt. Steele, comments on how "BHD" actually made him a better person: "After knowing what these soldiers went through, you feel a bit embarrassed complaining about the size of your trailer."

"Black Hawk Down", simply by virtue of its adherence to telling the story as it happened (as much as is possible, at least, within the confines of a 2 1/2 hour movie), is much more military-friendly than many of the artsy war pictures that depict soldiers as victims or, even worse, as psychopaths. It's also a far cry from the simplistic "super soldier" flicks of the 1980s that stressed a comic book mentality over respect for what real American warriors have endured over the centuries. "Black Hawk Down" is a profoundly patriotic movie, but its patriotism is more subtle, mature and real. The only American flags you really see are patches sewn onto the right shoulder of the troops' uniforms. The flag is backwards, so that the stars are closer to the soldier's heart.

A True Horror Film
It just doesn't get any better than this. I've seen this film 4 times & it never ceases to astound me. The acting is exceptional, Ridley Scott is directing here at the peak of his powers & Pietro Scalia should have received an Oscar for the outstanding editing job. The film itself functions more like a rocket ride than just a war film. The word visceral comes to mind. Violent? Frightening? Absolutely! But to demonstrate the true impact of war, for the soldiers & for us, there is no alternative. I noticed a fellow customer said this film is better than SAVING PRIVATE RYAN; am I the only one who noticed the huge hole in that film's storyline? Move over THREE KINGS, FULL METAL JACKET, THE THIN RED LINE...BLACK HAWK DOWN may just be the greatest war film ever made. Why? Because a war film isn't just bullets & the terrible death of comrades. Ridley Scott has shown us the true horror. I know it will haunt my dreams......

Great War Movie
I recently bought the DVD for this movie and I have to say that I'm blown away by the movie about the operation to capture Adid in Mogadishu, Somalia in October '93. This movie is very accurate in showing the realities of combat and I think that this is a movie that will really convey to people what it's like to fight and die not only for their country, but for each other.

I highly recommend this movie to anyone who wants to know about what it's like in the heat of combat and the courage and fortitude of our soliders.

Best Film of Post-WW2 Combat
Prior to "Black Hawk Down", "Apocalypse Down" was hands down my favorite non-World War II war movie. Time and distance works wonders, and Ridley Scott proves he can film modern combat, like sci-fi ("Alien") with the best of them.

This is a post Private Ryan film, which means that the street combat scenes are jumpy, erratic, and extremely violent. But like Spielberg, Scott does not lose sight of character development, particularly Harnett's character who becomes marooned with his "stick" of Rangers overnight in the centre of Mogadishu surrounded by thousands of screeming, RPG-toting Somalis who can use cell phones to mobilize and direct their forces. The movie builds like "Alien", to the point where it becomes incomprehensible that anyone is going to get out alive. The movie does not take sides when commanders sacrifice four or five soldiers to save one - it just happens.

Some reviewers have referred to the book as a "novel" - it is not. This battle really happened, but once we left Somalia (or were pushed out, depending on your point of view) it got quietly shunted aside as a bad sideshow until Mark Bowden wrote his book of the same title, which is a MUST read for people who loved the movie (it goes into greater detail of the Ranger culture and background politics). Lots of lessons abound for our current escapade into Mesopotamia.

Sizemore, who is also in "Private Ryan", is by leaps and bounds the best hard-nosed NCO anywhere. Ewan McGregor, who has had to suffer through Lucas' recent disasters, gets to demonstrate his versatility. Harnett is terrific.

No review should pass up the incredible sound, which demands a 5.1 system and heavy on the subwoofer. The soundtrack (with the exception of the vaguely Celtic ooh-ahhs at the end) is the best I recall of any war movie. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

I will never forget this movie
I have not seen this movie since it was first aired on TV many years ago, but I will never forget it. It is one of the most moving films I've ever seen, and on my list of favorite movies of all time. (This list includes El Norte, Careful He Might Hear You, The Good Fairy, My Man Godfrey, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Black Orpheus, Dersu Uzala, Notorious, The Shop Around the Corner, Big Lebowski, 12 Angry Men and Whistle Down the Wind, just to give you an idea of my taste.) I wish they would re-release The Dollmaker on DVD, but I'd settle for VHS if I could get it.

Mountain Magic
I'm not sure what year this wonderful film was released and it's hard to believe it's not available on tape yet. The down home charm of this folklike movie has made me actually wear out my old home taped copy after excessive viewing. Jane Fonda's portrayal of this homespun Kentucky mountain woman was absolutely fantastic. It was also good to see Helm on screen again continuing to play his often southern mountain character. These two actors together made quite a team showing us their poor, yet hard working and surviving family during war and less prosperous times in our country. A talented craftswoman and hard working wife that has a somewhat dreamer of a husband that works hard and learns to appreciate the life they already had was all they really needed. Each character, in their own way uses the skills they were given to improve their families lives and survive the times. This movie, as well as, a few select others I can think of, gave me that view into some of past times of people living nickel to nickel, company housing projects,coping with extreme family tragedy, food that is precious to life, hard work that pays off in the end and the importance of family values. I feel like a very fortunate person each time I watch this emotionally moving story. Well worth seeing.

The Dollmaker
This was a wonderful movie and book and I would love to own a copy on DVD. I wonder why some of the best movies seem to take the longest to be done on DVD?

THE BEST TV MOVIE EVER MADE
This is without a doubt the best acting Jane Fonda has ever done. If this movie had been a theatrical release, her performance would have won her an oscar. This is the most moving and beautiful family film I have ever seen. The child actors in this film are amazing beyond words and Helms casting as the husband of Fondas character is perfect. The soundtrack alone I would pay a fortune to own. Lucky for me,I do own a copy of the video and have enjoyed it many times.

The Dollmaker...all time great.
I absolutely love this movie and never get tired of watching it. I would really love to own it on DVD. Does anybody know of a place where I could find that?? ... Read more

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Except for feature-length animation, the musical has gone the way of the dinosa