Reviews (6)

captivating
I found the movie very interesting. Movies never follow the book to a tee. The actors and actresses were superb. I enjoyed each and every one of the characters(no problem with nicollette). Jackie comes through once again. I recommend it. It leaves you yearning for more.

worth the time!
A very nice movie,with a splendid cast (although there were some exeptions!).
The story itself is offcourse classic and appealing.
It provides some 4 hrs of intertainment witch may seem long,but the movie is surtanly worth the time.
An exiting tale with an impressing cast...
So all by all i would recomend it.. (too bad its not yet available on dvd!)
But why trust my opinion,watch the movie and decide for yourself..

Lucky Chance that the movie aired!!
The movie could have been better if they left out Nicolette's horrific so called acting. all the other actors did their characters justice! The make-up in first 12yrs for the female actress for the story line was gruesom, but it did get better!! All in all the movie was fine I would recommend buying this movie @ a discount only!!

Great Movie
I thought this was a great movie. I loved the actor playing Gino. I actually felt like he was ment for the part. Although the books were much better, I really enjoyed this movie and the sequal to it. Sandra Bullock was a good Maria, but her part was too short.The actress playing Lucky was brilliant! She gave off the real essence of Lucky.

Irizarry Saves the Day
I agree with the first viewer, this movie was good, but the books were of the "can't put 'em down" variety, so would have been VERY hard to beat IMO. Vincent Irizarry, playing Gino "the Ram" Santangelo saves this movie for sure. He ages 40 years and does so with style and grace. An amazing performance from an amazing man. Michael Nader as Enzio Bonnati is excellent as well. I didn't find Braeden's portrayal of Dimitri all that compelling however. I don't think he "fit" the role real well, maybe it's just me. The roles of Lucky and her mother should have been reversed. Sandra Bullock would have made a much better Lucky and Nicolette Sheridan ... well let's just say she would have been on screen a whole lot less. Grant Show was great as Marco, although the part was too small for my liking. And the character of Lenny Golden may well have not even been introduced for all the time they spent on him, he was a BIG part of the books, and hardly even noticable in the movie. (Not the actor's fault, he was good.)

Overall, it was very entertaining. It was originally a mini-series and is long, almost four hours and would probably be best viewed in several installments. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The controversial, Reagan-era invasion of Grenada by U.S. troops is, oddly enough, at the center of this initially interesting story of a seasoned Marine sergeant (Clint Eastwood) routinely insulted by younger officers for being a symbol of the war that America "lost" in Vietnam. Looking for both a victory and a little redemption, Eastwood's character trains a squadron of scrappy pups and turns them into fighting grunts, just in time to follow White House orders and take the little island. Marsha Mason plays Eastwood's love interest, and Mario Van Peebles is funny as an undisciplined con artist who joins Clint's men and finally catches the spirit after getting his butt kicked a few times. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Heartbreak Ridge
Easily one of my favorite films of all time. From the intro's black and white scenes of the Korean conflict with Don Gibson's "Sea of a Heartbreak" playing, with a dubbed in banjo, in the background to the fade to color present with a battle scared Clint in the drunk tank telling war stories and backing it up with action to prove his point in front of a captive audience. This is a great action and scene packed film. Meant to be taken as tongue in cheek. I look at it as what it might be like if Clint Eastwood did standup comedy. I probably watch this movie 3 times a year. No it's not high art as other reviewers have stated; but who cares. It's a good story, an honest story with some peripheral basis in fact and a lot of patriotism. The story exploits ideals and emotions that most folks over 50 can probably identify with throughout the movie. My 11-year-old son loves the movie. " This is an AK47 assault rifle, the preferred weapon of your enemy and makes a distinct sound when fired at you." This is entertainment at its best.

Clint Eastwood's Marines
Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the lead role of this film about a "salty," battle-hardened career sergeant who whips a platoon of new Marines into shape. Along the way, he attempts to repair his failed marriage and locks horns with the Marine Battalion's Operations Officer.

Eastwood is Gunnery Sergeant Highway, a Korea and Vietnam veteran who won the Medal of Honor and survived a horrific battle in Korea referred to as "Heartbreak Ridge" in the film. He's a warrior on the battlefield, but his aggressive, hard-drinking and "tell-it-like-it-is" personality has cost him promotion and his marriage. Nearing retirement, he receives orders to return to his elite specialty of Force Reconnaissance. Upon arrival, the battalion's operations officer treats Gunny as a washed-up old prima donna and he finds his new platoon comprised of misfits. On the personal side, Gunny's ex-wife still resides locally earning a living as a cocktail waitress.

Tackling his main problem, he commences to breathing fire into his young Marines, turning them into "heart-breakers and life-takers." During his off-time, he tangles with his ex-wife in an attempt to repair their failed marriage. All during this time, he's one step away from being under-mined and kicked out by his nemesis.

The film culminates with their deployment to intervene the crisis on the Island of Grenada (actual operation in 1983), leading the way into combat for the Marine battalion. It is here where the plot unfolds to reveal if Gunny's old-school training methods have worked, if his wife decides to return, and if he'll survive.

Overall, the movie has Eastwood's brand of humor and it's a likeable feature not to be taken too seriously. There are some technical flaws, such as an absence of other officers in the battalion, but this doesn't spoil the movie too much unless you're a proud member of the Marine Corps. Another item about this movie is the use of profanity; it's colorful and there's plenty of it. By rumor, this story was originally written for an Army Ranger battalion, but apparently the Army denied permission to portray their Rangers in this fashion. Whatever the case, it's enjoyable to watch and does touch upon some actual leadership values.

"I'm mean, nasty, and tired"
I can't tell you why this movie is great, if you break it down into individual pieces, it probably wouldn't hold a candle to a bad made-for-TV movie. However, I've watched it dozens of times (and several more on the extra-clear DVD version) and enjoy it thoroughly each.

Eastwood's lines are memorable, if only for their raunchy hilarity. "I eat canstantino wire and piss napalm". Ooh Rah!

A Tribute to Greatness
Heartbreak Ridge is hardly about the military- it's more about greatness and integrity. Clint is assigned to lead a team of rowdy recruits. By demanding greatness from them, Clint is able to transform the group from a bunch of criminals into a well-oiled military team. In doing this, Clint shows the true nature of great leadership. There is also a fair amount of comedy throughout the film, making it enjoyable on multiple levels.

A Great Ride With Clint....To..."Heartbreak Ridge"....
This review refers to "Heartbreak Ridge"...Warner Home Video..DVD edition...

"Heartbreak Ridge" from 1986 is Eastwood's tough guy image personified. He is Gunnery Sgt. Tom "Gunny" Highway. Gunny has seen it all, and done it all. He's a decorated war hero who has survived battle in both Korea and Vietnam.He's tough and gruff and will soon face mandatory retirement.With no war to fight his last assignment is to whip the members of a raw but feisty recon platoon into shape. He's up against an unwilling group,a "follow orders or else"(not exactly his style)type commanding officer, and an ex-wife who's as feisty as the recruits.Both he and his men(and his ex-wife) are put to the test when war breaks out on the Island of Grenada.It was directed by Eastwood, Marsha Mason co-stars and the cast is nicely rounded out by Mario VanPeebles, Moses Gunn, Bo Svenson and the wonderful Eileen Heckart.

This 1986 film looks great on this DVD. Warner has done a nice job with the clarity and colors. The widescreen format lets us in on all the action and the Dolby Dig 5.1 surrounds wonderfully. Lennie Niehaus' fabulous score completes the package.Don't look for much in the way of special features.There are theatrical trailers, some cast film highlights,and subtitles in English, French, Spanish,Portugese and Japanese.It may be viewed in French as well.

If you're a big Eastwood fan, you may want to purchase this in the Eastwood "Hero" 3-pack instead. It also includes "Absolute Power" and "A Perfect World"...You know you'll buy them all anyway and this way will save you some money...check it out!

Thanx...and enjoy.....Laurie ... Read more

Reviews (2)

nice music
french composer francis lai wrote the music to this film. he's also written the score for love story , a man and a woman and les miserables - 1995 french version. i love to watch the film because of spacek's great acting as well as the emotional impact of the score.

Based on a True Story!
A little while Ago we rented the Movie Marie: A True Story which has a fantastic cast. Sissy does an excellent Job playing a woman who is working her way up the latter of Politics after she left her abusive husband with her three kids. She becomes a woman who looks through papers and decides who will be released from prison, and who won't, and when Marie discovers a problem in the System, she also discovers that some people, Including the Mayor, are taking payoffs to set Rapers and Murderers free, back into society, to harm again. You definetly want to see this movie, but I'd suggest renting it first,................ ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Lying Eyes ( 1996 )
It's a really great show about an 18 year old cheerleader named Amy, and one day she meets a guy named Derek, who is 33, and he's married with kids. Amy doesn't know that, but for some weird reason, falls in love with him. Amy finds out that he is married and wants to break it off. But he tells her the same old same old, that he is an "Unhappy Marrige" and he is getting a divorce. Whatever, okay! It turns out there is no divorce in progress. So she gets threats, and she thinks that it is Derek's wife, but decides to hook up with him, just so she can find out who it is. It is a really good, fascinating movie, but most people wouldn't buy it for good money, But I did.

Vengeful Drama/Thriller
This was an entertaining drama/thriller originally aired on Lifetime Network about a sweet, innocent, high school cheerleader who has a romantic affair with a man way too old for her. Now, she is being stalked and terrorized by the man's other jealous lover. The poor girl soon begins fearing for her life as the vengeful woman's tactics become more and more deadlier.

Good Movie
The movie is about some teenager who goes to high school adn has an affair with this 30 year old man. She is being stocked by some women and almost gets driven off a cliff by her. The movie keep syou guessing until the end. Worth watching but now owning.

From "Models Inc." to Mistress
Routine suspense-thriller yet engrossing and exciting enough to try to catch it whenever it appears on Lifetime every so often--although I wouldn't recommend spending good money buying it. Better than it otherwise would be because of the uncommonly beautiful Cassidy Rae, who first attained some notice on TV's defunct "Models Inc." It's puzzling why she's not more famous--oh well, the vagaries of stardom, I suppose. Rae (yes, that's her real name although it sounds so patently phony!) stars as Amy Miller, a wholesome high school senior who gets embroiled in a turbulent affair with Derek Bradshaw (Vincent Irizzary), a 33-year old married lawyer with small kids who has an unquenchable taste for sweet young things. Amy's extremely flattered and impressed by the attention and pricey gifts he lavishes upon her, but attempts to break it off when she discovers he has a family. Derek gives her the old routine about how he didn't tell her because he didn't want to lose her, he's getting a divorce, it'll take some time, it'll hurt his kids, blah blah blah, and naive Amy gives him another chance since she's in love. Disturbing things happen to her such as the trashing of her locker, a sick letter in the mail, her car almost being pushed off a cliff, getting locked in a steamroom, etc. and naturally Amy suspects Derek's wife, who already knows about the affair. When she decides to end it with Derek for good, she then becomes suspicious of him as the unrelenting, anonymous harassments and threats to her life continue. Unbeknownst to her, it's not any of the likely suspects but a person connected to Derek's weakness for young girls and somebody she never would have imagined--although we the audience can figure out pretty early on who it is. I had some problems with Amy's character as she comes across as being a little too ingenuous to be believable for someone who's supposed to be intelligent--I know she's in love but to fall for the oldest cheating married man's tale in the book (that he's in an unhappy marriage) which might very well be true but when it comes time to leave their wives, boy, that's another story! But the story's writers apparently attempted to cover this with Amy's lonely home life living with her divorced and very busy mom--she's looking for a father figure, I suppose. And I thought it was pretty pathetic the way she doesn't even notice Derek's obvious treatment of her as really nothing more than decoration. The supposedly "scary" scenes come across as cheap rehashes of slasher movie staples--the young nubile babe who knows she's in peril but willingly puts herself in dangerous situations all alone calling "Who's there?" As for Irizzary, his character comes across as too slimy and smarmy to believe a high-school goddess would fall for him, but I guess never underestimate the allure of maturity, money and all the great gifts it can buy! ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Heartbreak Ridge
Easily one of my favorite films of all time. From the intro's black and white scenes of the Korean conflict with Don Gibson's "Sea of a Heartbreak" playing, with a dubbed in banjo, in the background to the fade to color present with a battle scared Clint in the drunk tank telling war stories and backing it up with action to prove his point in front of a captive audience. This is a great action and scene packed film. Meant to be taken as tongue in cheek. I look at it as what it might be like if Clint Eastwood did standup comedy. I probably watch this movie 3 times a year. No it's not high art as other reviewers have stated; but who cares. It's a good story, an honest story with some peripheral basis in fact and a lot of patriotism. The story exploits ideals and emotions that most folks over 50 can probably identify with throughout the movie. My 11-year-old son loves the movie. " This is an AK47 assault rifle, the preferred weapon of your enemy and makes a distinct sound when fired at you." This is entertainment at its best.

Clint Eastwood's Marines
Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the lead role of this film about a "salty," battle-hardened career sergeant who whips a platoon of new Marines into shape. Along the way, he attempts to repair his failed marriage and locks horns with the Marine Battalion's Operations Officer.

Eastwood is Gunnery Sergeant Highway, a Korea and Vietnam veteran who won the Medal of Honor and survived a horrific battle in Korea referred to as "Heartbreak Ridge" in the film. He's a warrior on the battlefield, but his aggressive, hard-drinking and "tell-it-like-it-is" personality has cost him promotion and his marriage. Nearing retirement, he receives orders to return to his elite specialty of Force Reconnaissance. Upon arrival, the battalion's operations officer treats Gunny as a washed-up old prima donna and he finds his new platoon comprised of misfits. On the personal side, Gunny's ex-wife still resides locally earning a living as a cocktail waitress.

Tackling his main problem, he commences to breathing fire into his young Marines, turning them into "heart-breakers and life-takers." During his off-time, he tangles with his ex-wife in an attempt to repair their failed marriage. All during this time, he's one step away from being under-mined and kicked out by his nemesis.

The film culminates with their deployment to intervene the crisis on the Island of Grenada (actual operation in 1983), leading the way into combat for the Marine battalion. It is here where the plot unfolds to reveal if Gunny's old-school training methods have worked, if his wife decides to return, and if he'll survive.

Overall, the movie has Eastwood's brand of humor and it's a likeable feature not to be taken too seriously. There are some technical flaws, such as an absence of other officers in the battalion, but this doesn't spoil the movie too much unless you're a proud member of the Marine Corps. Another item about this movie is the use of profanity; it's colorful and there's plenty of it. By rumor, this story was originally written for an Army Ranger battalion, but apparently the Army denied permission to portray their Rangers in this fashion. Whatever the case, it's enjoyable to watch and does touch upon some actual leadership values.

"I'm mean, nasty, and tired"
I can't tell you why this movie is great, if you break it down into individual pieces, it probably wouldn't hold a candle to a bad made-for-TV movie. However, I've watched it dozens of times (and several more on the extra-clear DVD version) and enjoy it thoroughly each.

Eastwood's lines are memorable, if only for their raunchy hilarity. "I eat canstantino wire and piss napalm". Ooh Rah!

A Tribute to Greatness
Heartbreak Ridge is hardly about the military- it's more about greatness and integrity. Clint is assigned to lead a team of rowdy recruits. By demanding greatness from them, Clint is able to transform the group from a bunch of criminals into a well-oiled military team. In doing this, Clint shows the true nature of great leadership. There is also a fair amount of comedy throughout the film, making it enjoyable on multiple levels.

A Great Ride With Clint....To..."Heartbreak Ridge"....
This review refers to "Heartbreak Ridge"...Warner Home Video..DVD edition...

"Heartbreak Ridge" from 1986 is Eastwood's tough guy image personified. He is Gunnery Sgt. Tom "Gunny" Highway. Gunny has seen it all, and done it all. He's a decorated war hero who has survived battle in both Korea and Vietnam.He's tough and gruff and will soon face mandatory retirement.With no war to fight his last assignment is to whip the members of a raw but feisty recon platoon into shape. He's up against an unwilling group,a "follow orders or else"(not exactly his style)type commanding officer, and an ex-wife who's as feisty as the recruits.Both he and his men(and his ex-wife) are put to the test when war breaks out on the Island of Grenada.It was directed by Eastwood, Marsha Mason co-stars and the cast is nicely rounded out by Mario VanPeebles, Moses Gunn, Bo Svenson and the wonderful Eileen Heckart.

This 1986 film looks great on this DVD. Warner has done a nice job with the clarity and colors. The widescreen format lets us in on all the action and the Dolby Dig 5.1 surrounds wonderfully. Lennie Niehaus' fabulous score completes the package.Don't look for much in the way of special features.There are theatrical trailers, some cast film highlights,and subtitles in English, French, Spanish,Portugese and Japanese.It may be viewed in French as well.

If you're a big Eastwood fan, you may want to purchase this in the Eastwood "Hero" 3-pack instead. It also includes "Absolute Power" and "A Perfect World"...You know you'll buy them all anyway and this way will save you some money...check it out!

Thanx...and enjoy.....Laurie ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Leaves something to be desired
Dated, by todays standards, but still compelling. First half is interesting, and you are glued to the screen trying to absord the information given by Coyote's character, yet hoping he turns out to be the good guy. Little by little we're given bits and pieces of what happened, but only through Coyote's character, who turns out to be a manipulating deceiver, cold and scary with his Manson like powers over less experienced people.The second half is confusing, and Coyote and Loggia are off screen for nearly forty minutes. In the ending court-room drama, we don't see a flashback or re-inactment of what "supposedly" happened to this female school teacher and her two children. I guess both Coyote's character, Bill Bradfield, and Loggia as Dr. Smith did commit the crime. But, we as viewers don't feel or see any concrete evidence, and this leaves something to be desired. Based on a true story that took place in 1979 in Pennsylvania, and a case that lasted seven years. Just too many questions left unanswered. Yet, Loggia is awesome, and scary (wait until you see those "eyes".) And it's always a pleasure to see Peter Coyote, a very under-rated actor. I don't know...maybe I should've read the book instead.

From a UM Perspective
I currently attend Upper Merion Area High School. While the movie was certainly entertaining (well, the first half anyway), the portrayal of some of the teachers who still work at UM seemed over-dramatized, and not very true-to-life. Still, it was interesting to see actors portraying people I know, as they were twenty some years ago.

A brilliant, clever, and hypnotic piece of work...
Coyote and Loggia are utterly compelling in their roles. One watches a nauseating conspiracy emerge tortuously and impossibly between these two apparently (largely)unconnected weirdos. The horror, when it appears, is all the more convincing for having been rendered implausible before. ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Heartbreak Ridge
Easily one of my favorite films of all time. From the intro's black and white scenes of the Korean conflict with Don Gibson's "Sea of a Heartbreak" playing, with a dubbed in banjo, in the background to the fade to color present with a battle scared Clint in the drunk tank telling war stories and backing it up with action to prove his point in front of a captive audience. This is a great action and scene packed film. Meant to be taken as tongue in cheek. I look at it as what it might be like if Clint Eastwood did standup comedy. I probably watch this movie 3 times a year. No it's not high art as other reviewers have stated; but who cares. It's a good story, an honest story with some peripheral basis in fact and a lot of patriotism. The story exploits ideals and emotions that most folks over 50 can probably identify with throughout the movie. My 11-year-old son loves the movie. " This is an AK47 assault rifle, the preferred weapon of your enemy and makes a distinct sound when fired at you." This is entertainment at its best.

Clint Eastwood's Marines
Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the lead role of this film about a "salty," battle-hardened career sergeant who whips a platoon of new Marines into shape. Along the way, he attempts to repair his failed marriage and locks horns with the Marine Battalion's Operations Officer.

Eastwood is Gunnery Sergeant Highway, a Korea and Vietnam veteran who won the Medal of Honor and survived a horrific battle in Korea referred to as "Heartbreak Ridge" in the film. He's a warrior on the battlefield, but his aggressive, hard-drinking and "tell-it-like-it-is" personality has cost him promotion and his marriage. Nearing retirement, he receives orders to return to his elite specialty of Force Reconnaissance. Upon arrival, the battalion's operations officer treats Gunny as a washed-up old prima donna and he finds his new platoon comprised of misfits. On the personal side, Gunny's ex-wife still resides locally earning a living as a cocktail waitress.

Tackling his main problem, he commences to breathing fire into his young Marines, turning them into "heart-breakers and life-takers." During his off-time, he tangles with his ex-wife in an attempt to repair their failed marriage. All during this time, he's one step away from being under-mined and kicked out by his nemesis.

The film culminates with their deployment to intervene the crisis on the Island of Grenada (actual operation in 1983), leading the way into combat for the Marine battalion. It is here where the plot unfolds to reveal if Gunny's old-school training methods have worked, if his wife decides to return, and if he'll survive.

Overall, the movie has Eastwood's brand of humor and it's a likeable feature not to be taken too seriously. There are some technical flaws, such as an absence of other officers in the battalion, but this doesn't spoil the movie too much unless you're a proud member of the Marine Corps. Another item about this movie is the use of profanity; it's colorful and there's plenty of it. By rumor, this story was originally written for an Army Ranger battalion, but apparently the Army denied permission to portray their Rangers in this fashion. Whatever the case, it's enjoyable to watch and does touch upon some actual leadership values.

"I'm mean, nasty, and tired"
I can't tell you why this movie is great, if you break it down into individual pieces, it probably wouldn't hold a candle to a bad made-for-TV movie. However, I've watched it dozens of times (and several more on the extra-clear DVD version) and enjoy it thoroughly each.

Eastwood's lines are memorable, if only for their raunchy hilarity. "I eat canstantino wire and piss napalm". Ooh Rah!

A Tribute to Greatness
Heartbreak Ridge is hardly about the military- it's more about greatness and integrity. Clint is assigned to lead a team of rowdy recruits. By demanding greatness from them, Clint is able to transform the group from a bunch of criminals into a well-oiled military team. In doing this, Clint shows the true nature of great leadership. There is also a fair amount of comedy throughout the film, making it enjoyable on multiple levels.

A Great Ride With Clint....To..."Heartbreak Ridge"....
This review refers to "Heartbreak Ridge"...Warner Home Video..DVD edition...

"Heartbreak Ridge" from 1986 is Eastwood's tough guy image personified. He is Gunnery Sgt. Tom "Gunny" Highway. Gunny has seen it all, and done it all. He's a decorated war hero who has survived battle in both Korea and Vietnam.He's tough and gruff and will soon face mandatory retirement.With no war to fight his last assignment is to whip the members of a raw but feisty recon platoon into shape. He's up against an unwilling group,a "follow orders or else"(not exactly his style)type commanding officer, and an ex-wife who's as feisty as the recruits.Both he and his men(and his ex-wife) are put to the test when war breaks out on the Island of Grenada.It was directed by Eastwood, Marsha Mason co-stars and the cast is nicely rounded out by Mario VanPeebles, Moses Gunn, Bo Svenson and the wonderful Eileen Heckart.

This 1986 film looks great on this DVD. Warner has done a nice job with the clarity and colors. The widescreen format lets us in on all the action and the Dolby Dig 5.1 surrounds wonderfully. Lennie Niehaus' fabulous score completes the package.Don't look for much in the way of special features.There are theatrical trailers, some cast film highlights,and subtitles in English, French, Spanish,Portugese and Japanese.It may be viewed in French as well.

If you're a big Eastwood fan, you may want to purchase this in the Eastwood "Hero" 3-pack instead. It also includes "Absolute Power" and "A Perfect World"...You know you'll buy them all anyway and this way will save you some money...check it out!

Thanx...and enjoy.....Laurie ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Heartbreak Ridge
Easily one of my favorite films of all time. From the intro's black and white scenes of the Korean conflict with Don Gibson's "Sea of a Heartbreak" playing, with a dubbed in banjo, in the background to the fade to color present with a battle scared Clint in the drunk tank telling war stories and backing it up with action to prove his point in front of a captive audience. This is a great action and scene packed film. Meant to be taken as tongue in cheek. I look at it as what it might be like if Clint Eastwood did standup comedy. I probably watch this movie 3 times a year. No it's not high art as other reviewers have stated; but who cares. It's a good story, an honest story with some peripheral basis in fact and a lot of patriotism. The story exploits ideals and emotions that most folks over 50 can probably identify with throughout the movie. My 11-year-old son loves the movie. " This is an AK47 assault rifle, the preferred weapon of your enemy and makes a distinct sound when fired at you." This is entertainment at its best.

Clint Eastwood's Marines
Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the lead role of this film about a "salty," battle-hardened career sergeant who whips a platoon of new Marines into shape. Along the way, he attempts to repair his failed marriage and locks horns with the Marine Battalion's Operations Officer.

Eastwood is Gunnery Sergeant Highway, a Korea and Vietnam veteran who won the Medal of Honor and survived a horrific battle in Korea referred to as "Heartbreak Ridge" in the film. He's a warrior on the battlefield, but his aggressive, hard-drinking and "tell-it-like-it-is" personality has cost him promotion and his marriage. Nearing retirement, he receives orders to return to his elite specialty of Force Reconnaissance. Upon arrival, the battalion's operations officer treats Gunny as a washed-up old prima donna and he finds his new platoon comprised of misfits. On the personal side, Gunny's ex-wife still resides locally earning a living as a cocktail waitress.

Tackling his main problem, he commences to breathing fire into his young Marines, turning them into "heart-breakers and life-takers." During his off-time, he tangles with his ex-wife in an attempt to repair their failed marriage. All during this time, he's one step away from being under-mined and kicked out by his nemesis.

The film culminates with their deployment to intervene the crisis on the Island of Grenada (actual operation in 1983), leading the way into combat for the Marine battalion. It is here where the plot unfolds to reveal if Gunny's old-school training methods have worked, if his wife decides to return, and if he'll survive.

Overall, the movie has Eastwood's brand of humor and it's a likeable feature not to be taken too seriously. There are some technical flaws, such as an absence of other officers in the battalion, but this doesn't spoil the movie too much unless you're a proud member of the Marine Corps. Another item about this movie is the use of profanity; it's colorful and there's plenty of it. By rumor, this story was originally written for an Army Ranger battalion, but apparently the Army denied permission to portray their Rangers in this fashion. Whatever the case, it's enjoyable to watch and does touch upon some actual leadership values.

"I'm mean, nasty, and tired"
I can't tell you why this movie is great, if you break it down into individual pieces, it probably wouldn't hold a candle to a bad made-for-TV movie. However, I've watched it dozens of times (and several more on the extra-clear DVD version) and enjoy it thoroughly each.

Eastwood's lines are memorable, if only for their raunchy hilarity. "I eat canstantino wire and piss napalm". Ooh Rah!

A Tribute to Greatness
Heartbreak Ridge is hardly about the military- it's more about greatness and integrity. Clint is assigned to lead a team of rowdy recruits. By demanding greatness from them, Clint is able to transform the group from a bunch of criminals into a well-oiled military team. In doing this, Clint shows the true nature of great leadership. There is also a fair amount of comedy throughout the film, making it enjoyable on multiple levels.

A Great Ride With Clint....To..."Heartbreak Ridge"....
This review refers to "Heartbreak Ridge"...Warner Home Video..DVD edition...

"Heartbreak Ridge" from 1986 is Eastwood's tough guy image personified. He is Gunnery Sgt. Tom "Gunny" Highway. Gunny has seen it all, and done it all. He's a decorated war hero who has survived battle in both Korea and Vietnam.He's tough and gruff and will soon face mandatory retirement.With no war to fight his last assignment is to whip the members of a raw but feisty recon platoon into shape. He's up against an unwilling group,a "follow orders or else"(not exactly his style)type commanding officer, and an ex-wife who's as feisty as the recruits.Both he and his men(and his ex-wife) are put to the test when war breaks out on the Island of Grenada.It was directed by Eastwood, Marsha Mason co-stars and the cast is nicely rounded out by Mario VanPeebles, Moses Gunn, Bo Svenson and the wonderful Eileen Heckart.

This 1986 film looks great on this DVD. Warner has done a nice job with the clarity and colors. The widescreen format lets us in on all the action and the Dolby Dig 5.1 surrounds wonderfully. Lennie Niehaus' fabulous score completes the package.Don't look for much in the way of special features.There are theatrical trailers, some cast film highlights,and subtitles in English, French, Spanish,Portugese and Japanese.It may be viewed in French as well.

If you're a big Eastwood fan, you may want to purchase this in the Eastwood "Hero" 3-pack instead. It also includes "Absolute Power" and "A Perfect World"...You know you'll buy them all anyway and this way will save you some money...check it out!

Thanx...and enjoy.....Laurie ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Leaves something to be desired
Dated, by todays standards, but still compelling. First half is interesting, and you are glued to the screen trying to absord the information given by Coyote's character, yet hoping he turns out to be the good guy. Little by little we're given bits and pieces of what happened, but only through Coyote's character, who turns out to be a manipulating deceiver, cold and scary with his Manson like powers over less experienced people.The second half is confusing, and Coyote and Loggia are off screen for nearly forty minutes. In the ending court-room drama, we don't see a flashback or re-inactment of what "supposedly" happened to this female school teacher and her two children. I guess both Coyote's character, Bill Bradfield, and Loggia as Dr. Smith did commit the crime. But, we as viewers don't feel or see any concrete evidence, and this leaves something to be desired. Based on a true story that took place in 1979 in Pennsylvania, and a case that lasted seven years. Just too many questions left unanswered. Yet, Loggia is awesome, and scary (wait until you see those "eyes".) And it's always a pleasure to see Peter Coyote, a very under-rated actor. I don't know...maybe I should've read the book instead.

From a UM Perspective
I currently attend Upper Merion Area High School. While the movie was certainly entertaining (well, the first half anyway), the portrayal of some of the teachers who still work at UM seemed over-dramatized, and not very true-to-life. Still, it was interesting to see actors portraying people I know, as they were twenty some years ago.

A brilliant, clever, and hypnotic piece of work...
Coyote and Loggia are utterly compelling in their roles. One watches a nauseating conspiracy emerge tortuously and impossibly between these two apparently (largely)unconnected weirdos. The horror, when it appears, is all the more convincing for having been rendered implausible before. ... Read more