Gooses Movie Weekend Reviews Part 1
So I managed to catch some films on TV and in the theater this weekend. Including the new Harrsion Ford Film, Firewall.
However I wanted to start out Monday AM with one of my favorite "Forgotten" Films
Uncommon Valor 1983
Lets start out with the background.
Gene Hackman is a retired Army Col. who's son Frank is MIA in Vietnam. Its been 15 year. Hackman decided to rescue his son with the help of Oil man Robert Stack who's son is also MIA. They enlist Franks old platoon, Led by Randall Tex Cobb and Fred Ward.
They train in Texas. Each man with his own skill. Some chopper Pilots. Some demolition. All are talked into going back, following the old Military way of life, "Never Leave a Man behind"
The beauty of this movie has to be the elements of realism.
***Spoiler Alert***
Im going to list a couple of plot points here. But seriously. The movie has been out since 1983. Its been 22 years. If you have missed it this long....
1) Nothing goes as planned. They have their entire shipment of weapons confiscated by the vietnamese Govt. They are forced to scrounge and buy a cheap crate of old dusty weapons that they have to refurbish.
2) Unlike other Vietnam MIA movies. This one has a torn ending. They find that Hackmans Son had been killed. His whole reason for going back was destroyed. While they do find 5 POW's. The movie ends with Hackman standing at the Airport, meeting his wife as the familys of all the other POW's celebrate the homecoming.
The Characters make this movie. Cobb plays Sailor. and old soldier who wears a grenade around his neck. If life ever gets too dull he'll "Pull the pin and see what happens" Ward played a Clausterphobic soldier. All of these men have had issues since the war.
Also this is the 1st major film for a young Patrick Swayze. Who joins the team because his father is also MIA.
"You don't quit, boy. Not when it's for real! "
Just a good sunday Afternoon movie. Its one of those films, you love...but Forget about from time to time until they pop back on.
posted by Goose at 6:49 AM
5 Comments:
Goose, nice little review on Uncommon Valor... I've never seen it. But you've persuading me to give it a gander. I'd be interested to hear your review of Firewall -- are we going to get your take on that film during Part 2?
Last night I sat down with a nice bucket of corn and watched the AMC’s “with guys like this it’s a wonder we lost the war” double feature of First Blood and Uncommon Valor. Which oddly enough were directed by the same person, Ted Kotchef.
I have to admit I am a fan of both films. Rambo is an icon and Uncommon Valor is a forgotten movie that is surprisingly good, not to mention one of the best man ballads (something only the ‘80’s could produce with an action movie you know what I mean real mix of sue do-country meets hair band ballad think Charlie Daniels and Poisons love child featured in movies where men get all choked up at the end but can’t hug so they convey it through the theme song during the credits.) of all time “Brothers in the night” by Ray Kennedy coupled with a main character montage at the end that doesn’t leave a dry eye in the house….
I was inundated with all the Post – Nam feel good movies where men could reflect on what they had been through. My pops was a Nam vet and really only seemed to open up when he was watching Platoon or Hamburger Hill.
The last Scene in First Blood in my opinion is one of sly’s best ever. Not saying a lot but he expresses what all the John J Rambo’s went through when they came back.
Both movies are clichéd to the hilt but Valor has some real talent and an ending that only can be pulled off by Hackman.
I totally agree with you Goose this and First Blood are quality lazy Sunday movies
I forgot to mention another forgotten NAM movie
The Siege of Firebase Gloria
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098328/
I saw this for the first time last week.
Basically it’s about a LRRP Sgt. (Played by the drill Sgt. from Full metal Jacket) who takes a disillusioned platoon stationed at a firebase (artillery) and whips them into shape to hold off advancing VC. Oh I forgot to mention this has Wings Hauser in it too. Yeah, Cole’s papa. Just take a look at Wing’s filmography. His been in everything – THAT Sucked!! But overall I thought the movie was work a rent.
I have one problem about the last scene. If you read the book by David Morell, you will find a completely different ending.
Col Trautman realized that
1) Rambo will never be accepted in the world and
2) He could never walk out of the sherrifs station alive.
Therefore he places his pistol to his head and pulls the trigger.
A much darker ending that would have put a stop to Rambo III
don't forget the upcoming Rambo IV
I like the revamped ending.. it was never done to make more movies. It was changed to show that suicide is not the solution to a vets struggle. It would have made a bad statement.
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