The Anderson Platoon (1967)
"La section Anderson" (original title)

The director, a French veteran of the Indochina war (La 317e Section), returned to follow a platoon of American soldiers for six weeks at the height of fighting in Vietnam in 1966. The ... See full summary »

Director:

Pierre Schoendoerffer

Writer:

Pierre Schoendoerffer

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 win.

Storyline

The director, a French veteran of the Indochina war (La 317e Section), returned to follow a platoon of American soldiers for six weeks at the height of fighting in Vietnam in 1966. The documentary discusses the background and fate of the soldiers and emphasizes how much American culture pervades the soldiers' behaviors in the midst of jungle life and fighting.

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Plot Keywords:

soldier | american soldier | vietnam | platoon | military officer | 

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Genres:

Documentary | War

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

4 July 1967 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Anderson Platoon

Company Credits

Production Co:

French Broadcasting System

Technical Specs

Runtime:

65 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

User Reviews

Great photography, narration could be better.

A "must see" movie for anyone truly interested in the Vietnam War. The photography, although black and white, shows the scenes in VN that the grunts saw. It even includes an R and R period in Saigon. However, the narrative was disappointing. Considering the director was a French Indochina veteran, I expected more insight and comparisons with the way the French fought. All he does is add a basic description of the scene. At times, it's not too clear what he's referring to, and he doesn't give any operational details. That said, it is definitely worth seeing. It just could have been even better.