Hearts and Minds (1974)

A documentary of the conflicting attitudes of the opponents of the Vietnam war.

Director:

Peter Davis

Stars:

Georges Bidault, Clark Clifford, George Coker

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Georges Bidault	...	Himself
Clark Clifford	...	Himself
George Coker	...	Himself
Kay Dvorshock	...	Herself
Dwight D. Eisenhower	...	Himself (archive footage)
Daniel Ellsberg	...	Himself
Randy Floyd	...	Himself
J. William Fulbright	...	Himself (as J.W. Fulbright)
Brian Holden
William Marshall	...	Himself
Robert Muller	...	Himself
Khanh Nguyen	...	Himself
Walt Rostow	...	Himself
William C. Westmoreland	...	Himself

Storyline

This film recounts the history and attitudes of the opposing sides of the Vietnam War using archival news footage as well as its own film and interviews. A key theme is how attitudes of American racism and self-righteous militarism helped create and prolong this bloody conflict. The film also endeavors to give voice to the Vietnamese people themselves as to how the war has affected them and their reasons why they fight the United States and other western powers while showing the basic humanity of the people that US propaganda tried to dismiss.

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Plot Keywords:

vietnam | interview | vietnam war | propaganda | racism | 

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Genres:

Documentary | War

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

Official DVD site [uk] Rialto Pictures

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Vietnamese

Release Date:

17 November 1975 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Corações E Mentes

Filming Locations:

Linden, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$8,556 (USA) (22 October 2004)

Gross:

$28,287 (USA) (12 November 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBS Productions, Rainbow Releasing

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A temporary restraining order was lifted (22nd January 1975) against a section of film that concerned Walt Rostow (national security advisor to Lyndon Johnson). Claiming that the interview of himself may damage his image.

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Quotes

Daniel Ellsberg: We weren't on the wrong side. We were the wrong side.

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Connections

Features Bataan (1943)

User Reviews

Vietnam as a war of aggression and Ne-colonialism

The only fully honest movie or documentary I've seen on the Vietnam War. Several movies show the suffering of U.S. soldiers who fought or were wounded in Vietnam, or readily admit that the war effort was flawed - e.g., former Secretary of Defense Bob McNamara in "The Fog of War." But none that I know of tell us what was really behind the war and how it divided the country between the jingoist or conformist hawks and the people of conscience who could not support such a bloody Ne-colonial war of aggression - "aggression," not an honest "mistake" that our media portray.

It showed the Vietnamese people in their humanity, patriotism, and incredible courage in the face of crucifixion by an utterly awesome U.S. war machine. Unfortunately, the documentary's message got lost or was never seen by millions of Americans who are still in denial about what Vietnam stood for - a denial that permits the kind of character assassination by the "swiftboat veterans" that may have cost John Kerry the election in 2004.