Hearts and Minds (1974)

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Director:

Peter Davis

Release Date:

17 November 1975 (Sweden)

Genre:

Documentary | War

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Vietnam | Vietnam War | Propaganda | Racism | Militarism

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

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

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | Vietnamese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Sweden:15 | USA:R | Brazil:14 | UK:X (original rating) | UK:15 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Linden, New Jersey, USA

Company:

BBS Productions

Trivia:

In a Moviefone interview, Michael Moore cites this as one of his inspirations to begin making films.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003)

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.