Southern Comfort (1981)

A squad of National Guards on an isolated weekend exercise in the Louisiana swamp must fight for their lives when they anger local Cajuns by stealing their canoes. Without live ammunition ... See full summary »

Director:

Walter Hill

Writers:

Michael Kane, Walter Hill,

Stars:

Keith Carradine, Powers Boothe, Fred Ward

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Keith Carradine	...	Spencer
Powers Boothe	...	Hardin
Fred Ward	...	Reece
Franklyn Seales	...	Simms
T.K. Carter	...	Cribbs
Lewis Smith	...	Stuckey
Les Lannom	...	Casper
Peter Coyote	...	Poole
Alan Autry	...	Bowden (as Carlos Brown)
Brion James	...	Trapper
Sonny Landham	...	Hunter
Allan Graf	...	Hunter
Ned Dowd	...	Hunter
Rob Ryder	...	Hunter
Greg Guirard	...	Cajun Couple

Storyline

A squad of National Guards on an isolated weekend exercise in the Louisiana swamp must fight for their lives when they anger local Cajuns by stealing their canoes. Without live ammunition and in a strange country, their experience begins to mirror the Vietnam experience.

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Plot Keywords:

swamp | cajun | national guard | louisiana | blood | 

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Taglines:

It will show you as much about SURVIVAL as 'Deliverance' as much about HUMAN COURAGE as 'Midnight Express' as much about ARMED CONFLICT as 'Apocalypse Now'

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA Switzerland UK

Language:

English French

Release Date:

22 January 1982 (Finland)

Also Known As:

A lápvidék harcosai

Filming Locations:

Caddo Lake, Texas, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinema Group Ventures, Phoenix (II)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

After this movie was made and released, the Cajun culture would be seen in again in such other 1980s movies as No Mercy, The Big Easy, Angel Heart and Belizaire the Cajun.

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Goofs

During the dog attack, the protective pads on the men's arms are clearly visible.

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Quotes

Hardin: A truck! A fuckin' truck!

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Connections

References Deliverance (1972)

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Soundtracks

Song "Parlez-nous à Boire
Dewey Balfa
Published by Flat Town Music Co.

User Reviews

Very impressed

I just saw this film for the first time recently and I keep watching it over and over before I have to return it. I wasn't expecting such a great film. I agree with the Vietnam metaphor, but it was lighter fare being set in the Louisiana Bayou. There was never a dull moment and there was just the right amount of humor between the tension. The cast was great, most of the acting was very believable. It was surely one of Powers Boothe's best performances. One reason I enjoy it so much is because there isn't a lot of high-tech special effects. The bear-traps are quite effective. Also in the very tense last 20 minutes, there's blood & guts and it's real blood & guts. I was very creeped out when Hardin looks out a window and sees hangmen nooses being strung up. I'm affected every time. He can say more with his eyes than most people can with their mouth. His brooding intensity playing off of Carradine's lightness was perfect. Fred Ward was great too. I have not one bad thing to say about this movie and it's incorrect to say it is anti-Cajun. It's message was respect the natives. Sometimes we don't do that. I lived near quite a few National Guardsmen in Oregon, and, yes, the movie was believable in relation to them.