Uncommon Valor (1983)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Ted Kotcheff

Writer:

Joe Gayton (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

16 December 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Action | War

Tagline:

"C'mon... we're going home."

Plot:

A group of Vietnam War veterans re-unite to rescue one of their own left behind and taken prisoner by the Vietnamese...

Plot Keywords:

Vietnam | Death | Gun | Jungle | Mission

Cast

Gene Hackman	...	Col. Cal Rhodes
Robert Stack	...	MacGregor
Fred Ward	...	Wilkes
Reb Brown	...	Blaster
Randall 'Tex' Cobb	...	Sailor
Patrick Swayze	...	Kevin Scott
Harold Sylvester	...	Johnson
Tim Thomerson	...	Charts
Lau Nga Lai	...	Lai Fun
Kwan Hi Lim	...	Jiang
Kelly Junkerman	...	Paul MacGregor
Todd Allen	...	Frank Rhodes
Gail Strickland	...	Helen Rhodes
Jane Kaczmarek	...	Mrs. Wilkes
Gloria Stroock	...	Mrs. MacGregor
Constance Forslund	...	Mrs. Charts
Charles Aidman	...	Sen. Hastings
Debi Parker	...	Mai Ling
Jan Triska	...	Gericault
Jeremy Kemp	...	Ferryman
Emmett Dennis III	...	Medic #1
Charles Faust	...	GI #1
David Austin	...	GI #2
Le Tuan	...	Guard #1
James Edgcomb	...	CIA Agent
Ken Farmer	...	Jail Guard
Tad Horino	...	Mr. Ky
Michael Dudikoff	...	Blaster's Assistant
Bruce Paul Barbour	...	Helicopter Pilot
Steve Solberg	...	POW #1
Laurence Neber	...	POW #2
Don Mantooth	...	POW #3
Jerry Supiran	...	Frank at 9
Brett Johnson	...	Kid #1
Barret Oliver	...	Kid #2
Marcello Krakoff	...	Kid #3
Justin Bayly	...	Kid #4
Kevin Brando	...	Kid #5
Angela Lee	...	Kid #6
Juan Fernández	...	Orderly
Darwyn Carson	...	Secretary
Nancy Linari	...	Reporter
David Dangler	...	Reporter
Joseph Dypwick	...	American Soldier
William S. Hamilton	...	American Soldier
Napoleon Hendrix	...	American Soldier
Chip Lally	...	American Soldier
Michael P. May	...	American Soldier
Tom Randa	...	American Soldier
Larry Charles White	...	American Soldier
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Endoso	...	Son (uncredited)

Directed by
Ted Kotcheff

Writing credits
Joe Gayton		(written by)
Wings Hauser		story (uncredited)

Produced by
Burton Elias	....	associate producer
Buzz Feitshans	....	producer
Wings Hauser	....	associate producer
Ted Kotcheff	....	executive producer
John Milius	....	producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Stephen H. Burum		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Mark Melnick

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
James L. Schoppe

Art Direction by
Jack G. Taylor Jr.

Set Decoration by
John H. Anderson
George Gaines

Makeup Department
Dorothy Byrne	....	hair stylist
Lynda Gurasich	....	hair stylist
Michael Westmore	....	makeup artist
Monty Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Mel Dellar	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John H. Anderson	....	first assistant director: second unit
Pamela M. Eilerson	....	second assistant director
Craig Huston	....	first assistant director
To Chee Kan	....	second assistant director: Thailand
Dennis Maguire	....	second assistant director: second unit
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	second unit director
Richard H. Prince	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Gary Clark	....	paint department head
Bruce Di Valerio	....	general construction foreman
Cal DiValerio	....	construction coordinator
Tommy Estridge	....	property master
Gary Fettis	....	property master: second unit
Mentor Huebner	....	sketch artist
Bill Iiams	....	general foreman
Douglas E. Madison	....	property master
Steve Shubin	....	property master: second unit

Sound Department
Bub Asman	....	sound effects editor
Juno J. Ellis	....	assistant sound editor
Tony Garber	....	sound effects editor
Darren T. Holmes	....	assistant sound editor
Joe Kenworthy	....	sound mixer
Don MacDougall	....	sound re-recording mixer
John L. Mack	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michele Sharp	....	sound effects editor
Stan Siegel	....	sound effects editor
Fred Stafford	....	sound effects editor
Richard Tyler	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Joe Lombardi	....	special effects coordinator

Stunts
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt coordinator
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tony Cecere	....	stunts (uncredited)
Phil Chong	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kenny Endoso	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jeff Imada	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eric Lee	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bennie Moore	....	stunts (uncredited)
Pat Romano	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Charles White	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Martin G. Beazell	....	second assistant camera
Richard J. Beban	....	first assistant camera: second unit
John L. Black	....	key grip: second unit
Alan S. Blauvelt	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Carl Boles	....	gaffer: second unit
Buzz Feitshans IV	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Michael Gershman	....	camera operator
Jerry D. Good	....	second assistant camera
Jack N. Green	....	second assistant camera (as John N. Green)
Tim Griffith	....	gaffer
Kim Guthrie	....	first assistant camera
John M. Hennessy	....	dolly grip (as John M. Hennessy Jr.)
Frank M. Holgate	....	director of photography: second unit
Thomas Laughridge	....	camera operator
Brian T. Maeda	....	camera operator: second unit
Art Manzo	....	gaffer: second unit
Joe R. Marquette Jr.	....	camera operator
Michael R. Marquette	....	second assistant camera
Tom May	....	key grip
Leo J. Napolitano	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Douglas Olivares	....	assistant camera
Michael G. Riba	....	second assistant camera
Douglas Ryan	....	camera operator
Baird Steptoe	....	first assistant camera
Michael St. Hilaire	....	camera operator
Ted T. Sugura	....	camera operator: second unit
Bruce W. Talamon	....	still photographer
Ric Waite	....	additional photographer
Johnny Walker	....	first assistant camera: second unit

Casting Department
Tom Summers	....	extras casting: Hawaii

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Violet N. Cane	....	costume supervisor
Daniel C. Chichester	....	costumer: men
George L. Little	....	costume supervisor: men

Editorial Department
Craig Galloway	....	apprentice film editor
Christopher Koefoed	....	assistant film editor
Thom Noble	....	editorial consultant

Music Department
Kenneth Karman	....	music editor
Eric Tomlinson	....	score mixer
James Horner	....	conductor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Alan Kaminsky	....	driver generator operator

Other crew
Joanie Blum	....	script supervisor
Dan Curry	....	title designer
Thomas H. Friedkin	....	helicopter pilot
James W. Gavin	....	helicopter pilot
Alvin Greenman	....	script supervisor: second unit
Eric Myers	....	unit publicist
Komson Opassathavorn	....	executive production coordinator: Thailand
Ross Reynolds	....	helicopter pilot
Karl A. Wickman	....	helicopter pilot
Billy Bowles	....	adr loop group (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Milius-Feitshans
• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1987) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• CBS Television (1985) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• CIC Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Toni Howard & Associates  casting

Also Known As:

Last River to Cross (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:M | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1984) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

AT&T Building - 611 W. Sixth Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Milius-Feitshans

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Mountains are shown around Galveston, Texas. Galveston is on an island and there are no mountains around the Texas coastline.

Quotes:

Col. Cal Rhodes: Ground team, you're up that trail, you've got the grid coordinates. Air team you follow me down this creek. We'll that's it...it's game time. I had a speech prepared, but I guess I forgot it. There are some lines from Julius Caesar.. 'If a man were to know the end of this day's business ere it come; But it suffice that the day will end, and then the end is known. If we meet again, well then we'll smile, and if not then this parting was well made.'

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Body for Hire: Bodyguard Training Videos (1997) (V)

Soundtrack:

BADMAN

Held up by strong, believable performances

Gene Hackman plays Colonel Rhodes, a frustrated veteran who rounds up a gang of the roughest men he can find, all to lead an invasion of a Vietnamese Prisoner of War camp at which he believes his son is still held captive. Seemingly far-fetched plot isn't as overblown as one might think, while the cast gives great, solid, and most of all believable performances, including Patrick Swayze, Fred Ward, and Randall "Tex" Cobb. Includes a high energy action-filled climax. Recommended for fans of gritty war-dramas. Besides, it's always interesting to see Tex Cobb doing a ballet improvisation.