Dogfight (1991)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Nancy Savoca

Writer (WGA):

Bob Comfort (written by)

Release Date:

October 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | War

Plot:

1963, the night before the 18 years old "Birdlace" Eddie and his friends are shipped to Vietnam. They...

Plot Keywords:

Vietnam | San Francisco California | Loss | Contest | Hippie

Cast

River Phoenix	...	Eddie Birdlace
Lili Taylor	...	Rose
Richard Panebianco	...	Berzin
Anthony Clark	...	Oakie
Mitchell Whitfield	...	Benjamin
Holly Near	...	Rose Sr.
Elizabeth Daily	...	Marcie (as E.G. Daily)
Sue Morales	...	Ruth Two Bears
Christina Mastin	...	Linda
Christopher Shaw	...	Donavin
John Lacy	...	Fector
Chris San Nicholas	...	Dogfight Buddy
Brian Gotta	...	Dogfight Marine
Peg Phillips	...	Older Cafe Customer
Neal Allen	...	Sgt. Judge

Runtime:

89 min | 94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Finland:S | Argentina:13 | UK:15 | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Germany:12 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Trivia:

River Phoenix's marine haircut (called a "high-and-tight") was deemed so unflattering that Warner Bros. requested highlights be added to Phoenix's hair to soften the young actor's appearance.

Goofs:

Continuity: Right after Birdlace sticks the note to Rose's window, he loses his balance and falls, however in the next shot, as he is jumping over the fence to avoid Rose's attack dog, the window is empty and the note is no where to be seen.

Quotes:

Rose: What's a 'jarhead'?
Eddie Birdlace: Oh, that's just what we call ourselves. You see, i'm a United States marine. It's okay if we say it but if a squid say's it, you know, a sailor? then it's fist city. But it's alright if a, if a woman say's it... especially if she can sing as good as you can.
Rose: Thanks. Thanks very much. Jarhead.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Night in the Life of Vinyl Eddie (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

SMOKY PLACES

Love story, Vietnam bound Marine & a hip '60's San Francisco anti-war girl.

Dogfight captures the feelings of the mid to late 1960's in San Francisco. It accurately shows the characteristics of young U.S. Marines destined for Vietnam. They are insensitive and cruel to the young women they invite to the 'Dogfight' because of their youth and the situation they find themselves in as G.I.'s. Being in the Air Force during this period I could relate to their crudeness as a posture taken by some young men as a defense against their environment. Being insensitive was a way to deal with their situation over which they had little control. The movie also accurately portrayed how young G.I.'s bond with other young guys who in civilian life they might not have bothered to befriend.

The love story involves a girl invited to the 'Dogfight' (a contest to see who could bring the ugliest girl) and the young Marine who brings her. She breaks through his shell of indifference and they become friends and lovers.

Lilly Taylor and River Phoenix are terrific. Their characters ring true and my wife and I cared very much about what happened to them.

Phoenix's return to S.F. after his tour in Vietnam was just as I experienced it. Although I was not returning from overseas when I returned the Bay Area in 1969, I discovered that the San Francisco of 1965 was totally gone and replaced with a foreign land.

'Dogfight' is accurately nostalgic for those of my generation and perhaps older. Younger viewers get to enjoy a truly good love story. They also get a glimpse of life as a young G.I. during that uniquely explosive period of change and social upheaval in America during the middle to late 1960's.