Three Kings (1999)

In the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War, 4 soldiers set out to steal gold that was stolen from Kuwait, but they discover people who desperately need their help.

Director:

David O. Russell

Writers:

John Ridley (story), David O. Russell (screenplay)

Stars:

George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube

10 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George Clooney	...	Archie Gates
Mark Wahlberg	...	Troy Barlow
Ice Cube	...	Chief Elgin
Spike Jonze	...	Conrad Vig
Cliff Curtis	...	Amir Abdulah
Nora Dunn	...	Adriana Cruz
Jamie Kennedy	...	Walter Wogaman
Saïd Taghmaoui	...	Captain Said (as Said Taghmaoui)
Mykelti Williamson	...	Colonel Horn
Holt McCallany	...	Captain Van Meter
Judy Greer	...	Cathy Daitch
Christopher Lohr	...	Teebaux
Jon Sklaroff	...	Paco
Liz Stauber	...	Debbie Barlow, Troy's Wife
Marsha Horan	...	Amir's Wife

Storyline

A small group of adventurous American soldiers in Iraq at the end of the Gulf War are determined to steal a huge cache of gold reputed to be hidden somewhere near their desert base. Finding a map they believe will take them to the gold, they embark on a journey that leads to unexpected discoveries, enabling them to rise to a heroic challenge that drastically changes their lives.

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Plot Keywords:

gold | gulf war | kuwait | iraq | persian gulf | 

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Taglines:

It's good to be kings

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Drama | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for graphic war violence, language and some sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros

Country:

USA Australia

Language:

English Arabic

Release Date:

1 October 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tres reyes

Filming Locations:

Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$48,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,438,818 (UK) (3 March 2000)

Gross:

£6,090,521 (UK) (14 April 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures, Village-A.M. Partnership

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the scene when they torture Troy Barlow with electric shocks, they shocked Mark Wahlberg for real. He said he wanted to get into the role, and since they had all the equipment there, they hooked him up and gave him a shock.

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Goofs

When the mother is shot in the head, you notice that she preps her arms before she hits the ground. Bracing yourself is a mostly involuntary reflex, not a voluntary movement, handled by the somatic reflex arc, which is a part of the by then still living upper spinal cord, not the brain.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Troy Barlow: Are we shooting?
Soldier: What?
Troy Barlow: Are we shootin' people or what?
Soldier: Are we shooting?
Troy Barlow: That's what I'm asking you!
Soldier: What's the answer?
Troy Barlow: I don't know the answer! That's what I'm trying to find out!

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Crazy Credits

For Sergeant Major Jim Parker, 1946 - 1998

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Connections

Referenced in Battlefield: Bad Company (2008)

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Soundtracks

"Gloria (Cum Sancto Spiritu in Gloria Dei Patris)"
from "Mass in B Minor"
Written by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Academy and Chorus of St Martin-in-the-Fields: Neville Marriner, Conductor
Courtesy of Philips Classics
Under License from Universal Music Special Markets

User Reviews

Fine movie set in the aftermath of the 1991 "Gulf War".

I remember the 1991 Gulf War well, and in fact visited the area in late 1991. After looking at the "extras" on the DVD version of Three Kings, you realize how accurate the movie is, having used USA veterans as consultants, and some of the extras were actually Guld War refugees. I rate it "8" of "10".

The movie is action-packed and well-acted. The only thing that threw me off a bit was the sometimes strange mixture of humor and tragedy - people graphically getting killed in one scene, and characters being in humorous situations the next. Still, it is an entertaining movie overall, and gives a great glimpse of what the Gulf War was all about.