The Pentagon Wars (1998) (TV)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Richard Benjamin

Writers (WGA):

James Burton (book)
Jamie Malanowski (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

28 February 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | War

Tagline:

They aimed to build the ultimate fighting machine...they missed.

Plot:

Story of a cover up in the military.

Plot Keywords:

Army | Military | Bradley Fighting Vehicle | Congress | Tank

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Kelsey Grammer	...	Maj. Gen. Partridge
Cary Elwes	...	Lt. Col. James Burton
Viola Davis	...	Platoon Sgt. Fanning (Burton's secretary)
John C. McGinley	...	Col. J.D. Bock
Tom Wright	...	Maj. William Sayers
Clifton Powell	...	Sgt. Benjamn Dalton
Dewey Weber	...	Sp4 Ganger
Richard Schiff	...	Col. / Brig. Gen. Robert Laurel Smith
J.C. MacKenzie	...	Jones (Pentagon tank designer)
Richard Benjamin	...	Caspar Weinberger (Secretary of Defense)
Olympia Dukakis	...	Madam Chairwoman, Armed Services Committee
Christopher Grove	...	Congressman #1
Sam Anderson	...	Congressman #2
Dwayne Macopson	...	USMC guard at subway
Dominic D. DeNiro	...	Guard at military base

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) | Netherlands:6 | Spain:T | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Company:

Home Box Office (HBO)

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Scenes in the film which could only have taken place during the period spanning the late 1960s through the '70s featured computer equipment that was developed no earlier than the mid-to-late '80s.

Quotes:

Brig. General Robert Laurel Smith: Are you out of your mind, Colonel? If the Pentagon had their choice of busting us or nailing a Soviet spy, they would choose us in a heartbeat!
Lt. Colonel James Burton: Who exactly is "us," General?
Brig. General Robert Laurel Smith: There are some people who work in the Pentagon who are fed up watching billions of dollars thrown away on defective weapons upon which our troops are supposed to stake their lives. People like you, Colonel. We are the enemy!
Lt. Colonel James Burton: To whom?
Brig. General Robert Laurel Smith: To majors who want to be colonels, to colonels who want to be generals, to generals who want that fourth star, you bet we are the enemy! Nobody moves up without getting things done! So what you don't want to be is the one who drops the ball, 'cause if you're the one who drops the ball: no promotion! no star! no cushy job with a contract when you retire!

Soundtrack:

America The Beautiful

Surprisingly compelling for a TV movie

The ending scenes are Bill Murray hokey, but the movie is surprisingly compelling. I was vaguely familiar with the facts behind the story, but I intend to read Mr. Burton's book now. The part of Burton's assistant seemed to me to be well played. Grammer's portrayal fit my perception of a Pentagon general, but his aides come out as just caricatures.