The Green Berets (1968)

Col. Mike Kirby picks two teams of crack Green Berets for a mission in South Vietnam. First off is to build and control a camp that is trying to be taken by the enemy the second mission is to kidnap a North Vietnamese General.

Directors:

Ray Kellogg, John Wayne

Writers:

James Lee Barrett (screenplay), Robin Moore (novel)

Stars:

John Wayne, David Janssen, Jim Hutton

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Wayne	...	Col. Mike Kirby
David Janssen	...	George Beckworth
Jim Hutton	...	Sgt. Petersen
Aldo Ray	...	Sgt. Muldoon
Raymond St. Jacques	...	Sgt. Doc McGee
Bruce Cabot	...	Col. Morgan
Jack Soo	...	Col. Cai
George Takei	...	Capt. Nim
Patrick Wayne	...	Lt. Jamison
Luke Askew	...	Sgt. Provo
Irene Tsu	...	Lin
Edward Faulkner	...	Capt. MacDaniel
Jason Evers	...	Capt. Coleman
Mike Henry	...	Sgt. Kowalski
Craig Jue	...	Hamchunk

Storyline

U.S. Special Forces troops ("Green Berets") under the command of Colonel Mike Kirby defend a firebase during the Vietnam war. War correspondent George Beckwith accompanies Kirby and objects to both the war and the means by which it is executed. Kirby's firebase is overrun and his troops fight bravely to retake it. Kirby and a select group of his men are then ordered on a special mission to capture a high-level Viet Cong officer.

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Plot Keywords:

green beret | vietnam | vietnam war | u.s. military | special forces | 

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Taglines:

Green when they began...like the color of their berets...but when the going got rough...they became the toughest fighting force on earth!

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

Aldo Ray's alcoholism was a continual problem during filming, to the extent that John Wayne had to give some of Ray's dialogue to other characters.

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Goofs

At around 1 hr 50 mins) Two montagnards show up out of nowhere. They were not on the jump and there was no radio contact nor previous mention of an indigenous ground force on site.

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Quotes

Sergeant Muldoon: Are you sure that's what he wanted?
Colonel Mike Kirby: Affimative!
Sergeant Muldoon: Maybe he liked so many guys thinking about him.
Colonel Mike Kirby: Besides that... It SINGS!
[exits]
Sergeant Muldoon: [to himself] It sings? That's what he said. Provo's Privy, It DOES sing!

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Alternate Versions

In the original UK cinema version the BBFC edited some shots of a man impaled with a tree branch for an 'A' (PG) certificate. All later releases were uncut.

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Connections

Referenced in Wag the Dog (1997)

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Soundtracks

Ballad of the Green Berets
(uncredited)
Written by Robin Moore and Barry Sadler
Choral arrangement by Ken Darby

User Reviews

The Other Vietnam

It's easy to understand why so many viewers hated this movie. It goes against everything the media and entertainment industries (The same thing?) have put forth regarding the Vietnam War since the 1960s. ...Vietnam was a bad war, America was wrong, etc., while the North Vietnamese and VC were just peace/freedom loving folk...

What was so wrong about trying to stem the tide of communism, or to prevent south Vietnam from falling to the communist north? "The Green Berets" made the case that it was a noble goal, and brave Americans worked hard to achieve it.

This is not the best war movie, or even the best Vietnam war movie out there. Mel Gibson's "We Were Soldiers" is far superior in that it is less overtly political, much more realistic, and still shows a positive view of the American effort in southeast Asia. Check it out.

The Green Berets: 5.5 of 10

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Vietnamese German Danish

Release Date:

27 July 1968 (Japan)

Also Known As:

The Green Berets

Filming Locations:

Ft. McClellen, Alabama, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Batjac Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

142 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1