Volunteers (1985)

Lawrence is a rich kid with a bad accent and a large debt. After his father refuses to help him out, Lawrence escapes his angry debtors by jumping on a Peace Corp flight to Southeast Asia, ... See full summary »

Director:

Nicholas Meyer

Writers:

Keith Critchlow (story), Ken Levine (screenplay)

Stars:

Tom Hanks, John Candy, Rita Wilson

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Hanks	...	Lawrence Bourne III
John Candy	...	Tom Tuttle from Tacoma
Rita Wilson	...	Beth Wexler
Tim Thomerson	...	John Reynolds
Gedde Watanabe	...	At Toon
George Plimpton	...	Lawrence Bourne Jr.
Ernest Harada	...	Chung Mee
Allan Arbus	...	Albert Bardenaro
Xander Berkeley	...	Kent Sutcliffe
Ji-Tu Cumbuka	...	Cicero (as Ji-Tu Cumbaka)
Guillermo Río	...	Sumo Guard (as Guillermo del Rio)
Jacqueline Evans	...	Aunt Eunice
Pamela Gual	...	Tammy the Stewardess
Philip Guilmant	...	Yale President (as Phillip Giulmant)
Chick Hearn	...	Announcer

Storyline

Lawrence is a rich kid with a bad accent and a large debt. After his father refuses to help him out, Lawrence escapes his angry debtors by jumping on a Peace Corp flight to Southeast Asia, where is assigned to build a bridge for the local villagers with American-As-Apple-Pie WSU Grad Tom Tuttle and the beautiful and down-to earth Beth Wexler. What they don't realize is that the bridge is coveted by the U.S. Army, a local Communist force, and a powerful drug lord. Together with the help of At Toon, the only English speaking native, they must fight off the three opposing forces and find out what is right for the villagers, as well as themselves.

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Plot Keywords:

product placement | coca cola | one word title | laughing | falling in love | 

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Taglines:

Ready or not, here they come

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 August 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Alles hört auf mein Kommando

Filming Locations:

Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,184,360, 18 August 1985, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$19,875,740

Company Credits

Production Co:

HBO Pictures,Silver Screen Partners,TriStar Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The NBA championship game Tom Hanks' character is listening to on the transistor radio during the Yale University graduation reflects the actual final score of that game, Boston Celtics 110- Los Angeles Lakers 107. President John F. Kennedy did give the commencement speech at the 1962 Yale University graduation ceremony. However, the NBA championship was played on April 18, 1962, while the graduation at Yale University was June 11, 1962, nearly two months AFTER the NBA championship game. Therefore, Tom Hanks' character could not have been listening to the game during the graduation ceremony.

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Goofs

When Bootsy Winder is in Lawrence's room on the day of graduation, she announces that she has to leave immediately because she is giving the valedictorian speech that morning at Smith College. However, Smith College is an hour and a half away from Yale.

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Quotes

Lawrence Bourne III: I need to have a talk with you; sort of a little father-son chat.
Lawrence Bourne Jr: Have we ever done this before?
Lawrence Bourne III: No, we're breaking new wind. Dad, I need $28,000; it's the matter of a little gambling debt. I can assure you it will never happen again.
Lawrence Bourne Jr: Well, I must say it doesn't surprise me. You have been a constant disappointment to your mother and me ever since the day we brought you home from the orphanage.
Lawrence Bourne III: Stop it, Dad. You know I'm not adopted.
Lawrence Bourne Jr: [Puts his head in his hands] I know, but please; just allow me ...

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Crazy Credits

Tom Hanks' character has firstname "Lawrence". Hanks saves the village. As film fades to black for credits, a large group of "volunteers" gather around Hanks. Just as black for start of credits shows, chants of "Lawrence, Lawrence, Lawrence..." are heard. Absolutely a tribute to scene of O'Toole as Lawrence of Arabia marching across traintop to chants of "Lawrence, Lawrence, Lawrence..."

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Connections

Featured in Biography: To John with Love: A Tribute to John Candy (1995)

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Soundtracks

Wolverton Mountain
Written by Merle Kilgore (as M. Kilgore) and Claude King (as C. King)

User Reviews

I cannot get this movie out of my head.

It's been 15 years since I've seen this film, but still; Everytime I hear Tom Hanks name, it's the first thing to pop into my head.

For those who have enjoyed Tom's more recent movies, it's a must see. You can really see the development in his career.

For those who have never really been interested in any of Tom's more recent "chick flicks", this movie will show you the old Tom, before he realized that... well... Chick Flicks = Oscars and $$$.

I'm surprised I don't see it more often on T.V.

(but I guess Oscars=money, or is it time=money.... no... Opium=money and money=power.... or is it Opium=power and.... No.. Power=mon...)

-=-Inside joke for those who've seen the movie-=-