Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam (1987)

A documentary featuring letters written by U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines during the Vietnam War to their families and friends back home. Archive footage of the war and news ... See full summary »

Director:

Bill Couturié (as Bill Couturie)

Writers:

Richard Dewhurst (screenplay), Bill Couturié (screenplay) (as Bill Couturie)

Stars:

Tom Berenger, Ellen Burstyn, J. Kenneth Campbell

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 5 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Berenger	...	(voice)
Ellen Burstyn	...	Mrs. Stocks (voice)
J. Kenneth Campbell	...	(voice)
Richard Chaves	...	(voice)
Josh Cruze	...	(voice)
Willem Dafoe	...	Elephant Grass (voice)
Robert De Niro	...	Great Sewer (voice)
Brian Dennehy	...	(voice)
Kevin Dillon	...	Jack (voice)
Matt Dillon	...	Mike (voice) (unconfirmed)
Robert Downey Jr.	...	(voice)
Michael J. Fox	...	Pfc. Raymond Griffiths (voice)
Mark Harmon	...	(voice)
John Heard	...	Johnny Boy (voice) (unconfirmed)
Fred Hirz	...	(voice)

Storyline

A documentary featuring letters written by U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines during the Vietnam War to their families and friends back home. Archive footage of the war and news coverage thereof, augment the first-person "narrative" by men and women who were in the war, some of whom did not survive it.

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Plot Keywords:

letter | vietnam war | vietnam | reenactment | voice over letter | 

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Genres:

Documentary | History | War

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Certificate:

PG-13

Did You Know?

Trivia

Was number nine on Roger Ebert's list of the Best Films of 1988.

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Quotes

Soldier: [Writing a letter home] Darling, believe me, I try not skip a day in writing you. Whether or not I get a letter determines if it's a good day or not.

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Connections

Referenced in The Cinema Snob: Ed (2018)

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Soundtracks

Eighteen
Written by Alice Cooper, Michael Bruce, Glen Buxton, Neal Smith and Dennis Dunaway
Performed by Alice Cooper

User Reviews

A wonderful film to teach high school students about the war

I grew up with the Vietnam war being a major part of my life from the age of 9 to the age of 19. I have tried to get my daughter to understand what it was like having lost my father at 9, then having my oldest brother enlist six months later and when he returned, my second brother was drafted near the end of the war. It still affects us to this day in our jobs, our feelings, our survival skills, and how it molded all of us. It wasn't until she saw this film that the entire war sunk in and she could relate to it. Bless her high school English teacher for making them watch this and read books on the Vietnam War. She came home and said "Mom, I couldn't believe those kids were just like us! They were just 18, 19 yr. old and had to go through that! Some of the boys look just like boys in my class! Now I know why it so affected you. You and your brothers were all kids." More high schools should use this film to teach kids about Vietnam. She borrowed it from her teacher and I watched it with her again. I narrated what was going on at our home during the various time lines so she could understand that from 9 to 19 I lived with this everyday, effecting my entire life and I never left the USA!

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

September 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dear America

Company Credits

Production Co:

Couturie Company, Dear America, GBA

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1