Two friends living in a small town during the 1960s, run away to enjoy their freedom during the Vietnam War, thus disappointing the father of one of them. When they return to town, they realize the importance of family unity.
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: 1969 (1988)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
1 nomination.
See more awards »
Learn more
More Like This
Square Dance
(1987)
Drama
|
Romance
Director:
Daniel Petrie
Stars:
Jason Robards,
Jane Alexander,
Winona Ryder
The Pick-up Artist
(1987)
Comedy
|
Crime
|
Drama
Director:
James Toback
Stars:
Molly Ringwald,
Robert Downey Jr.,
Dennis Hopper
Boys
(1996)
Mystery
|
Drama
|
Romance
Director:
Stacy Cochran
Stars:
Winona Ryder,
Lukas Haas,
John C. Reilly
Great Balls of Fire!
(1989)
Biography
|
Drama
|
Music
Director:
Jim McBride
Stars:
Dennis Quaid,
Winona Ryder,
John Doe
Chances Are
(1989)
Comedy
|
Fantasy
|
Romance
Director:
Emile Ardolino
Stars:
Cybill Shepherd,
Robert Downey Jr.,
Ryan O'Neal
Less Than Zero
(1987)
Crime
|
Drama
Director:
Marek Kanievska
Stars:
Andrew McCarthy,
Jami Gertz,
Robert Downey Jr.
Johnny Be Good
(1988)
Comedy
|
Sport
Director:
Bud S. Smith
Stars:
Anthony Michael Hall,
Robert Downey Jr.,
Paul Gleason
Lucas
(1986)
Comedy
|
Drama
|
Romance
Director:
David Seltzer
Stars:
Corey Haim,
Kerri Green,
Charlie Sheen
Comedy
|
Drama
Director:
Jim Abrahams
Stars:
Winona Ryder,
Jeff Daniels,
Laila Robins
Soapdish
(1991)
Comedy
|
Romance
Director:
Michael Hoffman
Stars:
Sally Field,
Kevin Kline,
Cathy Moriarty
Heart and Souls
(1993)
Comedy
|
Drama
|
Fantasy
Director:
Ron Underwood
Stars:
Robert Downey Jr.,
Charles Grodin,
Alfre Woodard
Rented Lips
(1988)
Comedy
Director:
Robert Downey Sr.
Stars:
Martin Mull,
Dick Shawn,
Jennifer Tilly
Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Robert Downey Jr. | ... | Ralph Carr | |
| Kiefer Sutherland | ... | Scott | |
| Bruce Dern | ... | Cliff | |
| Mariette Hartley | ... | Jessie | |
| Winona Ryder | ... | Beth | |
| Joanna Cassidy | ... | Ev | |
 |
Christopher Wynne | ... | Alden |
|
|
Keller Kuhn | ... | Marsha |
|
|
Steve Foster | ... | Marshall |
|
|
Mert Hatfield | ... | Coach Heart |
|
|
Welton Tootle | ... | Junior Roberts |
|
|
Don Devendorf | ... | Reverend Hardy |
|
|
Robert Louis Stevenson | ... | Dean Bonner (as Dr. Robert Louis Stevenson) |
|
|
Jason Summers | ... | Protestor |
|
|
Scott N. Stevens | ... | Hitchhiker |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
Two friends, Ralph and Scott live in a small minded town at the onset of wide public dissatisfaction with the Vietnam war. While Scott's brother enlists, he and Ralph are outspoken in their opposition to the war. Scott's attitude alienates him from his father and he and Ralph leave town to enjoy their 'freedom'. Various events lead them back to town where they learn of the death of the brother. This event proves to be the catalyst needed to bridge the gap between father and son and enlightens them both to the true cost of war. Written by Mark Harding <mah@imdb.com>
Taglines:
The year the country split apart and a generation came together.Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
Edit
Edit
See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
18 November 1988 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Die Generation von 1969 See more »Edit
Box Office
Gross USA:
$5,979,011Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Ultra StereoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
Ralph: How ya going to pee there Scott?
Scott: Sittin' down.
See more »
Performed by Canned Heat
Courtesy of EMI - Manhattan Records, a division of Capitol
Records Inc. Special Markets Division
Written by Alan Wilson
Published by SBK Unart Catalog Inc.
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
When Kiefer Sutherland first moved to Los Angeles, he shared an apartment with Robert Downey, Jr. for over a year. See more »Goofs
The bus Alden gets on says Palmetto Tours on it. It would not be in Maryland, where the film is supposed to take place. South Carolina is the Palmetto State. See more »Quotes
Scott: I've already decided if nothing happens by the time I am 20, I'm gonna cut it off.Ralph: How ya going to pee there Scott?
Scott: Sittin' down.
See more »
Soundtracks
Goin' up the CountryPerformed by Canned Heat
Courtesy of EMI - Manhattan Records, a division of Capitol
Records Inc. Special Markets Division
Written by Alan Wilson
Published by SBK Unart Catalog Inc.
See more »
Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.Contribute to This Page
Enjoy a night in with these popular movies available to stream now with Prime Video.
The overall point of the film may be a little obvious but it appears the story may be semi-autobiographical. What saves this movie are the acting and the characters which never lapse into stereotypes. Kiefer Sutherland plays Scott, a very different character than many of his previous roles. Rather than playing the adolescent leader-rebel (as in "Stand by Me"), Sutherland takes the role of a somewhat soft-spoken intellectual hippie-type who is into literature and leaves but not into drugs. His best friend, Ralph, played by Robert Downey Jr., is exactly the opposite. Ralph likes women and psychedelic drugs but doesn't understand any of the other aspects of the hippie culture, which included reverence for certain high literature. He isn't sure who Camus is. For him, the drugs and staying out of Vietnam are all that matters. Downey's sister, Beth (Winnona Ryder), eventually becomes a significant part of the story as the film progresses.
The film doesn't have much of a coherent plot and may be described as a character study of its leads. The setting is a small town in Maryland where Scott's brother, Alden, is about to leave for Vietnam. He is one of the first from this nameless town to be drafted into the war and the locals, including his family, seem perplexed by the whole affair. In an uncomfortable scene, Alden tries to make amends with his younger brother Scott who says the war is "b.s." Their father (Bruce Dern) who feels strongly that his sons should fight as he did in World War II reprimands Scott for his disrespect. Luckily, Dern's performance is not over-the-top and it works. After a rather strange farewell, Ralph decides that neither himself nor his friend Scott should allow themselves to get drafted. Scott begins to explore the young peoples' counter-culture movement of the late 1960's while Ralph seems only interested in exploring the drugs. They attend college, mostly to avoid the draft, but Ralph lapses in his studies. During their first summer, they decide to go on a road trip.
A good movie, by no means a great one, but high marks for all the leads and supporting characters, particularly Bruce Dern as Scott's father and Mariette Hartley as the mother. It seems this movie was missing something that was present in the writer's brilliant play "On Golden Pond". I can't quite put my finger on it, but the film made its point all too soon. I think I wanted an additional profound revelation besides the idea that Vietnam was a bad war.