Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Danny Glover | ... | Commander Frank Camparelli | |
Willem Dafoe | ... | Lt. Cmdr. Virgil Cole | |
Brad Johnson | ... | Lt. Jake' Cool Hand' Grafton | |
Rosanna Arquette | ... | Callie | |
Tom Sizemore | ... | Boxman | |
J. Kenneth Campbell | ... | Lt. Cmdr. 'Cowboy' Parker | |
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Jared Chandler | ... | Lt. J.G. Jack 'Razor' Barlow |
Dann Florek | ... | Mad Jack | |
Madison Mason | ... | 'Cag' | |
Ving Rhames | ... | McRae | |
Christopher Rich | ... | Lt. J.G. Morgan McPherson | |
Douglas Roberts | ... | Guffy | |
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Scott N. Stevens | ... | Hardesty (as Scott Newton Stevens) |
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Justin Williams | ... | Sammy |
John Corbett | ... | Big Augie |
After his bombardier is killed, Jake "Cool Hand" Grafton (Brad Johnson)', a carrier-based Intruder pilot, questions the purpose of Navy bombing missions. He finds an ally for his cynicism in Virgil Cole, a bombardier on his third tour of duty, and together they ponder the notion of one unsanctioned mission "downtown", to "Sam City" in North Vietnam. Written by Marg Baskin <marg@asd.raytheon.ca>
Watch this movie for the flying scenes! It has some the very best shots of an Intruder still or in flight. This aircraft is now out of service with the Navy except as a fueler but I can testify that this aircraft is down right dominating and scary to anyone on the ground when they make a low level pass and this movie captured it all!
That said, I read the book too and yes it is a lot different from the book but then most movies are. The question is does it conform to the spirit of the movie and Flight of the Intruder is close. It does take some short cuts which are even more obvious to a Navy vet but over all, this is one of my favorite Vietnam War movies and about the only one that gives a decent treatment to the carrier pilots.
The romantic part is not much and probably left in to keep it from not having any attractive females but it sure is not needed for dramatic effect.
The political and legal junk is really over blown and trite but if sufficient detail were included the movie would have been 3 hours long.
It is a good "Tiger flick" (war movie) for a rainy day and it has an honored place in my DVD collection!