Three Kings (1999)

In the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War, four soldiers set out to steal gold that was stolen from Kuwait, but they discover people who desperately need their help.

Director:

David O. Russell

Writers:

John Ridley (story), David O. Russell (screenplay)

Stars:

George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube

8 wins & 19 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George Clooney	...	Archie Gates
Mark Wahlberg	...	Troy Barlow
Ice Cube	...	Chief Elgin
Spike Jonze	...	Conrad Vig
Cliff Curtis	...	Amir Abdulah
Nora Dunn	...	Adriana Cruz
Jamie Kennedy	...	Walter Wogaman
Saïd Taghmaoui	...	Captain Said (as Said Taghmaoui)
Mykelti Williamson	...	Colonel Horn
Holt McCallany	...	Captain Van Meter
Judy Greer	...	Cathy Daitch
Christopher Lohr	...	Teebaux
Jon Sklaroff	...	Paco
Liz Stauber	...	Debbie Barlow, Troy's Wife
Marsha Horan	...	Amir's Wife

Storyline

A small group of adventurous American soldiers in Iraq at the end of the Gulf War are determined to steal a huge cache of gold reputed to be hidden somewhere near their desert base. Finding a map they believe will take them to the gold, they embark on a journey that leads to unexpected discoveries, enabling them to rise to a heroic challenge that drastically changes their lives.

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Plot Keywords:

heist | sex on a chair | woman on top | cell phone trace | gold | 

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Taglines:

They're deserters, rebels and thieves. But in the nicest possible way.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Drama | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for graphic war violence, language and some sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros

Country:

USA

Language:

English Arabic

Release Date:

1 October 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Spoils of War

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$45,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$15,847,636, 3 October 1999, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$60,652,036

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$107,752,036

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.,Village Roadshow Pictures,Village-A.M. Partnership

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider.

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Goofs

When the milk truck enters the town and the Iraqi soldiers fire at it, as it turns, the shadow of the camera truck can be seen momentarily in the foreground

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Quotes

[first lines]
Troy Barlow: Are we shooting?
Soldier: What?
Troy Barlow: Are we shootin' people or what?
Soldier: Are we shooting?
Troy Barlow: That's what I'm asking you!
Soldier: What's the answer?
Troy Barlow: I don't know the answer! That's what I'm trying to find out!

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Crazy Credits

For Sergeant Major Jim Parker, 1946 - 1998

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Alternate Versions

DVD version includes four deleted scenes:

• Giving birth: After Troy looks down at the Iraqi soldier he has just shot, we see a flash back to his daughter being born. There is also more footage of the soldiers having their pictures taken with the dead Iraqi soldier.
• Bunny: During the party at the start of the film, mail is given out. Troy receives photos of his wife and daughter. while Conrad recieves a handgun (which he uses throughout the film), inside a chocolate rabbit.
• Decoy: After Conrad tells the hairdressing iraqis that "Troy gave me this haircut", Archie sees a stationary verhicle and some sandbags. Conrad accidently shoots at the vehicle, which then rapidly deflates.
• Snowglobes: After the battle to rescue Troy comes a scene where Archie gathers up loads of snowglobes, which depict the nativity at a petrol station! They then drain these, (a close up of a hand holding the three kings that were within the snowglobes), and drink the water inside.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #21.83 (2013)

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Soundtracks

Torture
Written by Graeme Revell
Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

User Reviews

one of the Best of 1999

With the exception of 'Magnolia'and 'The Green Mile', I don't believe that there was a movie as great as 'Three Kings' last year. It was a brilliant look at the Gulf War and stretched beyond the boundaries of all war movies before it. David O. Russell did an excellent job writing and directing this movie and George Clooney gave one of the best performances of the year. Mark Wahlberg proved that his work can go beyond that of Dirk Diggler. Spike Jonze was hilarious as Wahlberg's lacky. Watching the movie is a memorable experience. It's way out there with it's comedic sense of timing, awesome action sequences, and morals to match. It dealt with the political issues of the Gulf War which was seen as a pretty harmless war from an American's standpoint. Russell showed us the plight of the freedom fighters in Iraq and told a very serious story, but did it with a sense of humor that was neither tasteless nor melodramatic. Russell kept an even tone throughout the entire movie and perfectly blended the action,black comedy,and war genres into what was one of the year's best. An entertaining movie that never ceases to amaze me. I still am trying to figure out why it didn't get nominated for any Oscars. I hope that one day people will see this move for what it is...a masterpiece.