The Green Berets (1968)

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  • The Green Berets is one of those Duke movies that are in my earliest memory of anything. I bet I have seen this movie at least 80 times or more over the years. I never tire of seeing it and when it is shown, I watch it. You can guess that it is one of my all-time most favorite movies. I don't care either what the damned critics say about this movie. It just further proves to me that the critics "dont-know-what-time-it-is" when it comes to critiquing movies.

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

  • Here is an example of the book the movie was made from. The book is actually a collection of stories from the war in Viet Nam. Reading the book, you can see where they took pieces of it to make the story in the movie. A good read.

    Mark

    "I couldn't go to sleep at night if the director didn't call 'cut'. "

  • great film about a sad time of history one of many will there ever come a time when wars will be long ago history.

    Greetings from North of the 49th

  • Actually one of my favorite John Wayne films. Critics (liberals) jumped all over Duke for making this because it put the Vietnam war in a positive light. But it was well made and provided an alternative point of view (which wasn't in favor at the time). But it did good box office, so what do the critics know (I'm sorry the sun sets in the east, but that doesn't detract from the movie in anyway - besides from what I've seen on another topic, 90% of folks don't know Vietnam from South Africa)?

    Cheers - Jay:beer:
    "Not hardly!!!"

  • Lauri Törni alias Larry Thorn on whom Kirby's character was based had an unusual life. He was a captain in the Finnish army during the wars against the Soviet Union (WW2 for the rest of the world). He couldn't live with the peace treaty made and moved to Germany in 1945 (when Finland was no more an ally of Germany) to get advanced saboteur training. He was captured by Brits, and then by Finns and spent several years in jail. After release, he moved to South America and then to the North, as an illegal immigrant, but worked his way to a resident and even US army officer. He died in Vietnam, and his remains were actually found in 1999.


    So, were any of the storylines in the movie based on actual events that Thorn was involved in?


    I actually found a site that has all the information anybody might want about him. He sounded like an incredible man. Check it out!!!

    http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/t/t375.htm


    I found this much: On his first detachment Thorne was based in Chau Lang and Tinh Bien, in southern Vietnam, in the region of “Seven mountains”. He returned to Vietnam in December 1964 and was based in Phuoc Vinh, the island of Phu Quocin and Nha Trang. He died in a helicopter accident when taking part in ”Shining Brass” operation, October 1965. I forget if any of these places is mentioned in Green Berets, but I don’t believe there’s much left of his character; I haven’t read Robin Moore’s (who met Thorne in Tinh Bien) book, but I understand it is almost completely rewritten for the movie. What I’ve read about Thorne, he seems have been a fearless soldier who enjoyed war, and far less nice fellow than Col. Kirby


    etsija and SXViper,


    I want to thank both of you for adding this fascinating dimension to the discussion. Somehow I totally missed it the first time around, and I figure if someone who's around here as much as I am missed it, maybe there are others.


    Thanks again!


    Chester :newyear:

  • Here is alittle info about the Blu-Ray high def release date for "The Gren Berets":

    Warner has also announced that the John Wayne classic The Green Berets will debut on Blu-ray on 1/5/2010 (SRP $28.99). Extras will include the vintage The Filmmakers: The Making of The Green Berets featurette. The title is already available on DVD

    Life is hard, its even harder when your stupid!!
    -John Wayne

  • More info & covershots of the Blu-Ray version:



    The Green Berets are coming to Blu-Ray in January


    By Paul on September 14, 2009 10:34 AM http://www.thehollywoodnews.co…in-january.php#trackbacks

    Warner Home Video in the US are going to release the classic John Wayne movie THE GREEN BERETS on Blu-Ray this coming January...


    The actual release date for this release is 5th January 2010. The film is legendary as it is the first Hollywood depiction of the war in Vietnam. Attached are the specs and the artwork.


    Features include:

    • 1080P Widescreen
    • English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD
    • English, French, German and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
    • Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Romanian, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Hebrew, Finnish, Greek
    • Vintage Featurette The Filmmakers: The Making of The Green Berets
    • Theatrical Trailer


    http://www.thehollywoodnews.co…to-blu-ray-in-january.php


    Quote

    "I am not intoxicated - yet." McLintock!

  • Very good, indeed. I saw it at a theater while I was in college and awaiting being drafted in the lottery when my deferment ran out. Despite the anti-war times, the audience cheered when the Cong were blown onto the barb wire fence. Disconcerting to say the least.
    I flashed back to the Georgia movie locations when I was in basic training in Fort Dix, New Jersey. What the hell did that frozen, flat tundra have any relevance to the fetid swamps of Nam? I felt mightily unprepared and wished the Duke and company were going with me.
    Obviously, everything worked out for the best, but I still think that the training at the time was ridiculous and was reflected by the Berets' training scenes.




    We deal in lead, friend.

  • The current issue of the magazine Retro Cinema has an interview wit Luke Askew, "Provo" from the film. Interesting read-he said he got the part only because Bruce Dern had to back out due to another commitment.