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Heartbreak Ridge (5-Dec-1986)
Director: Clint Eastwood Writer: James Carabatsos Music Composed and Conducted by: Lennie Niehaus Producer: Clint Eastwood Keywords: Action/Adventure, Infantry
CAST | Clint Eastwood | ... Highway | | Marsha Mason | ... Aggie | | Everett McGill | ... Maj. Powers | | Moses Gunn | ... Sgt. Webster | | Eileen Heckart | ... Little Mary | | Bo Svenson | ... Roy Jennings | | Boyd Gaines | ... Lt. Ring | | Mario Van Peebles | ... Stitch | | Arlen Dean Snyder | ... Choozoo | | Vincent Irizarry | ... Fragetti | | Ramon Franco | ... Aponte | | Tom Villard | ... Profile | | Mike Gomez | ... Quinones | | Rodney Hill | ... Collins | | Peter Koch | ... "Swede" Johanson | | Richard Venture | ... Col. Meyers | | Peter Jason | ... Maj. Devin | | | J. C. Quinn | ... Quartermaster Sergeant | | Begoņa Plaza | ... Mrs. Aponte | | John Eames | ... Judge Zane | | Thom Sharp | ... Emcee | | John Gallagher | ... Emcee | | John Hostetter | ... Reese | | Holly Shelton-Foy | ... Sarita Dwayne | | Nicholas Worth | ... Jail Binger | | Timothy Fall | ... Kid in Jail | | Jon Pennell | ... Jail Crier | | Trish Garland | ... Woman Marine Officer | | Dutch Mann | ... Bar Tough Guy | | Darwyn Swalve | ... Bar Tough Guy | | Christopher Lee Michael | ... Marine | | Alex M. Bello | ... Marine | | Steve Halsey | ... Bus Driver | | John Sasse | ... Bus Driver | | Rebecca Perle | ... Student in Shower | | Annie O'Donnell | ... Telephone Operator | | Elizabeth Ruscio | ... Waitress | | Lloyd Nelson | ... Deputy | | John H. Brewer | ... Sergeant Major in Court | | Michael Maurer | ... Bouncer in Bar | | Tom Ellison | ... Marine Corporal |
REVIEWS Review by Walter Frith (posted on 7-Jun-2007) The U.S. military is one institution that I have a lot of respect for.
Not necessarily for the politicians who send them into harm's way but
the very notion that it always seems to be the most poor and easily
forgotten members of society that seem to defend the very freedom we
cherish amazes me. The same freedom that seems to have oppressed them
for generations. I guess that is the ultimate definition of
"unselfish." One thing that does bother me a lot about the way the U.S.
does conduct its military affairs is the flag waving factor. Forget the
glamour, just go in and do your job and let us say "thanks". The
bragging gets to me. It's not just a loss in Vietnam that the Americans
have to live with but the tie in Korea where technically, a state of
war still exists today between the States and North Korea with the
existence of the DMZ. Losing in the war of 1812, being pushed back in
Somalia in 1993 and now, in September 2005, they appear to be losing
the war in Iraq not to another military but to a group of unorganized
thugs constantly referred to in the media as insurgents who seem to
come from nowhere. But where is nowhere? Syria? Saudi Arabia? Iran? All
these countries are west, south and east of Iraq. Who can stop them?
Only time will tell. Well, the reason I brought up the information in
that first paragraph of this review is because Clint Eastwood's
'Heartbreak Ridge', seen as a comedy by some, might now be seen as a
farce today and an embarrassment to the U.S. military. That's not to
say it isn't an entertaining film, just one that doesn't do a lot to
boost morale. The outcome of the film is one I won't discuss in detail
for fear of spoilers. Let's just say that whether or not a military
platoon is successful in combat depends on their readiness and
credibility in evaluation by superior officers. Superior officers, some
of whom have never been in combat so how does that inspire young men
and women sent on their first trip head first into combat. In
'Heartbreak Ridge', Eastwood directs and stars as Tom Highway, a Korean
and Vietnam war veteran who has won many military honours including the
congressional medal of honour, the highest award a serviceman can
receive. He is estranged from his wife (Marsha Mason), re-unites with a
fellow officer from his glory days upon his transfer to a new base
(Arlen Dean Snyder), establishes contact with the wife of his
commanding officer in Vietnam (Eileen Heckart), and butts heads with
his new commanding officer (Everett McGill). Highway also has to
contend with whipping into shape the platoon which is the most
undisciplined and least prepared on the base to be ready for combat.
'Heartbreak Ridge' was called "protracted" when it first arrived in
theatres on my 21st birthday in December of 1986 but I don't think that
term is appropriate. Sure, I would have trimmed quite a bit of the
film's final cut but even the stuff that makes the movie at times
slower than it should be is still watchable and doesn't last too long.
The film has characters that are realistic and some of Highway's
confrontations with them are hilarious. Teaching them the things that
will keep them alive, earning their respect at his age, near the age of
mandatory retirement, and disobeying his commanding officer for the
good of his platoon are all part of his plan. Highway hates answering
to anyone but his love of country and his fellow servicemen is
unwavering. The film is sort of a three part story. The first act is
Highway's transfer back to his base where he establishes his contact
and is given the task of doing what he loves best. The second act is
the art of Highway's talents repelling or impressing those from
different areas of his life and the third part is a military combat
mission on the island of Grenada, an actual slice of American combat
history that occurred in 1983. Categorized in 'Die Hard 2' (1990) as
"five minutes of fire fight and five weeks of surf." I would have to
say that as a film about combat, 'Heartbreak Ridge' works. As a film
about the flaws in people as people, it works. Where 'Heartbreak Ridge'
seems to struggle is in the very notion that a man like Tom Highway
would last as long as he has in the service of his country when he has
been arrested so many times for public drunkenness, fighting and
getting in trouble for striking a superior officer. 'Heartbreak Ridge'
seemed to mark and end to Eastwood's days of comedy in film. He would
go on to direct 1990's semi-comedy 'The Rookie' and other than that,
Eastwood seemed to be on track for a string of films that would bring
him some of the highest respect he's ever earned. Among the highlights,
directing 'Unforgiven' (1992) and 'Million Dollar Baby' (2004) and
those two films would bring him a total of four Oscars. Two for
producing and two for directing. And 1993's 'In the Line of Fire' is my
favourite performance of Eastwood's. A man tough as nails at his job
who is so supremely vulnerable to his enemies at the same time.
'Heartbreak Ridge' is one of the few films I've seen where a drill
sergeant doesn't yell at his men. Perhaps his deadly glare is just as
effective. At least it's healthier. [Visit FILM FOLLOW-UP by Walter
Frith]
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