TotalTelly.co.uk

Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV

The Green Berets [1968]


RRP: £13.99
Our Price: £3.98 (subject to change)

Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Anyone who fought in Vietnam can tell you that the war bore little resemblance to this propagandistic action film starring and codirected by John Wayne. But Green Berets itself is not nearly as bad as its reputation would suggest; critics roasted its gung-ho politics while ignoring its merits as an exciting (if rather conventional and idealistic) war movie. Some notorious mistakes were made--in the final shot, the sun sets in the east!--and it's an awkward attempt to graft WWII heroics onto the Vietnam experience. But as the Duke's attempt to acknowledge the men who were fighting and dying overseas, it's a rousing film in which Wayne commands a regiment on a mission to kidnap a Viet Cong general. David Janssen plays a journalist who learns to understand Wayne's commitment to battling Communism, and Jim Hutton (Timothy's dad) plays an ill-fated soldier who adopts a Vietnamese orphan. --Jeff Shannon

Editorial
Video Description

DVD Special Features

Interactive Menus
Production Notes
Scene Access
Language in Mono: English
Subtitles: English/Arabic/English for the hearing impaired

Editorial
Synopsis

One of the first American films specifically about the Vietnam War was also one of the most hawkish, offering a pro-intervention perspective at the height of the conflict. Filmed along the conventions of a World War II action drama, a gung-ho colonel battles the vicious Viet Cong while protecting innocent civilians, befriending an orphaned boy, and reforming a liberal newspaperman's misguided political views.

Commies are bad (or maybe the movie)
Review date: 2008-06-20 Rating: 2 out of 10

The main message is blatant - the War is a Crusade against Evil World Domination Communism and the boys are doing their best and will win.

That pretty much sums it up, if you add - with the support of freedom loving Vietnamese. Maybe that is your kind of movie but it is not mine.

This is a bad movie and does not age well at all. This is a propaganda movie released in the first years of the Vietnam War and is about as clean as an early western. Its only merit is it takes the stand with the boys sent to war so I can see some sentimental value there. John Wayne didn't always play a cowboy and acted in a few (and much better) World War 2 movies. Here he tries to do the same for the Vietnam War and fails on every account.

Even as a war movie this doesn't stand well the test of time, it is too clean, the action is too stiff and wooden and the sideline stories are very poor propaganda.

Avoid.

Similar Products

Reviews


Why.......just why?
Review date: 2008-03-14 Rating: 2 out of 10

Being born to a later generation Ive never been able to appreciate these kinds of flicks. The bad acting, awful scripting and blatant bias is too much for me for the most part. After hearing about this film and how bad it is I decided to find it a give it a view just out of curiosity....

From the very start you know exactly what kind of film this, exactly who the 'good' and 'bad' guys are, its ridiculously black and white. Its made in the same style as many of the older WW2 movies, realism is clearly not the agenda here. The acting is hammy to say the least, the characters are 2-dimensional and the script is just laughable at times. No matter what the situation during the movie the characters never swear, well, unless you count 'hell' or 'damn'. Some of the films set-up is obviously designed to pull at the heart strings and tow the jingoistic line, the young Vietnamese boy and his little dog for example who adds nothing to the story but some soppy sentiment and gleefully bland humour. All the main characters look older than 35/40 and some of them clearly out of shape, not exactly befitting of the 'Green Berets', John Wayne looks knackered after a mild jog. The effects are pretty poor but we can make some allowances due to the time period the film was made. Even so, a little extra effort for realism couldnt hurt could it. The Vietcong/NVA are pantomime bad-guys and are so given no more thought than as cannon fodder. One scene in particular they all just stand still being strafed by a plane. The story is predictable, and to call it propoganda is stating the obvious. Quite simply its an atrocious film. I wouldnt recommend it to anyone that values realism in a movie. I didnt pay to watch this film, and I certainly wouldnt suggest anyone else part with their hard-earned to watch it. This films belongs locked in a deep, dark archive somewhere alongside Doug MacClure's boxset and Freddy Got Fingered.

Utter Cack
Review date: 2007-10-20 Rating: 2 out of 10

This really is one of the worst war films that I've ever seen (and I've seen a lot of them). The relentless propaganda is bad enough but John Wayne is wholly unconvincing as a Green Berets officer. For a start he is far too fat for a frontline soldier. Genuine Green Beret soldiers must be utterly embarrassed by his usual hackneyed performance, not to mention the woeful script and direction.

John Wayne is one of the most hypocritical film stars to have ever lived; while guys like Jimmy Stewart went to war for real, Wayne stayed safely in the US and made ludicrous gung ho pro-war flicks.

JOHN WAYNE WITHOUT A COWBOY HAT
Review date: 2007-09-29 Rating: 4 out of 10

The film was very pro-American and made the Vietnam war more like some old WW2 film, where they are the clean-shaven, God fearing good guys.

The film shows none of the horrific side of the war to the point where it's almost like a bit of fun if you are a yank.

No real informative scenes here I'm afraid.

good fun
Review date: 2007-03-22 Rating: 8 out of 10

That's what Vietnam war could've really been like: A few heroic American instructors helping Vietnamese to stop the red tide flooding their beautiful country and succeeding.
The movie was well shot and full of action. John Wayne is brilliant. You want to believe him (no matter what ghastly propaganda is pouring out his mouth :)
I have enjoyed 2/3 of this movie until it was failed by a script. Watch it, I guess.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
David Janssen
Luke Askew
Irene Tsu
Aldo Ray
John Wayne

Creators:
John Wayne (Primary Contributor)
Luke Askew (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
EAN: 7321900010023
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2005-04-18
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 136 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1968-08-30
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: Arabic (Subtitled)

Add to Cart

© 2006 Darren Hester, DesignsByDarren.com, Some Rights Reserved.
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional