THE GREEN BERETS (1968)

You’d imagine that 50 years after this film came out (and 45 since the U.S. pull out opened a long, winding, ironic path to winning over Vietnamese Hearts & Minds thru the pocketbook) some historical interest would have developed on John Wayne’s contentious pro-military look at the war.  But either Vietnam remains too complicated, or the film is too poorly made, for it to have accrues insight or value.  For all the unique elements & problems of the ‘conflict,’ this film might be re-fighting some WWII battle on locations in William Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha County, led by weighty senior citizen  officers.  Wayne shares directing credit with Ray Kellogg, a second-unit man who presumably handled action & ordnance; and none too well.  A downed helicopter sequence with Wayne is really something awful.  The film’s standout element a gloating display of sadistic killings, surprisingly on both sides.  As a leftie newsman who ‘gets religion’ watching battles up-close, David Janssen seems constipated, he usually did in features, while the always pleasant Jim Hutton at least makes a likable fellow of his mash-up character, it’s Ensign Pulver requisition whiz meets Audie Murphy combat hero.  Our plot: Build BaseCamp; Lose BaseCamp to VietCong; Recapture BaseCamp from Vietcong.  And if you thought they’d forget to add in a baleful orphan boy or a soldier who dies on his final day, then perhaps you also won’t notice them splicing on a needless fourth act combo with Mata Hari, The Dirty Dozen & Bridge on the River Kwai.  (No kidding: Mata Hari, Dirty Dozen and BotRK!  Sheesh.)

WATCH THIS, NOT THAT: The big pro-military film of 1968, which ends with a proud son enlisting for an unmentioned Vietnam, was the ‘blended’ family comedy YOURS, MINE AND OURS, starring the very liberal Henry Fonda alongside the somewhat liberal Lucille Ball. And while BERETS did well enough, YOURS did 150% of this film’s take.

LINK: The sing-song lyrics of the title song (by GREEN BERETS novelist Robin Moore) are classic Patriotic Drivel and demand hearing even if you never get to (or thru) the pic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5WJJVSE_BE