Dogfight (1991)
- Starring:
- River Phoenix, Lili Taylor, (more)
- Director(s):
- Nancy Savoca
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R
- Format(s):
- DVD
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Synopsis of Dogfight
River Phoenix stars in this period drama about a young man, naive in some ways and worldly in others, who learns an important lesson about the nature of beauty. In the fall of 1963, Eddie Birdlace (River Phoenix) is an 18-year-old Marine Corps volunteer who is about to ship out with three of his buddies for a tour of duty in Viet Nam. Planning a massive blowout for their last night in San Francisco, Eddie, his buddies, and a number of other Marines set up a contest they call a "dog fight." Each man contributes $50 to the pot, and whoever can bring the ugliest date for their meeting that night at the bar wins the prize. Not having much luck finding a suitable contestant, Eddie finds a plain and slightly zaftig woman named Rose Feeney (Lili Taylor), who works in a coffeeshop and dreams of a career as a folk singer. Rose agrees to go out with Eddie, partly because she feels sorry for him, but as the evening wears on, Eddie finds himself growing fond of Rose and tries to worm his way out of taking her to the "party" he's told her so much about. When Rose learns the true nature of the contest, she is furious, not just for herself but for the other women who were cruelly and pointlessly humiliated; Eddie, severely chagrined, asks her out to dinner, hoping to somehow earn her forgiveness. Noted folk singer Holly Near appears as Rose's mother. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 94 mins
Complete Cast of Dogfight
- River Phoenix - Eddie Birdlace
- Richard Panebianco - Berzin
- Mitchell Whitfield - Benjamin
- Neal Allen - Sergeant Judge
- Barb Benedetti - Alice
- Dale Carman - Restaurant Maitre d'
- George Evans - Bus Driver
- Albert Farrar - Corpsman
- Brendan Fraser - 1st Sailor
- Kristie Gamer - Pretty Girl
- Sandra Ellis Lafferty - Crying Woman
- Ron Lynch - Lance Corporal Judge
- Charles F. Vetter Jr. - Truckstop Waitress
- John Lacy - Fector
- Denise Williams - Mother on Bus
- Frank Walters - Newscaster
- Angie Utt - Thrift Shop Woman
- Christopher Shaw - Donavin
- Chris San Nicholas - Dogfight Buddy
- Burke Pearson - Waiter
- Dave MacIntyre - Bartender
- Constance McCord - Dogfight Waitress
- Jason Moore - Younger Brother on Bus
- Bob Munns - 50's Drinker
- Lili Taylor - Rose Fenney
- Anthony Clark - Okie Buele
- Holly Near - Rose Sr.
- Jillian Armenante - Girl on Street
- Art Cahn - Bar Owner
- Elizabeth Daily - Marcy
- Krisha Fairchild - Truckstop Cook
- Bonnie Fox - Arcade Hooker
- John Fry - Marine on Bus
- Brian Gotta - Dogfight Marine
- Jacob Luft - Neighborhood Boy
- Joseph Franklin - Crying Customer
- Kenneth Utt - Thrift Shop Man
- Dion Williams - Older Brother on Bus
- Anne Elizabeth Washburn - Friend of Girl on Street
- Jessica Wallenfells - Arcade Girl
- Matt Skerritt - 2nd Sailor
- Julian Schembri - Navy Bill
- Peg Phillips - Older Cafe Customer
- Raf Orozco - Hippie
- Christina Mastin - Linda
- Ivars Mikelson - Bob
- Sue Morales - Ruth Two Bears
- Director(s):
- Nancy Savoca
- Writer(s):
- Bob Comfort
- Producer(s):
- Richard Guay, Peter Newman
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R(Adult Situations, Not For Children, Profanity, Violence)
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- Closed Captioning:
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