Neil Sheehan Movies
- 2004
- PG13
- Add Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry to QueueAdd Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry to top of Queue
Douglas Brinkley's best-selling novel Tour of Duty follows 2004 presidential hopeful John Kerry's years in Vietnam and goes on to illustrate his contribution to peace advocacy groups after being honorably discharged from the Navy. Both of these events, according to George Butler, Tour of Duty director and long-time friend of Senator Kerry, had a profound impact on the politician's personal ideologies, and provided the foundation for Kerry's career. Kerry, who hired Butler as his press secretary during his 1969 congressional campaign, agreed to be interviewed for the film. Tour of Duty, in addition to a series of interviews, features an array of archival footage of Kerry dating from the 1960s to his presidential run. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi
Adapted from Neil Sheehan's 1988 Pulitzer Prize-winning best-seller, this $14-million TV docudrama, re-creating the Vietnam War with convincing combat footage, was the most expensive two-hour movie ever produced by HBO Pictures. Lieutenant Colonel John Paul Vann (Bill Paxton) spends ten years (1962-72) in Vietnam. When Vann exposes falsified casualty figures, deceptive battle reports, and other lies about the war, journalist Steven Burnett (Donal Logue) relays the truth to American newspapers, and Vann takes heat from higher-ups. Meanwhile, he's involved with a Vietnamese teacher (Vivian Wu), and his wife (Amy Madigan) is forced to lie so he won't be court-martialed for sexual relations with an underage Vietnamese girl. Back for a second tour, he gets another young Vietnamese woman pregnant and is forced to marry her. Returning in 1968 as a civilian, he's decorated and eventually promoted to general for his contributions during the Tet offensive. The music track features Grace Slick singing "Somebody to Love" while peasant villages are bombed. Filmed in Lompburi, Thailand. Premiered May 30, 1998 on HBO. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bill Paxton, Amy Madigan, (more)
