Coming Home (1978)

Director:

Hal Ashby

Writers:

Nancy Dowd (story)
Robert C. Jones (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

15 February 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

A man who believed in war! A man who believed in nothing! And a woman who believed in both of them!

Plot:

A woman whose husband is fighting in Vietnam falls in love with another man who suffered a paralyzing combat injury there.

Plot Keywords:

Vietnam | Hospital | Love | Wheelchair | Suicide

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Jane Fonda	...	Sally Hyde
Jon Voight	...	Luke Martin
Bruce Dern	...	Capt. Bob Hyde
Penelope Milford	...	Vi Munson
Robert Carradine	...	Bill Munson
Robert Ginty	...	Sgt. Dink Mobley
Mary Gregory	...	Martha Vickery
Kathleen Miller	...	Kathy Delise
Beeson Carroll	...	Capt. Earl Delise
Willie Tyler	...	Virgil
Louis Carello	...	Bozo (as Lou Carello)
Charles Cyphers	...	Pee Wee
Olivia Cole	...	Corrine
Tresa Hughes	...	Nurse Degroot
Bruce French	...	Dr. Lincoln
Mary Jackson	...	Fleta Wilson
Tim Pelt	...	Jason
Richard Lawson	...	Pat
Rita Taggart	...	Johnson
Claudie Watson	...	Bridges
Sally Frei	...	Connie
Tony Santoro	...	Porsche Salesman
Pat Corley	...	Harris
Gwen Van Dam	...	Mrs. Harris
Jim Klein	...	Willie Malone
Tokyo Ernie	...	Tokyo Ernie
Raul Bayardo	...	Mechanic in Wheelchair
Stacey Pickren	...	Sophie
James Kindelon	...	Marine at Gate
Joey Faustine	...	Marine at Gate
Arthur Rosenberg	...	Bruce
David Clennon	...	Tim
Kimberly Binion	...	Waitress Go-Go
Kirk Raymond	...	Surveillance Man
Bill Hale	...	Surveillance Man
Danny Tucker	...	Monty
Ned Van Zandt	...	Marine at Party
Dennis Rucker	...	Marine at Party
Jonathan Banks	...	Marine at Party
James G. Richardson	...	Marine at Party (as James Richardson)
Gary Downey	...	Intelligence Officer
George Roberts	...	FBI Agent
Bob Ott	...	FBI Agent
Gary Lee Davis	...	Marine Recruiter
Marc McClure	...	High School Class Pres.
Ron Amador	...	Beany, Ward H
Kenneth Augustine	...	Ken (as Ken Augustine)
Cornelius Austin	...	Corney, Ward H
Rick Blanchard	...	Man at Hospital
John J. Britt	...	Doc, Ward I
James Lane	...	Man at Hospital
Robert Murdock	...	Bob, Ward H
Fredrico Orange	...	Man at Hospital
Edward Ramirez	...	Pepe, Ward H
Robert Soto	...	Bob, Ward J
Chris Sweeden	...	Chris, Ward K
Curtis Waddy	...	Man at Hospital
James Williams	...	Jim, Ward J
Robert Abatiell	...	Man at Hospital
Karn Alecksen	...	Man at Hospital
Blane Baker	...	Man at Hospital
Albert Arena	...	Man at Hospital
Don Boswell	...	Man at Hospital
James Bennett	...	Man at Hospital
Reynard Brooks	...	Man at Hospital
Philip Brasile	...	Man at Hospital
Joe Burghadt	...	Man at Hospital
Jon Brown	...	Man at Hospital
Bridget Chancelor	...	Woman at Hospital
Albert Campos	...	Man at Hospital
John Crosson	...	Man at Hospital
Glen Christopher	...	Man at Hospital
Mary Elders	...	Woman at Hospital
Romeo Cuellar	...	Man at Hospital
Mike Flippin	...	Man at Hospital
Everett Erickson	...	Man at Hospital
Bernie Folker	...	Man at Hospital
Adolf Flores	...	Man at Hospital
Robert Garrett	...	Man at Hospital
Wil Friedman	...	Wil, Ward L
Richard Gilbert	...	Man at Hospital
Reginald Gibson	...	Man at Hospital
Gilbert Gunderson	...	Man at Hospital
Jim Gleason	...	Man at Hospital
Gary Lee Harris	...	Man at Hospital
John Hagelberg	...	Man at Hospital
Terry Jennings	...	Man at Hospital
Butch Hubbard	...	Butch, Ward J
David Kiley	...	Man at Hospital
William Johnson	...	Man at Hospital
Kevin Lewis	...	Kevin, Ward L
Robert Kretschmann	...	Man at Hospital
Gordon Lewis	...	Man at Hospital
Robert Leslie	...	Man at Hospital
Richard Lubin	...	Man at Hospital
Dennis Link	...	Man at Hospital
Robert McGee	...	Man at Hospital
Jeff Lucas	...	Man at Hospital
Louis Mares	...	Man at Hospital
Richard Malone	...	Man at Hospital
Marc Mikialian	...	Man at Hospital
Frank Martin	...	Man at Hospital
Susan Mirch	...	Woman at Hospital
Jeff Minnebraker	...	Man at Hospital
Greg Najera	...	Man at Hospital
Morris Moorhead	...	Man at Hospital
Jerry Newman Sr.	...	Man at Hospital
John Craig Nelson	...	Man at Hospital
Brad Parks	...	Man at Hospital
Michael Palacios	...	Man at Hospital
Butch Rader	...	Man at Hospital
Brad Pickle	...	Man at Hospital
Richard Rodriguez	...	Man at Hospital
Robert Darrell Ray	...	Man at Hospital
Steven Scott	...	Man at Hospital
Albert Rowe	...	Man at Hospital
Greg Shepard	...	Man at Hospital
Maureen Shapiro	...	Woman at Hospital
Hugh Smith	...	Man at Hospital
Trace Sikora	...	Woman at Hospital
Steve Sober	...	Man at Hospital
Kenny Snow	...	Man at Hospital
Rick Stevens	...	Man at Hospital
Craig Spruill	...	Man at Hospital
Ron Tarin	...	Man at Hospital
John Sweeden	...	John, Ward K
Arthur Watson	...	Man at Hospital
Tom Walker	...	Man at Hospital
Rex Weigel	...	Man at Hospital
Michael Watson	...	Man at Hospital
Bob White	...	Man at Hospital
James Worth	...	Man at Hospital
Howard Wolff	...	Man at Hospital
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hal Ashby	...	Passenger in Porsche Speedster flashing the peace sign (uncredited)
Mark Carlton	...	Mark, Rap Session (uncredited)
Jaye Durkus	...	Gunnery Sergeant (uncredited)
Reuben Green	...	Platoon Leader (uncredited)
Mark Hateley	...	Luke's Neighbor (uncredited)
Sharon Hesky	...	Dancer, Go-Go Club (uncredited)
Ed Lang	...	Ed, Hell's Angel (uncredited)
Steven Price	...	Shad (uncredited)
Patrick Regan	...	Marine (uncredited)
Jan Michael Shultz	...	Lt. Roscoe (uncredited)
Leland Sun	...	PFC (uncredited)
Stephen Traxler	...	Steve, Rap Session (uncredited)
Marc Vahanian	...	Ronnie (uncredited)
Hildegarde Wendt	...	Waitress, Go-Go Club (uncredited)
Haskell Wexler	...	Officer awarding medals (uncredited)
Bill Willens	...	Hippie Man (uncredited)

Directed by
Hal Ashby

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Nancy Dowd		story
Robert C. Jones		writer
Waldo Salt		writer
Rudy Wurlitzer		uncredited

Produced by
Bruce Gilbert	....	associate producer
Jerome Hellman	....	producer

Cinematography by
Haskell Wexler

Film Editing by
Don Zimmerman

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
Michael D. Haller		(as Michael Haller)

Set Decoration by
George Gaines

Costume Design by
Ann Roth

Makeup Department
Bernadine M. Anderson	....	makeup artist: Ms. Fonda (as Bernadine Anderson)
Lynda Gurasich	....	hair stylist
Gary Liddiard	....	makeup artist
Lola 'Skip' McNalley	....	hair stylist: Ms. Fonda (as Lola McNally)

Production Management
Charles Mulvehill	....	production manager
Nicolas Hippisley-Coxe	....	location production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jim Bloom	....	second assistant director (as James Bloom)
Charles Myers	....	first assistant director (as Charles A. Myers)

Art Department
Alan Levine	....	property master (as Allan Levine)
James L. Schoppe	....	assistant art director (as Jim Schoppe)
Claudia Gilligan Ivanjack	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert Knudson	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Buzz Knudson)
Pat Suraci	....	boom operator
Frank E. Warner	....	sound editor (as Frank Warner)
Jeff Wexler	....	sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Sidney Ray Baldwin	....	still photographer (as Sid Baldwin)
Craig Denault	....	first assistant camera (as Craig De Nault)
Clyde Hart	....	key grip
Gary Holt	....	gaffer
Richard A. Mention III	....	second assistant camera (as Rick Mention)
Donald E. Thorin	....	camera operator (as Don Thorin)
Sunny Johnson	....	grip (uncredited)
Louis Niemeyer	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sally Dennison	....	additional casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jennifer L. Parsons	....	costumer: women (as Jennifer Parsons)
Silvio Scarano	....	costumer: men

Editorial Department
Scott Burrow	....	assistant editor
Mark Warner	....	assistant editor

Music Department
George Brand	....	music editor

Other crew
Michael Jacobs	....	technical advisor
Lucile Jones	....	friend who did everything
Caren Levin	....	friend who did everything
Michael Maslansky	....	unit publicist
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Spencer Quinn	....	location manager
Ken Ryan	....	accountant
June Samson	....	script supervisor
Dianne Schroeder	....	friend who did everything
David Wyler	....	friend who did everything
Janet Healy	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Mary Malin	....	assistant: Ann Roth (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Jerome Hellman Productions
• Jayne Productions Inc.

Distributors

• United Artists (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1978) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• atlas Film (1978) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1979) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Other Companies

• Ritek Digital Studios  DVD created by

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:16 | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Argentina:18 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-18 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Manhattan Beach, California, USA

Company:

Jerome Hellman Productions

Trivia:

The opening scene where the vets in the hospital are talking was totally unscripted. They were real Vietnam vets discussing their own views about the war. Jon Voight was supposed to have added to the dialog, but out of respect stayed silent and listened.

Quotes:

Luke Martin: You know, I spend 95% of the time at the hospital thinking of making love with you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Nothing Like the Holidays (2008)

Soundtrack:

Hey Jude

Probably the 2nd best Vietnam War movie behind "Apocalypse Now" (and certainly Hal Ashby's best movie ever).

"Coming Home" was the first Vietnam War movie that dealt with the soldiers' plight sympathetically. Sally Hyde (Jane Fonda) is volunteering at the Veterans' Hospital in Los Angeles while her husband Bob (Bruce Dern) serves in Vietnam. In the process of working in the hospital, Sally sees how the hospital is unprepared to treat the people who are coming back from the war. When paraplegic veteran Luke Martin (Jon Voight) demands better treatment, rather than listen to him, they tranquilize him so that they won't have to deal with him. Over time, Sally and Luke fall in love. When Bob returns from Vietnam, he is completely damaged emotionally. The final scene shows the overall state of the world as a result of the Vietnam War.

Whenever I hear the Rolling Stones' song "Out of Time", it reminds me of "Coming Home". One thing that you get to see in the movie is how, when Sally and Bob are having sex, she is clearly not enjoying it; when Sally and Luke are having sex, she clearly is enjoying it. Fonda and Voight won well-deserved Oscars for their roles, and if you ask me, the movie should have won Best Picture. A solid masterpiece.