Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Oliver Stone

Writers (WGA):

Ron Kovic (book)
Oliver Stone (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

20 December 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | War

Tagline:

A story of innocence lost and courage found.

Plot:

The biography of Ron Kovic. Paralyzed in the Vietnam war, he becomes an anti-war and pro-human rights political activist after feeling betrayed by the country he fought for.

Plot Keywords:

Vietnam War | Vietnam | Political | Casualties | Month In Title

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Tom Cruise	...	Ron Kovic
Raymond J. Barry	...	Mr. Kovic
Caroline Kava	...	Mrs. Kovic
Josh Evans	...	Tommy Kovic
Jamie Talisman	...	Jimmy Kovic
Anne Bobby	...	Suzanne Kovic
Samantha Larkin	...	Patty Kovic
Tom Berenger	...	Recruiting Gunnery Sgt. Hayes
Frank Whaley	...	Timmy
Jerry Levine	...	Steve Boyer
Richard Panebianco	...	Joey Walsh
Rob Camilletti	...	Tommy Finnelli
Stephen Baldwin	...	Billy Vorsovich
Michael McTighe	...	Danny Fantozzi
Richard Haus	...	Recruiting Sgt. Bowers

Runtime:

145 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Spain:13 | USA:R (certificate #29975) | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) (cut) | Singapore:PG (heavily cut) | Brazil:12 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:R | Chile:18 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | New Zealand:R13 (DVD rating) | Norway:15 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | West Germany:16 | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Creekside Drive, Dallas, Texas, USA

Company:

Ixtlan Corporation

Trivia:

During the demonstration, one of the speakers says that the Bronze Star and Purple Heart honors he earned in Vietnam mean nothing. These are the same two honors that director Oliver Stone received after serving in Vietnam.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: When Ron is taking the train to Upstate NY a Mass Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) commuter train is used.

Quotes:

Mrs. Kovic: [enters the room, beaming] Ronnie, Ronnie, you're doing the right thing! Communism has to be stopped! It's God's will that you go, and I'm proud of you. (gently pats his shoulder) Just be careful, that's all.
[pause]
Ron Kovic: Don't you know what it means to me to be a Marine, Dad? Ever since I was a kid I've wanted this - I've wanted to serve my country - and I want to go. I want to go to Vietnam - and I'll die there if I have to.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Drive (1991)

Soundtrack:

Venus

Absorbing Piece of Work

Let's start with the good news. "Born on the Fourth of July" is an absorbing piece of work, based on a true story, about Ron Kovic (Tom Cruise), a gung-ho Marine-turned-war-protester. We first meet Kovic as an all-American boy as strong in his faith as he is in his will to succeed. After high school he proudly joins the Marines, hoping he'll be shipped to Vietnam to stop the spread of communism. But the barbarities of war, including civilian casualties, friendly fire and a paralyzing bullet through the chest, gradually turn him against the conflict. Director Oliver Stone's method of telling Kovic's story over a period of several years is highly effective and convincing. Cruise is at his best as Kovic, portraying a wide range of emotions and developing apathy with the viewer. The audience feels what he feels, from confusion on the battlefield to the terror of being paralyzed from the waist down.

Now for the bad news. The picture is overly political, with Stone once again (and unnecessarily) casting Republicans as the bad guys and Democrats as the good guys (seemingly ignoring that the Dems initially sent the troops to 'Nam). The film also takes a while to build up steam, and the all-American life of the pre-Marine Kovic seems a little too perfect to be believable. Obviously a story such as this requires adequate screen time, but the 145 minutes is slightly drawn out, particularly toward the end. And although one of its central themes is the opposition to the war that greeted returning vets, the genesis and rationale of that opposition are not adequately explored.

As a whole, however, "Born of the Fourth of July" is recommended. Kovic's biography and Stone's masterful storytelling are a perfect match. It's not your typical war movie. In fact, it's not your typical movie, period.