FLIGHT OF THE INTRUDER

US, 1990, 115 minutes, Colour.
Danny Glover, Willem Dafoe, Rosanna Arquette, Brad Johnson, Tom Sizemore.
Directed by John Milius.

Flight of the Intruder is a big-budget action film - something in the tradition of Top Gun, only seeing the men in action in Vietnam. The Intruder was an F6, used for attack in Vietnam, without any defence weapons of its own.

The film echoes the war stories of past decades, the heroic John Wayne type of movie. It focuses on Vietnam 1972, the skills of the navy and the navy pilots, the flights of the Intruders, the missions over North Vietnam and the desire to bomb Hanoi itself.

The film was directed by one of the most gung-ho directors in Hollywood, John Milius (The Wind and the Lion, Dillinger, Conan the Barbarian, Red Dawn). Milius can be seen in the excellent documentary on the making of Apocalypse Now, Heart of Darkness. Milius was the original screenwriter of Apocalypse Now. His strong gung-ho presuppositions are to the fore in the interviews in that film and can be seen in his attitude towards America and its possibilities of winning the Vietnam War in this movie.

Danny Glover gives a routine (for him) performance as the officer commanding. Willem Dafoe is the quietly daredevil officer. The central focus is on Brad Johnson (Always) and his wanting revenge for the death of his co-pilot. Rosanna Arquette appears in a brief romantic interlude. This is definitely a man's man's film.

1.Entertaining Vietnam story? War and combat? In the air?

2.1972, the status of the war? President Nixon and the bombings of North Vietnam? America's presence, sense of defeat? Morale amongst the armed forces? The experience of war, deaths of comrades? The politics of peace? Nixon's anger about the peace negotiations and the bombing of North Vietnam?

3.The title, the focus on American weaponry, American air forces? The Intruder, its capabilities? Seeing it in action? The men who flew the Intruders?

4.Echoes of American war film traditions? The American heroes, winning the war? Gung-ho attitudes? Buddy bonds and revenge? The assumptions about America's invincibility? How strongly expressed for 1972? 1990 looking at 1972 in retrospect and aftermath of the war? The highlighting of the anti-war stances in the United States during the late '60s and early '70s?

5.The focus on Jake and his flying partner, their missions? The skills in flying the planes? The targets, the bombings? The seeming futility of the targets? Morgan's death by a sniper? Jake bringing the plane in? His grief and anger? The officer commanding and the interview, telling him to get hold of himself? Sympathy from comrades? Going to Morgan's house, the meeting with the girl, her daughter? His angry attitude towards her? Their meeting in the bar, the night together, talking, sharing? At the beach, the daughter? Being mistaken for a family? His continued writing to her? A future? The encounter with Cole? Limitations of raids? The seeming futility? Briefings, the cleaning of the plane? The possibility of bombing Hanoi, Cole rejecting the offer, exploring the possibilities, their hold over the officer who urinated in the mess room? Getting the information, the maps? Going on the raid, the bombings, their return flight? Their success? The court martial? Nixon's change of policy and the charges being dropped? The mission, the officer commander being down? Going down to get him, Cole, his injuries, death? The rescue by helicopter? The reconciliation with the officer? The portrait of the American hero, tall and strong, sturdy? Emotional with his buddy? Conventional romance? Clashes with authority - but being vindicated?

6.The officer commanding, black - and his prospects of promotion? Strong attitudes towards his men? Attitude towards Jake, getting him to get control of himself? His attitude towards Cole? The court martial, his stances, the change of orders? His anger at their going up? His going down, rescued, the bond with Jake?

7.Cole, his reputation, tough, the professional? The routine flights and checking the planes, taking Jake with him, approving of him? The possibility of going to bomb Hanoi? His rejection of it, his going to Hanoi, the bombings, the return? His going with the men to the bar and brothel, the fight? The officer interrogating Jake - Cole witnessing that they were victims?

8.The men, the pressures of war, their skills as pilots? Letting off steam - like men, with the local prostitutes, in the bar, fights? The military police? On the ship, orders, drills, efficiency? The man who married the local girl and the emphasis on his responsibility? The officer urinating in the room? The court martials - and the attitudes of officers? Working by the book?

9.Rosanna Arquette, providing the romantic interest? Her job, helping widows pack? Her anger at Jake? The bar, the dance, the night together, the beach, writing letters? Her future?

10.A conventional Right- Wing American combat movie?