A RUMOUR OF WAR

US, 1980, 195 minutes, Colour.
Brad Davis, Keith Carradine, Stacy Keach, Steve Forrest, Michael O'Keefe, Brian Dennehy, Dan Shor, Jeff Daniels.
Directed by Richard T. Heffron.

A Rumour of War is based on the memoirs of the central character Philip T. Caputo. His friend Murphy, portrayed in the film by Keith Carradine, acted as technical adviser.

The film goes back to the atmosphere of America in the early '60s and Kennedy's Camelot. After the assassination and the involvement in the Vietnam war, there were mixed attitudes for American heroes. The film shows the Marines with their traditions and their being out of place in a war they did not understand. The strain on the Marines told in such incidents as the My Lai massacre. The central action and dilemma of this film echoes that kind of American brutality towards the Vietnamese and the court martial stances taken. Brad Davis, of Midnight Express, is good in the central role. There is a strong supporting cast including Brian Dennehy as the tough sergeant.

Unfortunately, the film was made after Coming Home, The Deerhunter and Apocalypse Now, which seem to have presented something of the last cinema images of the Vietnam war. To that extent, the film seems tame. It was directed by Richard T. Heffron, director of many telemovies and such films as Future World and I, the Jury.

1. The impact of Vietnam on American history? on the world of the '60s? The importance of films about Vietnam? Recording facts, preserving history? Re-assessment of involvement in the light of later decades and understanding? The consequences of the Vietnam war? Vietnam and America as seen by the '80s?

2. The important Vietnam films and their visualising of the war? Their dramatic statements? Their seeming to be the last word on film of the war? The anti-climax of this film in its time? The influence of the Vietnam films e.g. Apocalypse Now? The long tradition of American war films and marines in action? Patriotism, life in the Marines, buddies, action sequences, crises?

3. The film as based on an authentic story? Philip Caputo's book? The adaptation for the screen? Murphy as technical adviser? The memory of Caputo's involvement in the war, the re-assessment of his actions?

4. The atmosphere of the '60s, American involvement in Vietnam, the early days of the war, the ethos of American involvement, the escalation of the war and American bewilderment, the '70s and the collapse, the surrender of Saigon, the '80s and the reassessment?

5. The focus on the '60s: Phil and his life in Chicago, his voice-over comments, his girlfriend and her demands, the family and their demands, arguments, studies etc? His relationship with his girlfriend - and the intrusion of the Kennedy assassination? The pathos of the funeral? The destruction of the ideal and the effect on the men of Philip's generation?

6. The joining of the Marines and the motivation? Partly as rebellion, partly patriotism, partly reaction to the death of Kennedy? The intensity of the training sequences? The ridicule of Philip? The importance of the fighting, the emphasis on killing and wanting to kill? The beliefs of the Marines? Self-assertion? The group and their interaction in training? The traditions of films showing training sequences?

7. The transition to Vietnam: the change in lifestyle, the terrain and the heat, the early days of American advisers and their patrols while the Vietnamese worked, searching for Viet Cong, the various strategies and the inability to find the Viet Cong? The sudden sniping, mines and the loss of a foot etc? The growing attack and the reality of the war?

8. How well did the film present the Vietnam issues: American presence, military hardware, relationship with the South Vietnamese government? The representatives of the South Vietnam military and their brutality? The contrast with the villagers working their farms, the ordinary way of life, lifestyle - homes, cooking while the house was being searched, teaching etc.? The brutality? The Vietnam hiding caches of arms in villages? Mines, deaths and reprisals? The growing number of victims on each side? The elusiveness of the enemy in foreign terrain?

9. The contrast with Saigon, leave, R & R. Vietnamese prostitutes and their sympathy but inability to speak English. their listening?

10. The group and the training in America. friendships, Caputo's comment that they were good men? The initial work in Vietnam., the digging of trenches - and their taking it easy with criticism from severe officers? The digging, the walking, the helicopter landings? Snipers and mines? Missions and growing danger?

11. The individuals and the repercussions of Vietnam: Woodward and his youthfulness. his getting sunstroke and being shipped out? The man with glasses from Philadelphia and his son? His death while Caputo was in Saigon? The nervous marines -,~& the incident demanding the passwords from Caputo? The presentation of both black and white American Marines?

12. The friendship with Walter? Murph and his laconic attitudes. learning Vietnamese? Their working together? Walter's disgust at Philip going berserk? His later visiting him at headquarters? His death and Caputo's reaction? Murphy observing the war and people's behaviour?

13. The character of the Sergeant and his experience, urging the men on, helping, wisecracks, standing up with his sore back, the painfulness of his death and its impact on the men?

14. The experience exasperating Caputo, his drive for excellence, his having to make decisions, the violence and the gunfire, rescuing the men, the helicopters, his going berserk and his being changed? His work at the desk? The statistics? The various officers - the officer with his interest in statistics. percentages and body counts? The officer with the mad glint and his intense wanting higher authorities to see bodies and the various shippings of the bodies in the mud? The role of the officers and their orders? The unreality of the headquarters?

15. Caputo's return to battle, his vicious attitudes. reaction to Walter's death? Hard attitudes. the missions. the mines, the lead back to the village? The older Sergeant and his offhand manner. his stopping in disbelief at Caputo's behaviour - and later bringing the gift but saying that he would not support him?

16. The revenge: the mission, the cover-up, the explanations, the intensity of the two men wanting revenge on the Vietnamese, the raid of the house, the shooting of the men? (Contrasting with Caputo's apology after searching the house earlier in the film?) The motivation, the panic, mistakes, the preparing of the story, the aftermath?

17. Caputo court martialled, the reading of the charges, his loyalty to fellow Marines, changing his testimony? The complexities of law. morality. his mixed motivations? Murphy's sympathy for him? Audience sympathies for him?

18. The end of his career in Vietnam? Leaving in bewilderment, ideals shattered, life changed, lacking certainties, measuring warfare by old norms and finding them inadequate? The end of Caputo's career in Vietnam symbolising the withdrawal of the Americans?

19. The film as war drama, psychological drama. symbol of the American failure in Vietnam?