OPERATION DUMBO DROP

US, 1995, 107 minutes, Colour.
Danny Glover, Ray Liotta, Denis Leary, Corin Nemec, Dinh Thien Le, Tcheky Karyo, James Hong.
Directed by Simon Wincer.

A very light look at a Vietnam story (allegedly a true story but it is literally about elephants flying). A mountain village suffers the death of its sacred elephant and the Americans need to find them another. They do - but it's the comic (basic) story of getting the elephant to the village. A bit of a surprise to find the serious Danny Glover and Ray Liotta in charge of the expedition. Direction is by Australian, Simon Wincer (Phar Lap, The Lighthorsemen).Designed for family audiences with not a drop of blood in sight.

1. An entertaining film? Seemingly implausible? Yet based on a true story?

2. Disney film, for young audiences, adults, families?

3. The Thai locations, the mountains and the villages, the paths? The American base? Flight sequences? The musical score?

4. The prologue, the Vietnamese, the work of the elephants, riding the elephants, the Americans and Viet Cong firing at each other, the later visuals of Linh
and his father, the elephant rescuing him after his father was killed?

5. Audience memories of the Vietnam war, the presence of the Americans, the fights by the Viet Cong, the Vietnamese villages caught up in the war?

6. Doyle, being assigned to the village, the flight and the mischief of the pilots, his pretending to be undisturbed, eating the chocolate, being sick after they landed? The guide meeting him, the climb to the village, the locals out-climbing Doyle?

7. Cahill, dressed in local clothes, the ceremony, Doyle’s introduction, he severe, Cahill’s relaxed attitude? Making Doyle drink, bringing the elephant to him?

8. The strategic importance of the village, information about the troops’ road? The American presence? Doyle, watching the troops go along the road? The chocolate, the boys taking it, the Viet Cong, finding the wrapper, punishing the villages for collaborating with the Americans, killing the elephant? Doyle not wanting to take the blame, accepting it, the promise to get another elephant?

9. Cahill and Doyle going to the officer, putting their case, the village not being useful anymore, the refusal? The decision to take the plane, Poole and his requisition, help? The other soldiers, the young white man, the African- American who wanted to go home? The pilots taking them? Fixing the crate for the elephant?

10. The flight, being fired on, the need to bail out, parachutes, sky diving and connecting with the elephant? The landing, coming in try to the village, the villagers happy? The village once again necessary for information?

11. The characters of Cahill, African- American, in Vietnam, in charge, genial, understanding the locals? Doyle, by the book, severe, changing his attitudes, the effect of the experience, his staying? Poole, requisitions, cheeky, getting involved in the project?

12. Linh, knowing the elephants, wanting to come, the men befriending him, the parachute, the elephant, his happiness in achieving the operation?

13. A very benign look back at the Vietnam war?