"Good Morning Vietnam"
Starring Robin Williams
Directed by Barry Levinson
Rated R
***
“Good Morning Vietnam"
stars Robin Williams as Airman
Adrian Cronauer, a disc jockey
sent to Saigon to cheer up the
troops. The American
involvement is in the beginning
stages of its “police action” and
concern is mounting as more
and more troops are sent into
action.
The general in charge of the
action in Saigon has heard
Cronauer’s show in Crete and
is impressed with his sense of
humor. He kindly transfers
Cronauer to Vietnam, which
angers the men in charge of the
radio station. They don’t like
Cronauer and clearly let him
know exactly where he stands.
Undaunted and unwilling to
play the program of boring
music assigned to him,
Cronauer spins the hottest rock
’n’ roll hits of the era. This
infraction, combined with a
commentary which is
incredibly funny, doesn’t fit
into the Army’s strict guidelines
of humor and Cronauer lands
himself in a heap of trouble.
Yet the men love him and he
really is helping to boost
morale. Convoys of fresh,
somber troops leaving for
battle are much happier after
being entertained by Cronauer
in an impromptu street
performance. Touched by how
he helped these men,
Cronauer even undertakes a
dangerous mission to go visit
men in the field.
“Good Morning Vietnam”
has three acts, the second
being simply a series of scenes
TEMPORARY CASH
SHORTAGE BETWEEN
PAYDAYS??
WE HAVE SHORT TERM PERSONAL
LOANS. FOR FURTHER INFORMA
TION, PLEASE CALL STANLEY SOM
MERS AT CENTRAL TEXAS LOANS.
INC., 2305 CAVITT, BRYAN, TEXAS
77801.
Phone: 823-5626.
Of^k* U Jltenud cmd CunmiMtJ Lf tin
t » a/ Qmlttmt* GtoJit Commiilimtt at
depicting the atrocities of the
“police action” set to Louis
Armstrong’s Beautiful World
These disturbing vignettes
accent the anonymous nature
of warfare necessary to fight a
silent, invisible enemy.
Napalm-razed villages and
mass executions remind the
viewer that this film is not
strictly comedy.
Cronauer’s commanders, a
stereotypical weak lieutenant
and a mean, dictatorial
sergeant major, both hate
Cronauer for the way his
popularity has given him power
of a sort Cronauer could care
less about power. His concern
is the unjust censorship of his
material. Also, his friendships
with the Vietnamese teach him
that not all Vietnamese want
America’s help, and that the
American involvement is just
another political move.
This resolution is an
important statement the film
makes about the dangers of
control. The closemindedness
of Cronauer’s commanders
represent power in the wrong
hands. The rationale of “We’re
here to help” present in the
Vietnam conflict provided a
defense mechanism which took
years of devastating losses to
realize.
Had “Good Morning
Vietnam” been intended as just
another film about Vietnam, it
would have had a serious role
model to follow, namely
“Platoon.” However, it did not
address the concerns of
wartime as powerfully, and the
film’s main emphasis is the
amazing talent of Robin
Williams. He is very funny,
especially because his humor is
so well suited to an
environment in which he can
be perverse. His acting is also
excellent, proving his
accessiblity to dramatic roles,
previously seen in “Moscow on
the Hudson. ”
This film has already proven
to be a tremendous success,
and is one the best comedies
this year.
Review by Matthew Stewart
'The Dead"
Starring Angelica Huston and
Donal McCann
Directed by John Huston
Rated PG
John Huston was a rare
filmmaker in many respects.
Unlike most of his
contemporaries, he was not
hellbent on creating one hit film
after another.
He supplied a bountiful
number of box-office
successes, but he also lent his
talent to movies that were
destined to reach a limited
audience: “Fat City,” “Wise
Blood,” “Under the Volcano.”
Most of these films attracted
Huston’s fancy because of their
literary merit. That was true of
his 37th and final feature film,
“The Dead,” based a short
story by the director’s idol,
James Joyce.
It’s easy to see why Huston
spent many years trying to find
backing for “The Dead.” It is
almost anti-cinematic, devoted
largely to a dinner party of
Dubliners in the early part of
the century. But Huston as
director and son Tony as
screenwriter have endowed the
film with such insight and
richness of character that the
discriminating filmgoer can be
grateful for the family
endeavor. Even Huston’s
daughter, Anjelica, plays a
major role.
The evening is Jan. 6,1904,
the Day of Epiphany, and a
handful of genteel Irish gather
for a festive dinner at the home
of two maiden ladies and their
young niece. The central
figures are a married couple
with an unshared sadness,
Anjelica Huston and Donal
McCann. Not all of the guests
are sedate. There’s Freddy
(Donal Donnelly) who seems
on the brink of committing
another of his drunken scenes.
The Misses Morkan
(Cathleen Delaney, Helena
Carroll) strive to keep the
evening on an even keel, but it
isn’t easy, given the outbreaks
of political wrangling and the
undercurrent of sexual
tensions. After most of the
guests have left, the Irish tenor
(Frank Patterson) favors the
hostesses with a rendition of
“The Lass of Aughrim,” filling
the house with pure angelic
sound.
“The Dead” is filled with
such small treasures. The film’s
most moving scene comes at
the end when Anjelica Huston
unburdens herself of the great
sadness of her life: the death of
a sweetheart at an early age.
The film is a fitting
monument to the more
profound side of a great
American filmmaker. Huston
has drawn subtle and telling
performances from a cast of
Irish and Irish-American actors.
And he has kept faith with
James Joyce.
The Vestron release is rated
PG for no apparent reason
except the adult content.
The Dead’
By BOB THOMAS
Associated Press Writer
Auto Service
“Auto Repair At Its Best”
Complete Auto Service, Domestic & Imports
111 Royal 846-5344 Bryan
across S. College from Tom's BBQ
Are you reading this?
This could be an ad
. for your business
Think about it...
The Battalion
845-2611