THE GREEN BERETS

US, 1968, 141 minutes, Colour.
John Wayne, David Janssen, Jim Hutton, Aldo Ray, Raymond St. Jacques, Jack Soo, Bruce Cabot, Patrick Wayne, Irene Tsu, Jason Evers, Luke Askew.
Directed by John Wayne.

The Green Berets was a Hawk's optimistic view of the Vietnam war at the end of the '60s. It was a special project by John Wayne and his company. The writer was James Lee Barrett, writer of many westerns for this company. Wayne co-directed with Ray Kellogg. Many of his usual acting team worked with him in this film. It is a statement of American involvement in Vietnam, a looking at the American involvement in the eyes of the atmosphere of World War Two and the Americans coming to the rescue of a beleaguered world.

There is an acknowledgement that there were many questions about American involvement and that it was another kind of war. However, Wayne's film shows the war in action and lets that speak for itself as a reason for American involvement. The argument is very much on an emotional level of the experience of battle and using such characters as young boy orphans. The pros and cons of the war and American involvement are not analysed at all. There is a patriotic spirit about the film. This is especially the case in the song for the credits and the ending - where the sun actually sets in the east! John Wayne does his usual sturdy job in the central role - and the screenplay with its battles, officers, heroics is very reminiscent of the traditional war films as well as of westerns.

1. The reputation of the film in the '60s - John Wayne and the Americanism that he stood for, the correctness of American involvement in Vietnam, the perspective of the '60s,, the American perspective in comparison with the rest of the world? The purpose of the film? Propaganda, morale-boosting?

2. The effectiveness of the film as entertainment? The traditional war films and westerns? American action and sentiment? Heroism? How effective the propaganda, morale-boosting?

3. How does the film seem in the light of history, the analyses of the Vietnam war, the late '70s film criticisms of American involvement and of war?

4. The film as a John Wayne production, his personal involvement, the length of the film, Panavision, colour photography, the rousing Miklos Rosza score (echoing the score for such epics as Quo Vadis and Ben Hur)?

5. The film's use of the conventions of the war genre, of the western? The background of the popular World War Two films, their style, battles, heroism? Making the Vietnam war familiar to the audiences?

6. John Wayne and his appearance in westerns? The parallels in plot, characterisation? The use of western and war genres as helping the audience to understand the Vietnam war?

7. American heroics, the presupposition that America would win? American skill, know-how, weapons, aid? America’s role in the world as seen by the makers of the film? The overall view of American strength and presence in the world? As a confrontation to the communists?

8. The atmosphere of the song at beginning and end? The role of the Green Berets? The quality of this crack corps and its American presence? Confidence?

9. The dramatics of the opening - the journalists and their acknowledgement of the questions and debates, the type of answers offered? The character of Beckworth? His cynical asking of questions, aligning himself with newspaper questions about the war, the answer given by Kirby? His visit to Vietnam, his being shown round, his being involved in the battle? The credibility of his enlistment, conversion? Symbolising the intended effect of the film on the American public?

10. The skill of the Green Berets, their morale, training? Their seeming brainwashed in giving an account of themselves and their capabilities? The answers to the questions - especially those of Sergeant Muldoon? The corroboration of Doc McGee? Provo and his intensity,, asking for permission to go into battle, his preoccupation with the memorials?

11. John Wayne’s style as Kirby? The initial meeting? His being sent to Vietnam, the takeover and the friendship with Colonel Morgan? His reliance on McDaniel?, Muldoon? Provo? His skill with the men, his attitudes towards the war, American involvement? John Wayne's place on the screen, his statements in the '60s about Americanism?

12. How well did the film present Vietnam? Did it enable the audience to see the country, its questions, the nature of the war, the attitudes of the people? The impact of the war and the fighting, life in Saigon, the Viet Cong and their tactics? The explanations given, the remarks made - and the style of World War Two movies?

13. The impact of the siege - the staging of the battle, the scope and magnitude of the attack, the involvement of troops, Kirby coming in by helicopter and its crash, the Viet Cong, the weapons used? The World War Two style to present the battle? Audiences readily identifying with what was going on, understanding it? Beckworth's involvement?

14. The presentation of the mission - the Green Berets and their commando skills, the girl and her connection with the General, with the family? With Colonel Cai? The moral questions for this Mata Hari type? The set-up of the raid? The skill of the raid?

15. The task force and Kirby's going, leadership the escapes? The woman leading the General to the villa? The arrival at the villa, the killing of the guards, entering the house, kidnapping the General, the escape? The bridge and the explosion? The wounded, especially Doc, Provo, Petersen's death?

16. The importance of the character of Petersen, his initial scrounging, being seconded by the Green Berets, his friendship with the boy, the little boy during the siege and the death of his dog, Petersen's adopting him, Petersen's death, the boy searching the helicopters at the end, Kirby going with the boy towards the beach at sunset? Human interest, sentiment? A symbol of American help in Vietnam - protecting orphans? Avenging them?

17. The film's reliance on sentiment? Its expectations for American involvement, American aid? Attitudes towards the communists, Russia and China?

18. The quality of the film as entertainment? As a document of American attitudes in the '60s? In the hindsight of the end of the Vietnam war?