Pros: Fills in details of Vietnam and why we were there
Cons: Not widely distributed
The Bottom Line: Now available on DVD. Shows the Vietnam War before escalation. Burt Lancaster does an excellent job as commander of a firebase in a war he does not understand.
"I wish we could have showed you a better war, son." Major Barker
In 1964, Vietnam was all but unknown to the average American. There were Americans there, armed with WWII weapons, attempting to organize resistance among the locals against the communist North Vietnamese.
From the Daniel Ford novel Incident at Muc Wa, the title refers to the inscription over the gate of an old French cemetery located at an obscure Vietnamese village/firebase called, not surprisingly, Muc Wa. Years before, the French soldiers had done their duty, just as the 300 Spartans had at Thermopylae, dying in place fighting against impossible odds rather than surrendering or retreating.
The American MAAG (Military Assistance Advisory Group) advisors, headed by Burt Lancaster find they have large shoes to fill in the early pre-escalation days of the Vietnam War.
Lancaster plays an aging WWII veteran, Major Barker, whose career has been stifled by the brass, the reason for which he humorously relates to Marc Singer during a drinking binge. Nearing the end of his career, he is searching for meaning in a country that is upside down in the throes of revolution.
Marc Singer is Captain Olivetti a career soldier who wishes to earn his Combat Infantry Badge. Craig Wasson is the college educated corporal that is in Vietnam because "he cares." None of the soldiers can figure him out, least of all Lancaster. It is Wasson who translates the cryptic inscription over the old Foreign Legion cemetery: "Stranger, when you find us lying here, go tell the Spartans that we did our duty." The rest of the squad cover the stereotypes of soldiers quite well with a few welcome surprises.
The Vietnamese mercenaries, especially "Cowboy," (Evan Kim) and the old man (James Hong) add color to the film, set against the drab of the American soldiers, not knowing why they are there and hoping to survive and go home intact.
This movie goes a long way to explain the conflict between the communist and the nationalist Vietnamese to the on looking moviegoer. The various motives of the Americans and Vietnamese are explored and laid out for the viewer to examine.
Go Tell the Spartans is probably the best movie about Vietnam I’ve seen. It covers the various points of view without hitting you over the head with a canned agenda. The obvious parallels between the French and American involvement are well portrayed.
History buffs, war movie fans, Vietnam veterans, and anybody enjoying marvelous acting by an old pro, Burt Lancaster, will like this movie.
If you like this movie, you will want to see the following Vietnam War films:
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.