You don't know HOW long I've wanted to use a title like this one. It's been wanting to burst out since I saw this movie for the twelfth time just recently.

Scene from the Kidden household, early morning:

Hugh (me): "Gooooooood morning, Mrs. Constant Leigh Kidden!"

Connie (Very tolerant wife): "@#$%&!!!" (balled-up sock enters Hugh's mouth, propelled by her left hand at high speed)

Hugh: "Mffffgufffmmurphhh"

Obviously, even though she is the most patient person I know, my wife is still lacking when it comes to enthusiastic appreciation of good movies. It's a shame, really.

Anyhow......

One of Robin Williams' earliest movies, Good Morning, Vietnam stars the Hyperkinetic One in the role of Adrian Cronauer, a radio deejay brought into Saigon in the midst of the Vietnam War to do a morning show on Armed Forces Radio.

While Cronauer is in fact a real person and was in fact stationed in Armed Forces Radio in Saigon during the Vietnam War, the similarity pretty much ends right there. In fact, Adrian Cronauer is on record as saying he never would've gotten away with even half the antics that Robin Williams put into the role. Still. Williams' irrepressible manic wit carries the movie throughout most of its length, with most of his "on mike" bits completely unscripted. I'm told director Barry Levinson knew better than to try to have those sequences scripted, choosing instead to just roll camera and let Williams do what he always does best; improvise. It works supremely well.

Williams' Cronauer is not what Armed Forces Radio was used to airing. From the beginning, he throws out the station's polka format in favor of rock music hits of the day, performs incredible impressions of political figures of the day, challanges the military censorship of news, and ridicules Richard Nixon in a hilariously-editted interview given by the then Vice-President wherein he substituted humorous questions of his own in place of the actual interviewer, with Nixon's actual replies intact, creating segments like "So tell me, Mr. Vice President, just how would you describe your testicles?" Answer: "They are small, and weak, with no real value or usage." (paraphrase) Having been a deejay for a while myself, I would've cheerfully killed to have a chance to pull off something like that.

As he pushes the envelope at Armed forces radio, Cronauer butts heads with his immediate commanding officers, Lieutenant Steve Hauk, a little weasel of an officer masterfully played by Bruno Kirby, and Sergeant-Major Dickerson, whom receives Cronauer's comment "You are the man more in need of a blow job than anyone else in the world." (again, my paraphrase)played by the late J.T. Walsh. This character is not only cruel, he's downright evil. This man is more in need of a....well....you get the idea.

In his off-duty hours, Cronauer takes over the teaching of an English language class in Saigon, substituting his version of American street slang for the "approved" text, falls in love with a local woman (HIGHLY forbidden)and befriend a young man who is eventually revealed to secretly be a highly wanted North Vietnamese terrorist leader, the discovery of which leads to Cronauer's discharge from military service. Cronauer's actual departure from Armed Forces Radio and the country itself under escort by a pair of MPs is touching and sweet, as well as funny, and I've never seen baseball played with melons before.

The supportive characters are well cast. Forest Whitaker plays Private First Class Eddie Garlick, aide to Cronauer, with smooth excellence. Whitaker is a very versatile actor, and he shines in this role. I've already mentioned Bruno Kirby as Lt. Hauk, and a more irritating and obnoxious character you will NOT find, which is a tribute to Kirby's skill, and the late J.T. Walsh as Sgt. Major Dickerson, who is more in need of...but, I digress. Walsh does an excellent job in the role, and it is a true shame he is no longer with us.

As Adrian Cronauer, Robin Williams not only shines with his irrepresible wit, he shows great depth as a dramatic actor. He could've gone even further I'm certain, but the script didn't allow it.

One very sweet scene deserves special mention. On the air Cronauer is playing the Louis Armstrong classic "What a Wonderful World" over which we are shown scenes of troops in combat, villages burning, wounded soldiers and frightened civilians. Friends of mine call this a "gratuitous horrors of war" sequence, but, call it whatever you will...I liked it.

Fast-paced and funny, not exactly historically accurate, with little gems of depth snuggled in with bright comedy, this movie is one I've seen over and over again, and always love. For my money, it's among Robin Williams' best work.



Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older