Hamburger Hill
| Hamburger Hill | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | John Irvin |
| Produced by | Marcia Nasatir James Carabatsos |
| Written by | James Carabatsos |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Philip Glass |
| Cinematography | Peter MacDonald |
| Edited by | Peter Tanner |
|
Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
|
Release date
|
August 28, 1987 |
|
Running time
|
112 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $13,839,404 |
Hamburger Hill is a 1987 American war film about the actual assault of the U.S. Army's 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, part of the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division 'Screaming Eagles', on a well-fortified position, including trenchworks and bunkers, of the North Vietnamese Army on Ap Bia Mountain near the Laotian border. American military records of the battle refer to the mountain as 'Hill 937', its map designation having been derived from its being 937 meters high.
Written by James Carabatsos and directed by John Irvin, the film starred Dylan McDermott, Steven Weber, Courtney B. Vance, Don Cheadle and Michael Boatman. The novelization was written by William Pelfrey. Set in May 1969 during the Vietnam War, the movie was produced by RKO Pictures and distributed by Paramount Pictures.
The series of assaults (which resulted in heavy casualties to both the American and North Vietnamese forces) commenced on 10 May 1969, with the hill finally being taken on 20 May.
The film portrays fighting, combat, courage, camaraderie and dedication to the mission among troops. It also brings up painful questions about the Vietnam War, such as the stigmatizing of replacement troops ("newbies" or, more crudely, "FNGs", for "Fuckin' New Guys") and of the seeming caprice of high command in the conflict, specifically the lack of strategic value of the hill and subsequent unnecessary casualties. Other issues include the effect of anti-war sentiment on morale, and racial tensions among troops (especially the overcoming of racial tension by gradual friendship and earned respect).
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Wikipedia