Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
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A soldier's journey from a patriotic youth to a paralyzed veteran becomes a path of anti-war activism.
The story
The film follows the life of Ron Kovic over a 20-year period, beginning with his childhood in 1956. Inspired by a televised address by President John F. Kennedy, a teenage Kovic enlists in the United States Marine Corps. His decision is met with mixed reactions from his parents, who have differing views on military service. After his enlistment, Kovic undergoes rigorous training before being deployed to South Vietnam. The narrative explores his experiences as a Marine sergeant during the conflict, the physical and emotional toll of the war, and the subsequent challenges of his recovery and transition to civilian life as a paralyzed veteran.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1956, Ron Kovic celebrates his birthday and joins a parade. In 1961, he enlists in the Marines after being inspired by JFK. His father, a WWII veteran, opposes the move. In 1967, as a sergeant in Vietnam, Kovic is involved in a chaotic skirmish where they mistakenly attack civilians and he is critically wounded. He is paralyzed from the chest down and spends months in a poorly equipped hospital in New York. Returning home in 1969, he struggles with depression and alcohol. He eventually travels to Mexico to recover at Villa Dulce, where he befriends another paraplegic. He later visits the grave of a fallen comrade to confess his guilt. By 1972, Kovic joins anti-war activists and speaks out against the government's handling of the war. The film concludes in 1976 with Kovic as a featured speaker at the Democratic National Convention following the publication of his autobiography.
- First release year
- 1989
- Runtime (minutes)
- 145
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Oliver Stone
- Writers
- Oliver Stone · screenplay; Ron Kovic · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Tom Cruise · Ron Kovic; Kyra Sedgwick; Raymond J. Barry; Jerry Levine; Frank Whaley; Willem Dafoe
- Genres
- biographical; drama; war
- Themes
- anti-war; disability; patriotism; trauma
- Tone and mood
- dramatic; poignant
- Premise and plot tags
- biographical; war; Vietnam War; paraplegia
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1976 autobiography of Ron Kovic
- Franchise connections
- Stone's trilogy of films about the Vietnam War
- Reception
- Praised by critics for its story, Cruise's performance, and Stone's direction; successful at the box office.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 84% · scale: percentage · review count: 56; Metacritic · score: 75 · scale: 100 · review count: 16
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Director · win; Golden Globe Award · Best Motion Picture – Drama · win; Golden Globe Award · Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama · win; Golden Globe Award · Best Director · win; Golden Globe Award · Best Screenplay · win; Academy Award · Best Picture · nomination; Academy Award · Best Actor · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was the second in Oliver Stone's Vietnam War trilogy.; Tom Cruise spent one year preparing for the role, including practicing in a wheelchair.; The film was the tenth highest-grossing film of 1989.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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