Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
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An irreverent Armed Forces Radio Service DJ becomes a fan favorite among troops in Saigon during the Vietnam War.
The story
In 1965, Airman First Class Adrian Cronauer arrives in Saigon to work as a DJ for the Armed Forces Radio Service. His show, characterized by "irreverent humor" and rock and roll music, becomes immensely popular with the troops despite the disapproval of his superiors, who demand strict adherence to Army guidelines. While his superiors, Second Lieutenant Steven Hauk and Sergeant Major Phillip Dickerson, attempt to enforce discipline, Cronauer's eccentric style wins him favor with the soldiers. The film follows his daily life in the station, his interactions with the local population, and the growing tension between his creative freedom and military regulations.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1965, Adrian Cronauer becomes a popular DJ in Saigon, broadcasting irreverent humor and rock music that delights the troops but irritates his superiors, Hauk and Dickerson. Cronauer also spends time teaching American slang to a local class, where he meets a girl named Trinh. After a local bar is bombed, Cronauer defies orders to report the news, leading to his suspension. He eventually resumes his duties after a public outcry. Later, he is sent on a field mission to An Lộc, where his vehicle is destroyed by a mine. He is eventually separated from his friend Tuan, who is revealed to be a Viet Cong operative. Cronauer is then discharged from the military. Before leaving, he confronts Tuan and says goodbye to Trinh, eventually leaving a final recorded message for the troops as he departs Vietnam.
- First release year
- 1987
- Runtime (minutes)
- 121
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Barry Levinson
- Writers
- Mitch Markowitz · writer; Adrian Cronauer · story
- Cast and characters
- Robin Williams · Adrian Cronauer; Forest Whitaker; Chintara Sukapatana · Trinh
- Genres
- war comedy; drama
- Themes
- war; censorship; friendship
- Tone and mood
- comedy; drama
- Premise and plot tags
- military; radio; historical fiction
- Source material / true-story basis
- Based on the experiences of AFRS DJ Adrian Cronauer
- Content notes
- war
- Reception
- The film was a critical and commercial success, praised for Robin Williams' performance and described as a 'tour de force'.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 90% · scale: 100% · review count: 48; Metacritic · score: 67% · scale: 100% · review count: 15
- Awards and nominations
- Golden Globe Award · Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy · win; Academy Award · Best Actor · nomination
- Production trivia
- Robin Williams' performances were largely improvised.; The film was ranked #100 on the AFI's '100 Years...100 Laughs' list.; Filming took place entirely in Thailand.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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