Heartbreak Ridge (1986)
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A retiring Marine veteran must instill discipline in a rowdy platoon before leading them into a real-world invasion.
The story
In 1983, Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Thomas "Tom" Highway finagles a transfer back to his old unit, the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion. Upon arrival, he is assigned to a Reconnaissance Platoon that is notably undisciplined. Despite initial resentment from the men, Highway implements a rigorous and unorthodox training program to prepare them for duty. His methods, which include familiarizing the men with the sound of enemy weapons, eventually foster esprit de corps and respect among the troops as they prepare for the upcoming American invasion of Grenada.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1983, Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Thomas "Tom" Highway transfers to the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, where he is assigned to a rowdy Reconnaissance Platoon. Highway begins a grueling training regimen to prepare them for the invasion of Grenada. While his commanding officer, Major Malcolm Powers, views the platoon as a mere training tool and attempts to have them outperformed by the First Platoon, Highway's methods eventually earn the men's respect. During the invasion, Highway's platoon is dropped into the water and advances inland, rescuing American students from a medical school. When they encounter a key enemy position, Highway's superiors order them not to engage until the First Platoon arrives. However, after a communication breakdown and Highway being knocked unconscious, the platoon captures the position independently. Following the success, Colonel Meyers, a veteran of the Vietnam War, commends Highway and punishes Powers for discouraging the Marines' fighting spirit. Highway eventually takes mandatory retirement, reuniting with his ex-wife, Aggie.
- First release year
- 1986
- Runtime (minutes)
- 130
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English; Spanish
- Directors
- Clint Eastwood
- Writers
- James Carabatsos · writer
- Cast and characters
- Clint Eastwood · Thomas "Tom" Highway; Marsha Mason; Everett McGill; Mario Van Peebles
- Genres
- war; action
- Themes
- military discipline; veteran leadership; patriotism
- Tone and mood
- tough-man-tender-chicken melodrama; action drama
- Premise and plot tags
- war film; Marine Corps; historical fiction
- Reception
- Reaction to the film was generally mixed to positive. It was positively received by marines for its realism, but criticized by some for historical inaccuracies. Critics noted Eastwood's strong performance and the film's energy, while some found it lacking in substance.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 63% · review count: 30; Metacritic · score: 53 · scale: 100 · review count: 16; CinemaScore · score: B+ · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- BMI Film Music Award · Lennie Niehaus · won; Academy Awards · Best Sound · nominated
- Production trivia
- The film was the 1,000th to be released in Dolby Stereo.; The sequence involving the bulldozer is based on a real event during the invasion of Grenada involving Army General John Abizaid.; The scene in which Lieutenant Ring must resort to using a credit card in order to communicate with his commanders was also based on real-life events involving Army paratroopers.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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