I watched We Were Soldiers last night. Over the weekend DTV had all the premium channels free and I took the opportunity to record a number of movies; this among them.

The movie has been broadcast quite a few times since its release in 2002, and it's one of those that I'll catch in the middle and watch for awhile. I hadn't seen the original version in its entirety for quite awhile.

Incredible performances in the movie playing the lives and deaths of incredible men.

The video contains the lyrics of "Sgt. MacKenzie" from the soundtrack.

It is an excellent movie.

How is the book?

quote:

Originally posted by AUTiger89:
It is an excellent movie.

How is the book?

The book is muck better. It covers the battles at both X-Ray and Albany, plus the artillery battery at, if I remember correctly, Falcon. There are a few inaccuracies in the movie, plus concentration on things that weren't concentrated on in the book. In my opinion, too much time was used on the wife thing, which was only glossed over in the book. The whole deal with Jack Geoghegan was never described in the book, though may have come out in research for the movie. Rick Rescola and his actions were totally ignored in the movie. The Lost Platoon was barely glossed over in the movie. There was no bayonet charge in real life. In the movie it was implied that they expected to get into a huge battle at Ia Drang, when in reality they got ambushed.

Read the book. You'll see what I'm talking about.

I didn't realize Braveheart 3 was that old, coulda sworn it came out much later than 2002.

quote:

Originally posted by AUTiger89:
It is an excellent movie.

How is the book?

It's dry. It has a whole lot more info, and covers a lot more, but it's very, very dry. Mostly, "this happened, then this, then that, which led to these things, resulting in bad times for the gang." It's a history of the battle, while the movie is just that, a movie. It tells a story, but takes some liberties for the sake of the story.

Could have really done without that cringe-inducing "Golly, why wont they let you wash your coloreds? That's silly!" scene though. We get it, it's 1965 and segregation is still a thing, now can we please stop focusing on the adventures of Mrs. Braveheart and Comrade Felicity, and get back to barbecuing Bolsheviks?

My company shows this movie at manager meetings as an example of how to lead from the front and not hide in an office.

quote:

Originally posted by houndawg:

quote:

Originally posted by AUTiger89:
It is an excellent movie.

How is the book?

The book is muck better. It covers the battles at both X-Ray and Albany, plus the artillery battery at, if I remember correctly, Falcon. There are a few inaccuracies in the movie, plus concentration on things that weren't concentrated on in the book. In my opinion, too much time was used on the wife thing, which was only glossed over in the book. The whole deal with Jack Geoghegan was never described in the book, though may have come out in research for the movie. Rick Rescola and his actions were totally ignored in the movie. The Lost Platoon was barely glossed over in the movie. There was no bayonet charge in real life. In the movie it was implied that they expected to get into a huge battle at Ia Drang, when in reality they got ambushed.

Read the book. You'll see what I'm talking about.

Remind me to buy you a beer if we are ever in the same place. I agree with you 100%.

It’s a great book as is Stewart’s “Heart of a Soldier” about Rick Rescorla. I am reminded that I need to reread “We Were Soldiers Once, And Young,” I don’t recall many of the details outlined in this thread.

There were 3 Medals of Honor awarded as a result of Ia Drang. Then Maj. Bruce (Snakeshit) Crandall and Capt. Ed (Too Tall) Freeman both received the MOH. Platoon leader 2LT Walter Marm was awarded the MOH “for several examples of conspicuous gallantry, some despite being severely wounded.”

DSCs were awarded to LTC Hal Moore and SGT Ernie Savage, who directed “precise placement of supporting artillery” throughout the siege of “The Lost Platoon.”

2LT John Geogheghan was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Air Medal. He was killed when he rushed out to aid a fellow soldier, Willie Godbolt, who had been wounded. That scene was immortalized in the movie.

I agree that the book was dry. Glad I'm not the only one that feels that way. I just finished it last week.

The movie was excellent, but grossly misrepresented the facts. The movie ended with the decisive American charge into the VC HQ, ending with an unqualified US victory. It was a 'happy' ending. It was also pure fiction.

In reality, Moore's group pulled out, and as their replacements were marching to LZ Albany, they were ambushed in the jungle while we were strung out, cut off from mutual support, and most of the officers were separated from their men in a conference at the head of the column. We got got our butts handed to us, and the Vietnamese commander considered it a successful engagement. Many of the survivors from X-ray had to go back and fight at Albany.

That would not have made for good box office returns.

I don't remember the book being that dry, but it was assigned reading as an infantry LT so for a book I "had" to read, it was pretty good!

Darn good movie compared to most drivel coming out of Hollywood as well. I enjoyed it and don't care if it isn't in lock-step with the book. I get that movies really can't be and also be entertaining and fit the medium.

BTW, Rick Rescorla died on 9/11/2001 in the collapse of WTC Tower 2 while trying to make sure people were ecacuated. He was the head of security for Morgan Stanley.

Yeah, they normally don't hand out a slew of MOHs / DSCs when stuff goes "right".

Robert Edwards, then a Captain, tells his story. Make sure you listen till the end to get a touching story about Hal Moore's wife.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Skull Leader,

I read the book but have not seen the movie.

PC

I read the book when it came out & saw the movie several times. There are only a few movies about VN that come close to telling it the way it actually was. This is one of them.

What I remember most about the movie is one of my favorite actors, Sam Elliot, standing tall with that 1911 firing away.....

What I remember most about the movie are the scenes of Madeline Stowe (as Hal Moore’s wife) and Keri Russell’s character (as 2LT John Geogheghan‘s wife) personally delivering telegrams to newly widowed wives in the unit. Ultimately, Julie Moore has to deliver a telegram to Barbara Geoghegan. Those scenes just tear me up (no matter how you pronounce the word “tear”).

Both great. Saw the film them read the book as I wanted more detail.

Read the book several times and watched the movie even more times. General Moore has stated that most war movies exercise so much theatrical licensing that it makes them unreal. While this one might have SOME, I believe it sticks to the book pretty good. Gen. Moore makes that point.

And the movie is only half the book. After the few days in the Ia Drang battle, the battalion humped it out of the area. They came across a NV regiment and got cut down pretty badly. I have ALWAYS wanted to sit down and write the screenplay/script for that.

Because of Hollywood (one of the RARE benefits), MAJ Richard Winters and LTG Hal Moore are two of my heros. I hope to see them and their men in heaven some day to express my gratitude…

If you can, watch the supplemental videos on the DVD done by Randy Wallace. It is clear that Wallace approached the story very seriously, even reverently, and that Hal Moore was a key advisor on the film.

I've watched the movie 2-3 times, I don't recall any "happy ending".