Don't Cry, It's Only Thunder

I saw this theatrically and was very taken with the realism. I served in Vietnam and this hit me much harder than Apocalypse Now or The Deer Hunter. It has much more heart., Anyone who calls this formulaic and doesn't say the same of Apocalypse Now isn't paying attention. West Side Story is formulaic, but when well performed that doesn't matter. The acting in this film was spot on across the board. Dennis Christopher's scenes with the kids were extremely heart felt. If you can this I can't recommend it highly enough.

This movie has been a personal favorite of mine almost since it was released, so I echo all of the positive reviews of this movie, especially the accuracy of the portrayal. The one negative review I saw was factually inaccurate and largely biased. Doubtful the reviewer ever served in the military; certainly not in Vietnam.

Mainly, I wanted to post this review to say that the movie is currently available on YouTube, and has been--almost since the time YouTube went public (can't say if it has been continuously available). In the early days of YouTube, it was posted in separate 10 minute segments, as evidently they had a time limit on videos (most still had dial-up modems at the time), but now is available as a complete movie.

I downloaded the movie from Y. T., so finally, after 35 years I have a personal copy. It made me very happy.

At a Saigon Air Base in 1967, an unorthodox young medic (Dennis Christopher), who sells morphine and military supplies on the black market, is reprimanded and eventually demoted to the mortuary; a no-nonsense female doctor (Susan Saint James) takes a liking to him and sweetly blackmails him into delivering rations to a gaggle of Vietnamese children living with the nuns in a bombed-out orphanage. US-Japan co-production from The Sam Goldwyn Company was a tough sell in 1982, except possibly to leftover fans of "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness". The kids are certainly cute learning math and splashing together in the wash bins, but when a jealous child accuses the medic of having more than a brotherly interest in a mute 12-year-old girl, the narrative suddenly takes an unpleasant turn (there's nothing improper going on, but the implication hangs like a black cloud). Paul G. Hensler's screenplay, "suggested by a true story" (which likely means most of it is fictionalized), has some humor, but mostly a lot of phony melodrama--it's TV on the big screen. James Whitmore Jr. Comes on too strong as Christopher's superior (he doesn't seem to have any priorities except persecuting this kid), and Christopher is too brash and movie-cagey for us to gain much respect for him. Saint James gives the film's best performance; she looks great and is completely convincing as a doctor, although her Katherine seems an unlikely romantic partner for Christopher's cut-up. The film isn't well-produced or well-directed (by Peter Werner, who has not one iota of visual style); but, for the knick-knack-paddy-whack crowd, it may have some appeal. *1/2 from ****

Good movie, Ironic thing was, it was filmed 3 houses down from us when we lived in the Philippines. Father was retired air force. Supposed to be a Vietnam movie, but the entire thing is filmed in the Philippines. If you can find a copy, watch it, You'll enjoy it. Susan St. James and Dennis Christopher both act very well in this movie. First time I saw it I was young enough to not understand most of what I was seeing. However I've seen it since and enjoyed it very much. Its an old movie so it won't be easy to find. I've been looking for a copy again for a while without much luck. If Vietnam movies are your forte then you will enjoy this title if you can get ahold of it.

When Seeing This Film At The Tender Age Of 10 I Knew What Death And Dieing Were About. I Just Didn't Understand The Premise Of War And Why Children Needed To Die During The Course Of It. Saw It Almost 8 Years Later And Understood. It's Possibly The Greatest Movie Ever Made And I Personally Believe It Was Robert Englund's Best Role. YES Even Better Than The Nightmare Man Himself. When I Met Mr. Englund I Was The Only Person To Ever Mention This Movie. His Face LIT UP! He Said To Me, "Wow! You're The First Person To Mention THAT Movie! I Thought It Was Forgotten! Mr Englund, I Said, That Movie Is Possibly One Of The Best Tearjerkers Ever. NO WAY It's Being Forgotten! He Signed My Magazine And Was Willing To Talk To Me For A Little While Longer Than Everybody Else. But Like I Said...GREATEST 80s MOVIE!