Baby Blue Marine

Just saw Baby Blue Marine again after 30 years. I still find it a pleasant and romantic film which catches a time which has been lost forever. The innocence and purity of a time now long gone, is truthfully captured in this small film. The acting is above average and Richard Gere's brief appearance as a shell-shocked Raider Marine war hero, holds a keen interest for any film buff or Gere fan. Jan-Micheal Vincent is in his prime and looks and acts like the "All-American" boy. The late Bruno Kirby (who was billed as B.Kirby, Jr.) has a meaty role as "Pop", a peace-loving, Marine Corp reject, dreaming of getting back home to his wife. If you're looking for sex, drugs, or rock and roll, this movie is not for you. If you're looking for action and adventure, the same applies. However, if you want to recapture a time in America of innocence, honor, romance, and love, then Baby Blue Marine is a movie for you.

The first time I saw this film I was working as the projectionist of the multi-plex theater where it first opened in 1976. It played for two or more weeks and did good business. I must have checked my watch and looked out at the same few scenes a hundred times. The actors were so talented and the scenery so real as if it was a real 1944 town. I am 60 now and just saw it again on cable. I was about 23 or 4 when it was released. It has been hard for me to understand why Jan Michael Vincent never became a huge box office star like DeNiro or Warren Beaty. I didn't like his TV series "Airwolf" He was so talented but his feature-length movies just were swept under the rug so to speak. I guess some make it while some don't. If you see this playing on cable or in a DVD discount bin watch it un-cut by commercials. Have some tissues nearby.

Made in the mid 70s when it looked like Jan Michael Vincent might translate into a romantic male lead, this thoughtful and sensitive film just slipped into nowhere instead, along with his prospects. Richard Gere seen in a minor role as a marine in a lounge somewhere, seemed to overtake JMV from this film and go into Mr Goodbar, Gigolo and Sexy leading man stardom. Like BUSTER AND BILLIE also marred by the VIGILANTE FORCE and WHITE LINE FEVER type violence, BABY BLUE MARINE is actually a charming romantic drama and quite an acting suprise for any viewer who believes JMV is an action star of the time.

Jan-Michael Vincent plays a "Baby Blue Marine" (i.e., a Marine boot camp failure) during World War II. He's initially sent home in disgrace after just five weeks--wearing baby blue fatigues--until he's knocked unconscious (by a white-haired Richard Gere), forcing him into a different uniform: that of a Raider Marine. Original screenplay by Stanford Whitmore opens with a hilarious loser's outfit overseen by an incredulous drill instructor (Michael Conrad, who's terrific). The rest of the film isn't quite so good, especially with Whitmore's overripe narrative playing out like a Preston Sturges wannabe accented with barracks talk, introspective drama, and curlicues of wobbly comedy. Vincent (laying on the sensitive soul routine) isn't the recruit I wanted to follow, anyway; that honor would go to Bruno Kirby (B. Kirby Jr.) as a fake bed-wetter who just wants to get home to his lonely wife. **1/2 from ****

This film was seen by me in a movie theater when it came out in 1976. (I haven't seen it since.) The recent passing of Jan Michael Vincent brought the memory of it back to me. I have no allegiance to Mr. Vincent, but considering his reportedly troubled life, I wanted to note that his performance in this film was truly empathetic and moving. Thus, he could certainly handle himself on screen. The film was sort of a surprise, with an excellent cast of familiar actors of that era. I particularly also recall the performance of John Lund in a very pivotal role. This picture was extremely well done, and, obviously, for me, especially memorable.