Don't Cry, It's Only Thunder

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 I first saw this film I about fell out of my chair. Of all the films on Viet Nam, this one is the closest to my own experience during the war...I was trained as a medic, I was stationed near Tan Son Nhut, my unit was the same as the shoulder patch in the movie (USARV), and I worked closely with the orphanages in the Saigon area. The film was very accurate in costuming, the military lingo of the time, the depiction of the out-of-control black market, the lack of government support for the orphanages, the delayed booby trap of the hand grenade in the gas tank, and so on. I now have two copies of this film and there were about nine copies available on amazon.com the last time I checked. Only an independent co-production could have made such an accurate and controversial depiction of the rear area support environment of wartime Viet Nam. I know very few people, including Vietnam vets, who have seen this movie. The Philippines is an ideal place to shoot a Viet Nam film just as was Apocaplyse Now.

I read that this movie did so poorly in its first regional release, the filmmakers withdrew it and decided not to make any more movies (!) Which is a real shame, because it's a very good movie. Christopher gives an excellent performance as a soldier who may not be physically strong, but is strong in spirit. This and BREAKING AWAY show what a great actor he is, and it's a real shame that he's never gotten such a meaty role since.

A lot of the movie is fairly predictable (hero doesn't want to help at first, softens bit by bit, etc.), but it's believably done. The ending is a little sad, but also filled with the knowlege that the hero has triumped in a way.

You better go and rent it now - it's only been issued on video once in the early 80s, and the remaining copies are disappearing from video stores...

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!