Hail, Hero!

Michael Douglas gives a very sympathetic performance as a young pacifist returning home before shipping out to Vietnam. The acting is superb in this small film about a sensitive young man trying to impress a bullying father who quite obviously sees him as a disappointment. He hopes to win his father's love and respect by enlisting in the army, imagining himself to be a great hero, but finds it difficult to bridge the chasm between himself and the old man.

This could have been a good film, but it misses the mark. A banal but not unpleasant time-waster.

Fresh-faced Michael Douglas struts through his movie debut in this adaptation of John Weston's novel about a young man with long hair (i.e., anti-Establishment)--just out of jail for protesting the war--who returns to the family farm (and the brother who hates him) to say goodbye before reporting for service in the Army. He's hoping to stop the fighting overseas with love, but learns he has a temper and, with a weapon in his hand, is capable of violence. Opening scene with Douglas playing toreador with a truck filled with crop-pickers sets the artificial tone (the Mexicans cheer his bravado and offer Douglas a ride into town). Jerome Moross' saccharine score underlines every scene with sentimental remembrances, while young Douglas is often called upon to fill the vacuum by talking to himself, to a stuffed cougar head, and to his grandfather's headstone (not that old one again!). Gordon Lightfoot sings the title track and the catchy "Wherefore and Why". ** from ****

I watched this movie out of curiosity for 2 reasons: 1. Michael Douglas' first movie role 2. Mercer Harris was billed above Peter Strauss. I found it to be most enjoyable, especially as I shared the anti-war sentiments expressed by main character. Nothing here spelled oscar winner, but on the whole it was well acted and had the proposed impact. I recommend it to anyone who is a Douglas fan, as he seemed to have a good time with this role. (and he is just so darn cute!) Peter Strauss as the "successful in spite of injury" older brother turns in a fair performance. Mercer Harris is quite effective as the friendly ranch hand, Luke. It is his performance that I was looking for, as I know him well and have watched his other movies prior to this one. Too bad he did not stay in Hollywood, he had a lot to offer.

I saw this film as an 11 year old in 1969. Viet-Nam was raging & the country was torn. Hail Hero was a sneak preview at the 163rd Street Theater in North Miami Beach, Florida. Micheal Douglas was strictly known as Kirk's son, and there was a lot of interest to see if he "could" act.

The acting is outstanding and so is the story line. Things never seem to change. War has been around since the beginning of time, and so has serving in the military and defending one's country. The most shocking aspect here was the dead mummy baby in the shoe box. Lots of symbolic levels here and it's clear that this movie is no longer out of date.

This would be a good movie to remake today. I'd rate Hail Hero as a 10.