Baby Blue Marine

I first saw this film in 1980 and it touched a cord which reminded me of a more innocent time. The opening narrative, music and paintings by Norman Rockwell set the tone for me. You either love the movie or hate it. Jan Michael Vincent was at his all time best and portrayed Cpl Marion Hedgepeth in a most innocent and touching way. This movie is at the top of my all time favorites, a shame it isn't available on DVD or VHS anymore. The ending was also wonderful. John Hancock did a marvelous job of capturing the essence of the time.

Staying up late one night, I accidentally caught this movie on TV. I had been looking for it since I'm a Richard Gere fan but hadn't had any luck. Good thing I didn't buy it or anything.

That said, it's not bad. But it certainly isn't very good. Vincent is sent home from the army and once he arrives in a small town, folks there mistake him for some sort of war hero. And he goes along for the ride, for a while anyway. Gere plays a soldier who at one point steals Vincent's clothes.

Harmless, that's probably the best word I can think of for this movie. I wasn't bored and I wasn't thrilled either. It went by easily (very short film), and I've mostly forgotten about it now, but I guess I wouldn't mind watching it again someday. If I couldn't think of anything else, that is.

One advice; don't watch it for Gere alone. His role is very short, but he's got blond hair here, very funny.

Very appealing stateside WWII drama stars then-hot Jan-Michael Vincent as Marion "Hedge" Hedgepeth, who, before long, flunks out of his basic training as a Marine, and is sent home in a baby blue uniform in disgrace. During the journey, he encounters an actual young veteran (Richard Gere, in a memorable bit) who's desperate to avoid being sent back into battle. So the vet mugs Hedge (well, so to speak...he actually LEAVES him a few dollars), and all Hedge has to wear is the vets' uniform. On his way back home, he stops in a small Colorado town, and is naturally thought to be a war hero by the locals. He's so endearing to them, and they to him, that he can't bring himself to tell them the truth.

Written by Stanford Whitmore ("Hammersmith Is Out", "The Dark"), and directed by John D. Hancock ("Let's Scare Jessica to Death", "Bang the Drum Slowly"), this is an enjoyable little film worth rediscovering. While not altogether believable (for some reason, there's a Japanese internment camp right in the woods near this town), it gets by on a certain amount of charm, just like its lead character. In fact, a citizen named Hudkins (Bert Remsen), with whose daughter Rose (Glynnis O'Connor) Hedge falls in love, surmises that he's too *nice* and *innocent* to seem like a hardened killer.

Overall, the film does get pretty dramatic, and takes on the tone of a fable, but it never veers too far into unpleasantness. Excellent location shooting in & near the California towns of Weed and McCloud gives it atmosphere and a fine feeling of Americana, and the score by Fred Karlin is excellent.

Vincent was then at the peak of his career as a leading man in film, and he couldn't be more likable. O'Connor is adorable as the romantic interest, and Katherine Helmond, Dana Elcar, Bert Remsen, Bruno Kirby, Gere (sporting shocking bleach blonde hair), Art Lund, Michael Conrad, Allan Miller, Kenneth Tobey, Lelia Goldoni, Marshall Efron, and Barton Heyman comprise a rock solid supporting cast. Adam Arkin has one of his earliest big screen roles as a boy named "Rupe".

Well worth a look, especially if you like cinema set during this period, or are a fan of Vincent.

Seven out of 10.

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.

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.