A Face of War

I've seen this film a few times, but then my dad is the cameraman on it. He was injured whilst the film was made and was totally upset when he later found out that some of the guys he was with were killed, injured or "missing in action".

It follows the real life duties of a platoon of marines in Vietnam in 1966, if memory serves. There are all kinds of action, including those of the ambush variety, mines going off and young soldiers crying for their mothers due to the pain and shock of being injured.

This film works especially well because it IS REAL. Don't expect any swaggering heroes or special effects; they are completely unnecessary. I cannot stress enough, what you see is what actually happened all those years ago.

There's one bit where a sniper fires at the platoon. My dad says this was particularly scary as he'd just done the clapper board thing, setting the scene, when the rounds started pinging around in his direction. The camera was left running on its own whilst everyone dived for cover. The clapper board he was holding ended up with 5-6 rounds in it.

This gritty B&W early footage of a Marine company is some of the most intense war footage I've ever seen. The sometimes dark and erratic footage conveys the confusion of war far better than the overproduced documentaries that followed.

Following a Marine company into an ambush, complete with hectic radio transmissions calling for medivac, there are scenes showing medics treating sick and wounded Vietnamese civilians and helping a young woman give birth. A great dichotomy.

This was filmed when there was still hope for victory, militarily, as well as in the "hearts and minds" of the civilian population.

The film has a genuine surrealistic quality to it; e.g., a flame throwing tank torching an empty village seems not of this world.

This film is an absolute must for anyone interested in the Vietnam War.

I was an Army Infantryman in 1971. These 1966 Jirenes are the real deal. The sights and sounds are crudely reproduced on my IHF VHS copy but terribly authentic. Some of the Marines who survived are alive to this day, 2018. Find one and thank him. I wonder if the baby born on camera is still with us at an Age of 52?

Black and white images of Mike Company 3/7, First Mar Div from 1966 when the M-14 was still in use. This is the most realistic film I've ever seen and it is typical of action in the Chu Lai area at that time. That's because it was real and the film crew remained with Mike Company for three months. I saw this when I returned from Viet Nam in 1968 and was surprised to see such reality and never forgot about this film.

Years later I saw it advertised in a magazine and purchased the video but later on loaned it out to a friend and never got it back. If anyone knows where it is possible to purchase it these days please let me know. I've looked but cannot find it anywhere.

Near the end of the film it shows a village being burned and the peasants being forcibly moved from their fields, animals and ancestral burial grounds. This was definitely not the way to win any hearts and minds. I have to wonder if that scene has anything to do with the film being unavailable.

I believe this is one of the best movies I have seen about Vietnam. A family member of mine is in the movie and I vividly remember watching it with the neighbors, looking to see the family member's face. I like that it's a real picture of what it was like for the soldiers. And although it's just a small part of what they experienced, it's the closest I will probably come to it. Of course I am somewhat biased but I believe anyone who has seen it will agree that this movie is a good picture of reality of war. It's amazing how these guys survived the experience and came home to live life in America after the experiences they had in the jungle.