Burt Lancaster turns in a fine performance as a US military advisor who has doubts about the wisdom of the war America is about to embark upon. GO TELL THE SPARTANS looks at Vietnam in 1964, before the conflict there was thoroughly Americanized. It is not your typical glossy, overproduced Hollywood action extravaganza. Nor is it overly laden with patriotic sentimentality. It is, rather, a compelling exploration of the hubris and naivete that shaped the American war effort.
66 Reviews
An excellent film spotlighting early American "advisory" to South Vietnam up to 1964.
ryanmeray20 February 2001
To anyone who has studied Vietnam, Go Tell The Spartans portrays it quite accurately. From the weapons of the era, the general disdain of some officers over our involvement, to the psychological effects on the soldiers themselves, this movie succeeds in each department. Burt Lancaster does an excellent job of portraying the hard-boiled Major Barker, and is backed by a fine cast. All the facets of the soldiers are portrayed, though often through amplified stereotypes, giving the viewer a feel for what made the soldiers tick. Drug use, libido, cowardess, heroism, concern, hatred, each of these traits find themselves embodied in one of the characters.
This isn't a feel-good film, but it did provide a few chuckles here and there. And although it doesn't come close to informing the viewer about what Vietnam was like, it tries admirably.
This isn't a feel-good film, but it did provide a few chuckles here and there. And although it doesn't come close to informing the viewer about what Vietnam was like, it tries admirably.
"It's Their War"
bkoganbing12 February 2010
In a recent biography of Burt Lancaster, Go Tell The Spartans is described as the best Vietnam war film that nobody ever saw. Hopefully with television and video products that will be corrected.
I prefer to think of it as a prequel to Platoon. This film is set in 1964 when America's participation was limited to advisers by this time raised to about 20,000 of them by President Kennedy. Whether if Kennedy had lived and won a second term he would have increased our commitment to a half a million men as Lyndon Johnson did is open to much historical speculation.
Major Burt Lancaster heads such an advisory team with his number two Captain Marc Singer. They get some replacements and a new assignment to build a fortress where the French tried years ago and failed.
The replacements are a really mixed bag, a sergeant who Lancaster has served with before and respects highly in Jonathan Goldsmith, a very green and eager second lieutenant in Joe Unger, a demolitions man who is a draftee and at that time Vietnam service was a strictly volunteer thing in Craig Wasson, and a medic who is also a junkie in Dennis Howard. For one reason or another all of these get sent forward to build that outpost in a place that suddenly has acquired military significance.
I said before this could be a prequel to Platoon. Platoon is set in the time a few years later when the USA was fully militarily committed in Vietnam. Platoon raises the same issues about the futility of that war, but I think Go Tell The Spartans does a much better job. Hard to bring your best effort into the fight since who and what you're fighting and fighting for seems to change weekly.
Originally this project was for William Holden and I'm surprised Holden passed on it. Maybe for the better because Lancaster strikes just the right note as the professional soldier in what was a backwater assignment who politics has passed over for promotion. Knowing all that you will understand why Lancaster makes the final decision he does.
Two others of note are Evan Kim who is the head of the South Vietnamese regulars and interpreter who Lancaster and company are training. He epitomizes the brutality of the struggle for us in a way that we can't appreciate from the other side because we never meet any of the Viet Cong by name. Dolph Sweet plays the general in charge of the American Vietnam commitment, a General Harnitz. He is closest to a real character because the general in charge their before Johnson raised the troop levels and put in William Westmoreland was Paul Harkins.
Joe Unger is who I think gives the best performance as the shavetail lieutenant with all the conventional ideas of war and believes we have got to be with the good guys since we are Americans. He learns fast that you issue uniforms for a reason and wars against people who don't have them are the most difficult.
I think one could get a deep understanding of just what America faced in 1964 in Vietnam by watching Go Tell The Spartans.
I prefer to think of it as a prequel to Platoon. This film is set in 1964 when America's participation was limited to advisers by this time raised to about 20,000 of them by President Kennedy. Whether if Kennedy had lived and won a second term he would have increased our commitment to a half a million men as Lyndon Johnson did is open to much historical speculation.
Major Burt Lancaster heads such an advisory team with his number two Captain Marc Singer. They get some replacements and a new assignment to build a fortress where the French tried years ago and failed.
The replacements are a really mixed bag, a sergeant who Lancaster has served with before and respects highly in Jonathan Goldsmith, a very green and eager second lieutenant in Joe Unger, a demolitions man who is a draftee and at that time Vietnam service was a strictly volunteer thing in Craig Wasson, and a medic who is also a junkie in Dennis Howard. For one reason or another all of these get sent forward to build that outpost in a place that suddenly has acquired military significance.
I said before this could be a prequel to Platoon. Platoon is set in the time a few years later when the USA was fully militarily committed in Vietnam. Platoon raises the same issues about the futility of that war, but I think Go Tell The Spartans does a much better job. Hard to bring your best effort into the fight since who and what you're fighting and fighting for seems to change weekly.
Originally this project was for William Holden and I'm surprised Holden passed on it. Maybe for the better because Lancaster strikes just the right note as the professional soldier in what was a backwater assignment who politics has passed over for promotion. Knowing all that you will understand why Lancaster makes the final decision he does.
Two others of note are Evan Kim who is the head of the South Vietnamese regulars and interpreter who Lancaster and company are training. He epitomizes the brutality of the struggle for us in a way that we can't appreciate from the other side because we never meet any of the Viet Cong by name. Dolph Sweet plays the general in charge of the American Vietnam commitment, a General Harnitz. He is closest to a real character because the general in charge their before Johnson raised the troop levels and put in William Westmoreland was Paul Harkins.
Joe Unger is who I think gives the best performance as the shavetail lieutenant with all the conventional ideas of war and believes we have got to be with the good guys since we are Americans. He learns fast that you issue uniforms for a reason and wars against people who don't have them are the most difficult.
I think one could get a deep understanding of just what America faced in 1964 in Vietnam by watching Go Tell The Spartans.
Great Film
mikej-410 February 1999
This is a relatively unknown film on the subject of Vietnam, but it is probably the best film made on the subject. The 70s and 80s genre Vietnam films are more pop culture than anything else. Such films undermine the view of an entire society as to the nature of the difficult job performed by the american fighting man in Vietnam. Go tell the Spartans is a really honest and straightforward film with some interesting dialogue, particularly on the part of Burt Lancaster, who is really a top-notch actor. His performance gives the film a serious and credible tone. The movie is about heroism and sacrifice. It is also about the absurd nature of war in general, not to mean that there isn't quite often a higher and moral purpose which is ironically served by war. Naturally, there will always be those to condemn a film. Go Tell The Spartans is very unique among films on Vietnam and war in general. It is not in the least bit campy, thanks to Lancaster. The no-name cast really prevents this film from descending into celebrity persona and reinforces the actual and intended nature of the films characters. The film's somewhat tragic conclusion honors the memory of those brave Americans who died fighting in Vietnam in a very poignant and serious way; it does not make our fighting men into misfits or lunatics, just ordinary Americans who had a rough task handed to them and not always willingly but nevertheless carried out faithfully and honorably.
Early Viet Nam war film
pimy9526 September 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Low budget and looks more like a TV movie then major motion picture, partially financed by the political conscious star.
One of the first Vietnam war movies to come out after the end of the conflict. Therefore had difficulties with funding and not well received in theaters when it came out. We had, had enough about Vietnam.
However, very accurate in portrayal of early war, yes including the firearms used. The corruption in the south Vietnamese military, The US walking right into the same places as the French, and not fighting WW2 again. The population, at war with each other and us in the middle, and the effectiveness of "female" Vietcong soldiers, here portrayed by the actress that just a few years later would go on to play "Kwang Lee", on the TV series "Night Court". Yes a pleasant surprise of a film, that tried to tell a story people didn't want to hear yet, when it came out.
One of the first Vietnam war movies to come out after the end of the conflict. Therefore had difficulties with funding and not well received in theaters when it came out. We had, had enough about Vietnam.
However, very accurate in portrayal of early war, yes including the firearms used. The corruption in the south Vietnamese military, The US walking right into the same places as the French, and not fighting WW2 again. The population, at war with each other and us in the middle, and the effectiveness of "female" Vietcong soldiers, here portrayed by the actress that just a few years later would go on to play "Kwang Lee", on the TV series "Night Court". Yes a pleasant surprise of a film, that tried to tell a story people didn't want to hear yet, when it came out.
Stirring , perceptible Vietnam war movie in which Burt Lancaster stands out as a brave commander
ma-cortes7 October 2017
In 1954 the French lost the war to keep their Indochina colonies and those colonies became North and South Vietnam . Then the North aided a rebellion in the South and the US sent in Military Advisers to help South Vietnam fight the communist . In 1964 the war in Vietnam was still a little one , confused and far away . There a tough veteran Major , But Lancaster , is ordered to establish a garrison at Muc Wa with a platoon of burned out soldiers and Vietnamese Mercenaries . But some soldiers start to wonder : What we are doing over there.
Moving Vietnam war movie set in 1964 , it is a strong , provoking vision of the conflict . A tough view of the early Vietnam war that is provided in all terrible , bloody and violent detail . Blundering and a little boring war film , but politically interesting pre-dating the flood of the eighties , plenty of patriotic , jingoist , apologetic Vietnam pictures . As we watch the violent events , slaughters , crossfires and atrocities in Vietnam . The bloody ending reflects the bitterness and disillusion felt by most Americans . Based on Daniel Ford novel titled ¨Incident at Muc Wa¨ , it describes a pretty honest portrayal of America's early days in Vietnam . Including a realist and thought-provoking dialog and dealing with foreign intervention in Vietnam . Burt Lancaster gives nice interpretation as the hard-boiled Major who faces himself the combat . Remaining cast is pretty well , shining in adequate acting , such as : Craig Wasson , David Clennon , Jonathan Goldsmith , James Hong , and Mark Singer's film debut , among others . Atmospheric cinematography by Harry Stradling Jr , though a perfect remastering being necessary . Inappropriate setting , in fact , the film was not shot in Asia at all but filmed in California , USA with Vietnamese migrants to America portraying the Vietcong .
The motion picture was compelling and professionally directed by Ted Post who directed to Clint Eastwood in ¨Magnum force¨ , ¨Hang'em high¨ and Chuck Norris in ¨Good guys wear black¨ . Post made all kinds of genres as SciFi : ¨Beneath of the planet of apes¨, ¨Harrard experiment¨ , as Thriller : ¨Nightkill¨, ¨The baby¨ and Western : ¨Yuma¨ , ¨Stagecoach¨.
Moving Vietnam war movie set in 1964 , it is a strong , provoking vision of the conflict . A tough view of the early Vietnam war that is provided in all terrible , bloody and violent detail . Blundering and a little boring war film , but politically interesting pre-dating the flood of the eighties , plenty of patriotic , jingoist , apologetic Vietnam pictures . As we watch the violent events , slaughters , crossfires and atrocities in Vietnam . The bloody ending reflects the bitterness and disillusion felt by most Americans . Based on Daniel Ford novel titled ¨Incident at Muc Wa¨ , it describes a pretty honest portrayal of America's early days in Vietnam . Including a realist and thought-provoking dialog and dealing with foreign intervention in Vietnam . Burt Lancaster gives nice interpretation as the hard-boiled Major who faces himself the combat . Remaining cast is pretty well , shining in adequate acting , such as : Craig Wasson , David Clennon , Jonathan Goldsmith , James Hong , and Mark Singer's film debut , among others . Atmospheric cinematography by Harry Stradling Jr , though a perfect remastering being necessary . Inappropriate setting , in fact , the film was not shot in Asia at all but filmed in California , USA with Vietnamese migrants to America portraying the Vietcong .
The motion picture was compelling and professionally directed by Ted Post who directed to Clint Eastwood in ¨Magnum force¨ , ¨Hang'em high¨ and Chuck Norris in ¨Good guys wear black¨ . Post made all kinds of genres as SciFi : ¨Beneath of the planet of apes¨, ¨Harrard experiment¨ , as Thriller : ¨Nightkill¨, ¨The baby¨ and Western : ¨Yuma¨ , ¨Stagecoach¨.
I was there - this one is real.
jacksonc1 August 1999
There has been criticism of this movie as being dull and unrealistic (probably from someone who wasn't even born before the events depicted in the movie). Believe this: it shows things pretty much as they happened. Lancaster was never better. I recommend it without reservation.
A Good Film in Spite of its Political Bias
Uriah438 May 2017
This movie takes place during the early stages of the Vietnam War with an American military adviser named "Major Asa Barker" (Burt Lancaster) receiving orders to reoccupy an abandoned French garrison in the vicinity of a small deserted village called Muc Wa. Although he sees no strategic value in establishing a garrison there--and expresses his concern that this will only encourage the Viet Cong to begin operations in that particular location--his words fall on deaf ears and he is forced to comply with these orders. To make matters even more difficult, the only soldiers Major Barker can allocate to that area are a couple of newly assigned personnel along with a few ARVN troops and a handful of Vietnamese mercenaries. In any case, just as he feared, once the soldiers get to Muc Wa they begin to attract VC attention to the extent that it now becomes a major focal point of the current war climate and things go downhill from there. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that, unlike "The Green Berets" made ten years earlier, this film essentially adopted a more left-wing sentiment which was shared by other films of this type for the next few years. But for what it's worth, regardless of the political bias, the realism portrayed in this movie was rather impressive and for that reason I have rated this film accordingly. Above average.
Overlooked
afinch25 March 2004
Because of the star power and emotional power of its contemporaries -- Coming Home,The Deer Hunter, and Apocalypse Now -- Go Tell the Spartans gets little recognition. But it is truly a hidden gem. Set early in the period of American involvement in Vietnam, it gives us a more realistic portrayal of the complexities and contradictions of that war. Burt Lancaster is superb as the dedicated, yet tortured, soldier who must try to deal with a situation that he increasingly recognizes as being, at best, untenable. This film is worthy of the kind of special treatment and commentary that accompanies the "special edition" releases of quality films on DVD. No serious examination of the portrayal of Vietnam War issues in American films can overlook Go Tell the Spartans.
Warlike Farewell To A Hollywood Legend
Dan1863Sickles22 May 2023
As an elegy for Burt Lancaster, its a five star classic. He really makes the most of every second he has on screen, relishing the salty language, the understated regrets, and generally saying goodbye to the role of lover, warrior, and tough guy. The story telling is poignant, and the young cast of unknowns really works together well.
On the other hand, the low budget is really obvious, especially towards the end. All the soldiers have late Seventies hair cuts, which is strange since the movie is set in 1964. Even the super tough Vietnamese mercenary is obviously trying to look like Bruce Lee, which is strange because in 1964 he was still doing stunt work and wearing a chauffeur's cap on the Green Hornet.
On the other hand, the low budget is really obvious, especially towards the end. All the soldiers have late Seventies hair cuts, which is strange since the movie is set in 1964. Even the super tough Vietnamese mercenary is obviously trying to look like Bruce Lee, which is strange because in 1964 he was still doing stunt work and wearing a chauffeur's cap on the Green Hornet.
Need an update
calmirio16 July 2021
One of the best ever films about Viet Nam
jacksonc12 January 1999
This is one of the best movies abut Viet Nam ever and the best about the early (fist five years) part of the war. If you thing Rambo and Delta force are what Viet Nam was about, don't watch. If you want a feel for what was going on then, watch.
Its reach exceeds its grasp
Danimal-77 September 1999
GO TELL THE SPARTANS is set in 1964 Vietnam, apparently just before the Gulf of Tonkin resolution. Major Barker, one of the U.S. military advisors (Burt Lancaster) is ordered to send his men to lead some ARVN troops to defend the unimportant village of Muc Wa. Barker sends the super-patriotic, naive Lt. Hamilton and burnt-out sergeant "Oleo" on the expedition, where they quickly find themselves in over their heads.
Wendell Mayes' screenplay, based on Dan Ford's novel, is very well done. I've never been in the military, so I can't be sure how accurate the details are, but the soldiers of this movie are a lot like the soldiers I've met: some brave, some lazy, some ambitious, some compassionate, all griping and profane. There are some good, biting moments, particularly when Lt. Hamilton gives his ragtag ARVN troops a rousing patriotic speech; when the interpreter translates the speech, the men all burst out laughing. The rampant corruption amongst the South Vietnamese officer corps is well portrayed. Cap. Olivetti (Marc Singer, in an early performance before he turned to a Z-movie career) is a well-written minor role, a young officer who sees the defense of the village as merely a convenient way to advance his career.
Unfortunately, GO TELL THE SPARTANS doesn't seem to have had much of a budget, and it shows. The sets are cheap and stark, and the movie appears to have been shot in an American temperate forest rather than a jungle. The acting is a very mixed bag. Lancaster and Singer are good, as is Jonathan Goldsmith in the role of Sgt. "Oleo." However, Joe Unger is never quite convincing as Lt. Hamilton, and Craig Wasson is flat and dull as the idealistic Cpl. Courcey. (One of the best performances is Evan C. Kim's portrayal of the sadistic, repulsive but intelligent South Vietnamese interpreter, "Cowboy"). Ted Post's direction is loose, taking a long time to move between effective scenes, and his handling of the movie's conclusion is bizarre. His battle scenes are too much Hollywood action fare, failing to portray the exhaustion, pain and fear of real combat; this undercuts the cynical tone of the dialogue. The cinematography is lackluster and often poorly focused.
GO TELL THE SPARTANS is intended to show the overall story of the Vietnam war in microcosm. Because the movie lacked the budget for the actors and director it needed, it doesn't succeed as well as it might have. But it's still watchable and entertaining.
Rating: **1/2 out of ****.
Wendell Mayes' screenplay, based on Dan Ford's novel, is very well done. I've never been in the military, so I can't be sure how accurate the details are, but the soldiers of this movie are a lot like the soldiers I've met: some brave, some lazy, some ambitious, some compassionate, all griping and profane. There are some good, biting moments, particularly when Lt. Hamilton gives his ragtag ARVN troops a rousing patriotic speech; when the interpreter translates the speech, the men all burst out laughing. The rampant corruption amongst the South Vietnamese officer corps is well portrayed. Cap. Olivetti (Marc Singer, in an early performance before he turned to a Z-movie career) is a well-written minor role, a young officer who sees the defense of the village as merely a convenient way to advance his career.
Unfortunately, GO TELL THE SPARTANS doesn't seem to have had much of a budget, and it shows. The sets are cheap and stark, and the movie appears to have been shot in an American temperate forest rather than a jungle. The acting is a very mixed bag. Lancaster and Singer are good, as is Jonathan Goldsmith in the role of Sgt. "Oleo." However, Joe Unger is never quite convincing as Lt. Hamilton, and Craig Wasson is flat and dull as the idealistic Cpl. Courcey. (One of the best performances is Evan C. Kim's portrayal of the sadistic, repulsive but intelligent South Vietnamese interpreter, "Cowboy"). Ted Post's direction is loose, taking a long time to move between effective scenes, and his handling of the movie's conclusion is bizarre. His battle scenes are too much Hollywood action fare, failing to portray the exhaustion, pain and fear of real combat; this undercuts the cynical tone of the dialogue. The cinematography is lackluster and often poorly focused.
GO TELL THE SPARTANS is intended to show the overall story of the Vietnam war in microcosm. Because the movie lacked the budget for the actors and director it needed, it doesn't succeed as well as it might have. But it's still watchable and entertaining.
Rating: **1/2 out of ****.
Before the storm
Wuchakk8 January 2016
Released in 1978, "Go Tell the Spartans" stars Burt Lancaster as Maj. Barker, the CO of a remote outpost in Vietnam in 1964, when America was still only functioning in an advisory capacity. Barker and his executive officer, Captain Olivetti (Marc Singer), receive four new replacements whom they send to garrison the deserted "village" of Muc Wa deep in the jungle. One of the replacements is draftee Cpl. Courcey (Craig Wasson). Then the Viet Cong attack.
People wanting a conventional war flick should skip this one because, as noted above, Americans were still functioning as military advisors at this early stage, not that there isn't any war action; just that "Go Tell the Spartans" establishes the situation in Vietnam before the USA entered into all-out war.
I like this movie and it provides some good insights about the War, but I can't in good conscience give it a higher rating because I don't want to mislead people into thinking it's better than what it is. For one, it's noticeably low-budget compared to "Apocalypse Now" (1979), "Platoon" (1986), "Casualties of War" (1989) and "We Were Soldiers" (2002). Secondly, it's not as compelling as any of these movies, not to mention it's burdened by a lame, dated score. It's also too talky, which wouldn't be an issue if the dialogue were more interesting.
Despite these criticisms there are numerous positives: It shows what happens when you transplant American youths from the safe haven of the USA into a war-burdened country on the other side of the world where the hardened enemy is literally entrenched in the ground and has been fighting for almost a decade before the Americans even arrived. It's not just a case of culture shock, but also brutal war shock, and the movie successfully shows this. I also like how a certain character makes a stand in the third act, which enlightens someone else and spurs a life-changing decision. Nevertheless, it's a lesser Vietnam War flick and overrated in some circles.
The movie runs 114 minutes and was shot in Valencia, California.
GRADE: C+
People wanting a conventional war flick should skip this one because, as noted above, Americans were still functioning as military advisors at this early stage, not that there isn't any war action; just that "Go Tell the Spartans" establishes the situation in Vietnam before the USA entered into all-out war.
I like this movie and it provides some good insights about the War, but I can't in good conscience give it a higher rating because I don't want to mislead people into thinking it's better than what it is. For one, it's noticeably low-budget compared to "Apocalypse Now" (1979), "Platoon" (1986), "Casualties of War" (1989) and "We Were Soldiers" (2002). Secondly, it's not as compelling as any of these movies, not to mention it's burdened by a lame, dated score. It's also too talky, which wouldn't be an issue if the dialogue were more interesting.
Despite these criticisms there are numerous positives: It shows what happens when you transplant American youths from the safe haven of the USA into a war-burdened country on the other side of the world where the hardened enemy is literally entrenched in the ground and has been fighting for almost a decade before the Americans even arrived. It's not just a case of culture shock, but also brutal war shock, and the movie successfully shows this. I also like how a certain character makes a stand in the third act, which enlightens someone else and spurs a life-changing decision. Nevertheless, it's a lesser Vietnam War flick and overrated in some circles.
The movie runs 114 minutes and was shot in Valencia, California.
GRADE: C+
A movie that shows the real Vietnam (not Hollywoods version)
hamishlaird17 October 2001
According to people who were actually in Vietnam in the early days this is a very accurate portrayal of how it was.
I liked it a lot and reading the majority of other reviews I think most reviewers who seem to have some sort of experience in Vietnam and know what they are talking about found it not only to be an accurate and honest portrayal but also a darn good movie to boot.
War movies are so often full of shabby jingoistic claptrap it is a refreshing change to find one that has a strong dose of realism and also some ironic humourous touches as well as being a history lesson.
Let the Rambo and Chuck Norris brigade look elsewhere but if you like real movies about real people don't miss this one.
I liked it a lot and reading the majority of other reviews I think most reviewers who seem to have some sort of experience in Vietnam and know what they are talking about found it not only to be an accurate and honest portrayal but also a darn good movie to boot.
War movies are so often full of shabby jingoistic claptrap it is a refreshing change to find one that has a strong dose of realism and also some ironic humourous touches as well as being a history lesson.
Let the Rambo and Chuck Norris brigade look elsewhere but if you like real movies about real people don't miss this one.
Good Prologue.
rmax3048236 July 2016
Warning: Spoilers
The title is from Herodotus who recorded from a plaque left by the several hundred Spartan warriors who died at the Battle of Thermopylae around 480BC. "Go, tell the Spartans, stranger passing by. That here, obedient to their laws, we lie." This is a war movie and carries several recognizable stereotypes but not the OLD stereotypes, not the braggart from Texas or the wise guy from New York, but rather men who differ in their attitudes towards the war.
Burt Lancaster is the experienced veteran of World War II, practical and kind of old for the rank of major. There is the gung ho lieutenant who is fiercely patriotic and desires nothing more than to kill Gooks. There is the educated naive corporal who refuses to reveal why he volunteered for Vietnam, and who is portrayed as an idiot begging the children of a village to accept chocolate from him. There is the seasoned master sergeant who knows it all but is burned out and takes to booze when off duty, unlike some of the others who are doing hard dope. There is the native guide who is usually used for comedy but here represents the stern and unyielding fact that war is brutal and there is no room for kindness. The black guy who handles communications at the command center provides some comedy relief. And there is the intelligence officer, the new lieutenant, who brings to Lancaster's command a systematic way of judging the threat to each outpost, and at whom Lancaster stares in wide-eyed disbelief as the officious young man gives his pitch. Some of the characters are overdrawn.
It's odd to see Americans and South Vietnamese using old-fashioned weapons of World War II. The Vietnamese seem like children carrying M-1s that are too big for them. No M-16s or anything. That came later. This is 1964 in the jungles of South Vietnam and we don't have many facilities available there, yet. It's from a novel written by Daniel Ford, the correspondent, not John Ford's grandson. Ford was able to get down with his men. He ate their rations, slept on a blanket in the bush, and bonded with them. He's left a blog in which he explains the difficulty he had getting his "novel" published and sold. Nobody was interested in Vietnam, yet. I remember the general lack of interest in 1964. I was about to leave civilization for a few years and my roommate brought my attention to an inconspicuous article in the New York Times about our increasing involvement. I politely dismissed its importance.
It was an ironic war in many respects, impossible to tell the good villagers from the bad villagers, much like today's asymmetric warfare. And politics was woven in and out of the war itself. Lancaster has learned that an outpost is about to be attacked so he asks for air support. There is a problem. The aircraft are grounded in Saigon because they may be necessary to suppress a coup against the South Vietnamese government. The American advisors don't win very much, if anything at all. The final scene doesn't bring up the usual "The End" because it wasn't the end. It just shows us "1964", with another decade of misery to come.
Burt Lancaster is the experienced veteran of World War II, practical and kind of old for the rank of major. There is the gung ho lieutenant who is fiercely patriotic and desires nothing more than to kill Gooks. There is the educated naive corporal who refuses to reveal why he volunteered for Vietnam, and who is portrayed as an idiot begging the children of a village to accept chocolate from him. There is the seasoned master sergeant who knows it all but is burned out and takes to booze when off duty, unlike some of the others who are doing hard dope. There is the native guide who is usually used for comedy but here represents the stern and unyielding fact that war is brutal and there is no room for kindness. The black guy who handles communications at the command center provides some comedy relief. And there is the intelligence officer, the new lieutenant, who brings to Lancaster's command a systematic way of judging the threat to each outpost, and at whom Lancaster stares in wide-eyed disbelief as the officious young man gives his pitch. Some of the characters are overdrawn.
It's odd to see Americans and South Vietnamese using old-fashioned weapons of World War II. The Vietnamese seem like children carrying M-1s that are too big for them. No M-16s or anything. That came later. This is 1964 in the jungles of South Vietnam and we don't have many facilities available there, yet. It's from a novel written by Daniel Ford, the correspondent, not John Ford's grandson. Ford was able to get down with his men. He ate their rations, slept on a blanket in the bush, and bonded with them. He's left a blog in which he explains the difficulty he had getting his "novel" published and sold. Nobody was interested in Vietnam, yet. I remember the general lack of interest in 1964. I was about to leave civilization for a few years and my roommate brought my attention to an inconspicuous article in the New York Times about our increasing involvement. I politely dismissed its importance.
It was an ironic war in many respects, impossible to tell the good villagers from the bad villagers, much like today's asymmetric warfare. And politics was woven in and out of the war itself. Lancaster has learned that an outpost is about to be attacked so he asks for air support. There is a problem. The aircraft are grounded in Saigon because they may be necessary to suppress a coup against the South Vietnamese government. The American advisors don't win very much, if anything at all. The final scene doesn't bring up the usual "The End" because it wasn't the end. It just shows us "1964", with another decade of misery to come.
the US didn't realize what it was getting into
lee_eisenberg9 May 2019
The most famous anti-Vietnam War movies from 1978 are "The Deer Hunter", "Coming Home" and "Who'll Stop the Rain". Another one was Ted Post's "Go Tell the Spartans". This one takes place in Vietnam right before US troops got fully involved. It makes clear that the US made a bad choice by taking over the French effort. And as always, those at the top were always gung ho no matter how bad things got. To this day, the ultra-hawks insist that we could have "won" the Vietnam War (what would that even mean?). As Michael Moore later noted, the US army hasn't had a military victory in over seventy years.
It made sense to cast Burt Lancaster in the movie, as he had come out against the war (as did Jane Fonda, star of "Coming Home"). We thought that it would permanently end war. Too bad that the war machine was still there. Indeed, at the time of the movie's release, the US was arming South Africa in the latter's version of the Vietnam War in Angola (although that one led to the eventual collapse of apartheid).
The rest of the cast includes Jonathan Goldsmith (known as the most interesting man in the world) and Clyde Kusatsu (of "American Pie").
It made sense to cast Burt Lancaster in the movie, as he had come out against the war (as did Jane Fonda, star of "Coming Home"). We thought that it would permanently end war. Too bad that the war machine was still there. Indeed, at the time of the movie's release, the US was arming South Africa in the latter's version of the Vietnam War in Angola (although that one led to the eventual collapse of apartheid).
The rest of the cast includes Jonathan Goldsmith (known as the most interesting man in the world) and Clyde Kusatsu (of "American Pie").
Dead-on Perfect!!
marko19 September 1999
There aren't many movies about the beginning of America's involvement in Vietnam. It is fortunate that this is one of those film. Burt Lancaster is perfect as a career Army officer who recognizes early on that this war will be different from any other...and that American power may not be enough to win it. "Beastmaster" Marc Singer is wonderful as a shallow young officer so wrapped up in the boost Vietnam is going to give his career that he is immune to the madness around him. The scene in which Lancaster explains to Singer why, after three wars and a bucket full of medals, he (Lancaster) is still only a major, is priceless. Craig Wasson's portrayal of an idealistic draftee who progresses from caring about the Vietnamese, to accepting the brutality they perpetrate on each other is a chillingly accurate metaphor for the shift in American attitudes to come. Perhaps the film's best performance is by Jonathan Goldsmith, as a career NCO for whom the insanity finally becomes too much. The haunting score by Dick (Blood, Sweat & Tears) Halligan is a perfect accompaniment.
Burt Lancaster Says Some Baaaaaaaaad Words!
hokeybutt18 September 2004
GO TELL THE SPARTANS (3 outta 5 stars)
Not a bad movie... depicting the early days of the conflict in Vietnam and how it affected the American troops... but there are so many other *better* movies about that particular war that this one seems kind of lackluster in comparison. Still, it provides a nice, more modern role for screen icon Burt Lancaster (it is quite a shock to hear him liberally spouting profanity) and I've always liked Craig Wasson, who plays the new addition to Lancaster's group of battle-weary soldiers. Wasson is the green kid, still full of good intentions and the desire to win the hearts and minds of the people who actually have to live in that war-torn country... but over the course of the movie his altruism is put through the wringer. Lancaster has a great monologue about why he never became a general... which is probably the highlight of the movie. Other than the language, the movie kind of has the look and feel of a made-for-TV movie from the period... there is little of the style or flair that seems to enliven most other 'Nam movies... but it does get the job done. War movie buffs will love this... if you hate war movies... you might want to pass.
Not a bad movie... depicting the early days of the conflict in Vietnam and how it affected the American troops... but there are so many other *better* movies about that particular war that this one seems kind of lackluster in comparison. Still, it provides a nice, more modern role for screen icon Burt Lancaster (it is quite a shock to hear him liberally spouting profanity) and I've always liked Craig Wasson, who plays the new addition to Lancaster's group of battle-weary soldiers. Wasson is the green kid, still full of good intentions and the desire to win the hearts and minds of the people who actually have to live in that war-torn country... but over the course of the movie his altruism is put through the wringer. Lancaster has a great monologue about why he never became a general... which is probably the highlight of the movie. Other than the language, the movie kind of has the look and feel of a made-for-TV movie from the period... there is little of the style or flair that seems to enliven most other 'Nam movies... but it does get the job done. War movie buffs will love this... if you hate war movies... you might want to pass.
An exceptional Vietnam war movie drama with a first-rate Burt Lancaster performance
Woodyanders4 August 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This exceptional, totally deromanticized and unjustly forgotten knockout got undeservedly lost in the shuffle in the late 70's when it had the grave misfortune to come out around the same time as such more widely recognized 'Nam features "The Deer Hunter," "Coming Home," and "Apocalpyse Now." The film depicts the early stage of the war circa 1964, when American troops where initially sent over strictly as "military advisers." Burt Lancaster gives one of his finest, grittiest and most appealingly ragged performances as a rugged, irascible, foul-mouthed major in charge of a ragtag army base who's beginning to have serious misgivings about America's involvement in the war. Equally crackerjack characterizations are contributed by Craig Wasson as a naive, soft-hearted raw recruit with romantic notions about the glory of war who quickly learns that war itself is an intrinsically ugly and unfair thing, Joe Unger as a foolishly gung-ho corporal, Jonathan Goldsmith as a frazzled, alcoholic, battle weary combat vet, Dennis Howard as an oblivious to the world dope-head, an especially chilling Evan Kim as brutish, bloodthirsty South Vietnamese mercenary Cowboy, Marc Singer in his film debut as Lancaster's loyal, yet cynical aide-de-camp, Dolph Sweet as Lancaster's stern, overbearing, overconfident superior, and James Hong as a helpful elderly villager.
Ted Post's strong, precise, tough-minded direction, ably packed up by Harry Stradling, Jr.'s crisp, skillful cinematography and Dick Halligan's tense, shuddery, moody score, injects a genuine heart-rending sense of loss and anguish into the grim proceedings, therefor adding the right element of roughhewn authenticity to the movie to make it poignant and convincing. Wendell Mayes' sterling script -- it's profane, dryly perceptive and often sardonically funny, with a laudably obdurate refusal to resort to either cheap macho heroics or mushy patriotic sentiment which goes a long way in explaining exactly why it spent seven years languishing on a shelf before third-tier studio Avco Embassy finally decided to make it into a movie -- spells out the savage, upsetting reality of war in very stark, bleak and no uncertain terms: It's nothing more than a horrendous, chaotic, futile ordeal in which the participants do their utmost to stay alive and intact under circumstances of ever-increasing severity. An absolute powerhouse.
Ted Post's strong, precise, tough-minded direction, ably packed up by Harry Stradling, Jr.'s crisp, skillful cinematography and Dick Halligan's tense, shuddery, moody score, injects a genuine heart-rending sense of loss and anguish into the grim proceedings, therefor adding the right element of roughhewn authenticity to the movie to make it poignant and convincing. Wendell Mayes' sterling script -- it's profane, dryly perceptive and often sardonically funny, with a laudably obdurate refusal to resort to either cheap macho heroics or mushy patriotic sentiment which goes a long way in explaining exactly why it spent seven years languishing on a shelf before third-tier studio Avco Embassy finally decided to make it into a movie -- spells out the savage, upsetting reality of war in very stark, bleak and no uncertain terms: It's nothing more than a horrendous, chaotic, futile ordeal in which the participants do their utmost to stay alive and intact under circumstances of ever-increasing severity. An absolute powerhouse.
Never trusting Asian people...
Chinesevil20 January 2022
Vietnam has been a continual making serious mistakes by the US government. The naivety of Western races does not understand the profound racism and closed-mindedness of the Asian man. The film is 50% good and 50% negative; it appears too poor and with unreal scenographic quality, however it underlines some realistic and rather interesting facts.
Suspension of belief
fiorerr1 October 2007
Burt Lancaster plays a major during the Vietnam war when he was actually 65 years old and his age is impressed upon you in the first scene as he scrambles through the wire. His obvious age demands such a suspension of belief that it is difficult to focus on the movie. He makes a comment that he was once the General's commander so obviously got into trouble and was passed over for promotion in an attempt to "Explain away" the glaring visual age dysynchrony. But if he was a screwup at the rank of major he would have had his twenty years in and been discharged after being passed over for Lieutenant Colonel. I am sure the technical adviser pointed this out but hey they had Burt Lancaster starring. I was a major equivalent during the Vietnam War (US NAVY LCDR)and was 29 years old as were many of my peers + or - a couple of years so maybe it's not a problem with the non-military knowledgeable viewer.
Tells it like it was, not Rambo, just real.
jacksonc9 January 1999
This is the absolute best movie about the first five years (1959-1964) of the American involvement in Viet Nam ever made. If you want excitement and fiction, watch Rambo or Chuck Norris. If you want to see how it was (or as close as Hollywood gets to it), watch Go Tell the Spartans. People should understand that most war involvement consists largely of waiting and fighting - often a lot more waiting than fighting...
Burt Lancaster in a more realistic Vietnam War film ............
merklekranz4 December 2019
Somewhat similar to "Siege of Firebase Gloria", with an outpost being threatened by overwhelming numbers of the enemy. Burt Lancaster in a somewhat cynical demeanor tries to make the best of what he perceives as a no win situation. The uneasy alliance between the United States and South Vietnam is clearly on display. Supporting acting is good and characters are well developed. The movie is more about dealing with the day to day and hour to hour issues that affect the soldiers, both South Vietnamese and U.S.. "Go Tell The Spartans" may or may not be more realistic than similar war films, but it certainly feels like it is. Seek this one out for a look at the early years of the War. Recommended of it's type. ...MERK
1979
horst6913 July 2019
In 1979 the movie Apocalypse Now was released .
Which is a timeless masterpiece .
It's baffling how Go Tell the Spartans was released in 1978, or why it was made in the first place . This movie might have been contemporary in the 1950s, maybe even relevant, but would still have been a B-movie .
The term 'wooden' can be applied not only to the acting, but also to the story, writing, camera work, sound , editing, you name it .
It seems like someone in the late 70s went back in time by 20 years or so , produced a mediocre film based on what was popular back then, and returned to show this outdated drivel in cinemas .
It's so cartoonish, it's not even about actual human beings, let alone the Vietnam war .
It's baffling how Go Tell the Spartans was released in 1978, or why it was made in the first place . This movie might have been contemporary in the 1950s, maybe even relevant, but would still have been a B-movie .
The term 'wooden' can be applied not only to the acting, but also to the story, writing, camera work, sound , editing, you name it .
It seems like someone in the late 70s went back in time by 20 years or so , produced a mediocre film based on what was popular back then, and returned to show this outdated drivel in cinemas .
It's so cartoonish, it's not even about actual human beings, let alone the Vietnam war .
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