The film that we sat down to discuss today is a Hollywood film - 'Born on the Fourth of July'
It was released on 20 December 1989. We also discussed the release and reception of the film later in the show.
The story of the film in short is as follows: In the mid-1960s, suburban New York teenager Ron Kovic (Tom Cruise) enlists in the Marines, fulfilling what he sees as his patriotic duty. During his second tour in Vietnam, he accidentally kills a fellow soldier during a retreat and later becomes permanently paralyzed in battle. Returning home to an uncaring Veterans Administration bureaucracy and to people on both sides of the political divide who don't understand fully what he went through, Kovic becomes an impassioned critic of the war.
Directed by: Oliver Stone
Based on the book by same name by : Ron Kovic
Screenplay by: Oliver Stone and Ron Kovic
Nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writing and Best Actor in Leading Role. And the film won awards in the categories of Direction and Editing. How can a film NOT be best film despite having the best direction and editing is an infamous award show conundrum.
This is Born on the Fourth of July.