A Bright Shining Lie
| Release Date: | May 1998 |
|---|---|
| Genres | Drama / War |
| Duration: | 118 min |
| Cast: | Bill Paxton(Col. John Paul Vann), Amy Madigan(Mary Jane Vann), Vivian Wu(Lee), Donal Logue(Steven Burnett), Eric Bogosian(Doug Elders), Kurtwood Smith(General Westmoreland), Robert John Burke(Captain Drummond), James Rebhorn(Ambassador), Ed Lauter(General Weyand), Harve Presnell(General Harkins), Pichariva Narakbunchai(Annie), Les J.N. Mau(Colonel Dinh), Van Cao(Col. Huynh), Kay Tong Lim(Colonel Cao Huynh Van), Rory J. Aylward(Bomber Command), Susan Noel Benfatto(Picnic Lady (as Suzy Noel)), James Bigwood(Office Manager), Andrew Borba(Reporter #1 (Nick)), Chang Ching Peng Chaplin(Annie's Father (as Ching Peng Chaplin...), Xujen Dangers(School Teacher), Richard DeRusha(Protocol Officer), Bo Eason(Officer Tally), Erich Fleshman(American GI), John Higgins(CIA Man), Tom Hong(ARVN Captain), Robert L. Hull(Bureaucrat Soldier), Abhijati 'Meuk' Jusakul(Sergeant Muek (as Abhijati Jusakul)), Seng Kawee(VC Leader (as Kawee 'Seng' Sirikhanerut)), Kajie Khan(Madame Nhu (as Kajie Kahn)), John Lafayette(Major), Richard Libertini(Marriage Counsellor), Karina Logue(Barmaid), William L. Mansey(Officer Conroy), John Patrick Markovitch(Jesse Vann age 9), Kathleen Markovitch(Patty Vann age 7), Michael Markovitch(Peter Vann age 12), Jon Marsh(British Reporter), Robert Miranda(Vann's Cousin), Richard Montgomery(General's Aide), Wannipa 'Aoi' Navapan(Child's Mother), Thanh Nguyen(ARVN Translator (as Than Nguyen)), Vu Dinh Nguyen(Lieutenant Tran Ngoc Ba), 'Josh' Somsak Orajan(Vann's ARVN Driver), Jim Pearson(Army Sergeant), Somboon Phutaroth(Housekeeper (as Samboon Putaroth)), Robert Pross(Reporter #2 (Bobby)), Phillip Roope(Red Cross Man (as Philip Roope)), Todd Sible(Jesse Vann age 19), Colin D. Smith(American Commander), Major Robert J. Szempruch(Vann's Helicopter Pilot (as Major Rob...), Van Thoa Trinh(VC Commander), Phong Atwood Vo(Peasant (voice)), Graham 'Grace' Walker(Pastor (as Grace Walker)), David Warshofsky(Terry Pike), Chris Webster(Vann's Aide (as Christopher J. Webster)), Bill Whelan(Ron Dray), Greg Bronson(Mourner (uncredited)), Walter Cronkite(Himself (reports on Ia Drang battle)...), Lyndon Johnson(Himself (sends troops to Vietnam)...), Ngoc Loan Nguyen(Himself (shoots VC suspect) (archive...), Richard Nixon(Himself (during 1968 campaign)...), |
Something in his past keeps career Army man John Paul Vann from advancing past colonel. He views being sent to Vietnam as part of the US military advisory force a stepping stone to promotion. However, he disagrees vocally (and on the record) with the way the war is being run and is forced to leave the military. Returning to Vietnam as a civilian working with the Army, he comes to despise some South Vietnamese officers while he takes charge of some of the U.S. forces and continues his liaisons with Vietnamese women.
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