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Born On The 4th Of July

Born on the Fourth of July is a 1989 American drama war film adaptation of the best-selling autobiography of the same name by Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic.[1]

Tom Cruise plays Ron Kovic, in a performance that earned him his first Academy Award nomination. Oliver Stone (himself a Vietnam veteran) co-wrote the screenplay with Kovic, and also produced and directed the film. Stone wanted to film the movie in Vietnam, but because relations between the United States and Vietnam had not yet been normalized, it was instead filmed in the Philippines. The film is considered part of Stone's "trilogy" of films about the Vietnam War—following Platoon (1986) and preceding Heaven & Earth (1993).

Born on the Fourth of July was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Film Editing. The film was a critical and commercial success, grossing $161,001,698 worldwide[2] and winning two Academy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and a Directors Guild of America Award.

Cast[]

  • Tom Cruise as Sergeant Ron Kovic
  • Willem Dafoe as Charlie
  • Kyra Sedgwick as Donna
  • Raymond J. Barry as Mr. Kovic
  • Jerry Levine as Steve Boyer
  • Frank Whaley as Timmy
  • Caroline Kava as Mrs. Kovic
  • Cordelia Gonzalez as Maria Elena - Villa Dulce
  • Ed Lauter as Legion Commander
  • John Getz as Marine Major - Vietnam
  • Beau Starr as Man #2 - Arthur's Bar
  • Michael Wincott as Vet #3 - Villa Dulce
  • Edith Díaz as Madame - Villa Dulce
  • Richard Grusin as Coach - Massapequa
  • Stephen Baldwin as Billy Vorsovich
  • Bob Gunton as Doctor #1 - Veterans Hospital
  • Jason Gedrick as Martinez - Vietnam
  • Richard Panebianco as Joey Walsh
  • Anne Bobby as Susanne Kovic
  • David Warshofsky as Lieutenant - Vietnam
  • Reg E. Cathey as Speaker - Syracuse
  • Josh Evans as Tommy Kovic
  • Bruce MacVittie as Patient #2 - Veterans Hospital
  • Lili Taylor as Jamie Wilson
  • David Herman as Patient #1 - Veterans Hospital
  • Andrew Lauer as Vet #2 - Villa Dulce
  • Tom Sizemore as Vet #1 - Villa Dulce
  • Bryan Larkin as Young Ron
  • John C. McGinley as Official #1 - Democratic Convention (Pushing Kovic's Wheelchair)
  • Wayne Knight as Official #2 - Democratic Convention
  • Jessica Prunell as Young Donna
  • Tom Berenger as Gunnery Sergeant Hayes - Marine Recruiter
  • Richard Haus as Marine Sergeant - 2nd Recruiter
  • Mark Moses as Optimistic Doctor
  • Holly Marie Combs as Jenny

In addition, decorated Marine and Vietnam War veteran Dale Dye appears as an infantry colonel (being interviewed by a TV reporter played by Oliver Stone), Chicago Seven anti-war protester Abbie Hoffman appears as a student strike organizer at Syracuse University, and singer Edie Brickell appears as a folksinger in Syracuse. Hoffman died before the film was released, with an "In Memoriam" in his honor shown in the closing credits.

Voices[]

  • Bob Bergen - Special Vocal Effects

References[]

  1. Vincent Canby (1989-12-20). "How an All-American Boy Went to War and Lost His Faith"..
  2. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named BoxOfficeMojo
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