Born on the Fourth of July         

By Jeff Shannon

The second film in Oliver Stone's Vietnam trilogy moves from the brutality of war in Platoon to its equally traumatic aftermath. Based on the memoir of combat veteran Ron Kovic, the film stars Tom Cruise as Kovic, whose gunshot wound in Vietnam left him paralyzed from the chest down. He is deeply embittered by neglect in a veteran's hospital and by the shattering of his patriotic idealism because of the horror and futility of the Vietnam conflict. While painfully and awkwardly adjusting to his disability and a changing definition of masculinity, Kovic joins the burgeoning movement of antiwar protest, culminating in a climactic appearance at the 1976 Democratic national convention. A powerfully intimate portrait that unfolds on an epic scale, Born on the Fourth of July is arguably Stone's best film (if you can forgive its often strident tone), and Cruise's Oscar-nominated role is uncompromising in its depiction of one man's personal anguish and political awakening.

Academy Awards

Born on the Fourth of July received Academy Awards for Best Achievement in Directing (Oliver Stone) and Best Achievement in Film Editing (David Brenner, Joe Hutshing). Born on the Fourth of July also received Academy Awards nominations for Best Picture of the Year (A. Kitman Ho - Producer, Oliver Stone - Producer), Best Performance By an Actor in a Leading Role (Tom Cruise), Best Screenplay Based on Material From Another Medium (Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic), Best Achievement in Cinematography (Robert Richardson), Best Achievement in Music (Original Score; John Williams), and Best Achievement in Sound (Michael Minkler, Gregory H. Watkins, Wylie Stateman, Tod A. Maitland) .

Share Your Memories!

Is Born on the Fourth of July one of your favorite movies? What do you remember about it? Share your stories (or your reviews) with the world! (We print the best stories right here!)