BRIGHT SHINING LIE, A (TV)
Summary
This docudrama portrays the true story of Lt. Col. John Paul Vann and his efforts in the Vietnam War. The program opens with black-and-white archival footage documenting the idealism of the 1950s and early 1960s. In 1962, Vann leaves for Vietnam as an advisor for the South Vietnamese army, despite the misgivings of his wife, Mary Jane. Upon meeting journalist Steven Burnett, who narrates the story, Vann and Burnett witness his unit staging phony pictures that misrepresent the number of dead Viet Cong soldiers. Soon, Vann is at odds with the strategies of the unit's commander, a Vietnamese colonel: he disregards the colonel's orders and hops into a helicopter during a battle. Meanwhile, Vann begins an affair with a schoolteacher named Lee, who translates the journal of a Viet Cong general that explains why the Americans cannot win. After losing several men to surprise guerilla tactics, Vann questions U.S. military tactics and learns that the number of American deaths is a lie, and that the military is claiming victory in areas controlled by Viet Cong. Angered by the disinformation, Vann is warned to keep silent and, feeling betrayed, he approaches Burnett and tells him the truth. Vann and Burnett are horrified to witness a monk sets himself on fire to protest the war. With his tour of duty over, Vann returns to the U.S. to spread the truth about Vietnam: but his scheduled meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff is cancelled and his military career comes to end. At home, Vann confronts his womanizing in marriage counseling, but after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Vann returns to Vietnam through a civilian aid program, and Mary Jane realizes their marriage will never last. Assigned to an impoverished village, Vann and Doug Elders initiate major repairs to the schools and homes, and Vann renews his love affair with Lee. But Vann and Elders's efforts are thwarted by General Chin, whom Vann slaps across the face; Chin retaliates by killing some of the village's troops to show that he cannot be humiliated. Soon the village is destroyed, and Vann is assigned to Saigon to remove the Viet Cong. Vann has an affair with a woman named Annie, and soon returns to the U.S. upon learning his mother has died: at the funeral, his eldest son refuses to speak to him due to their differing opinions on the war, and Mary Jane files for divorce. Back in Vietnam, Vann marries Annie, who is pregnant. Vann suspects a major attack will occur in Saigon, but Gen. Westmoreland diverts the majority of troops to a different region. Just as Vann suspected, the Tet Offensive occurs, and once President Richard M. Nixon enters office, he increases the number of troops. Vann, as a civilian with a child, assumes charge of ten divisions and wants to increase the ground war and bombings to drive back the Viet Cong. Burnett, who has been keeping track of Vann, is amazed and outraged over Vann's sudden reversal of strategy. As Vann's plan to hold the line begins, a surprise enemy tank sends the troops into retreat and the Viet Cong advances upon the compound. But Vann refuses to leave and instead orders the systematic bombing of the area; later, he is offered congratulations by the South Vietnamese president. In 1972, Vann is killed in a helicopter crash while flying back to his troops on the front, and is buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
(This program contains adult-oriented language.)
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: May 30, 1998 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:58:08
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:53262
- GENRE: Drama, historical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, historical; U S Armed Forces; Vietnam War - Drama
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV, 1998
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Lois Bonfiglio … Executive Producer
- Greg Ricketson … Producer
- James Bigwood … Associate Producer
- Terry George … Director, Writer
- Neil Sheehan … Based on the book by
- Gary Chang … Music by
- Bill Paxton … Cast, Lt. Col. John Paul Vann
- Bo Eason … Cast, Officer Tally
- William L. Mansey … Cast, Officer Conroy
- Karina Logue … Cast, Barmaid
- Amy Madigan … Cast, Mary Jane Vann
- Robert L. Hull … Cast, Bureaucrat Soldier
- Donal Logue … Cast, Steven Burnett
- "Josh" Somsak Orajan … Cast, Vann's ARVN Driver
- Harve Presnell … Cast, General Harkins
- Robert John Burke … Cast, Cpt. Drummond
- Bill Whelan … Cast, Ron Dray
- Kay Tong Lim … Cast, Colonel Cao Huynh Van
- Kawee "Seng" Sirikhanerut … Cast, VC Leader
- Kajie Kahn … Cast, Madame Nhu
- Vivian Wu … Cast, Lee
- Thoa Trinh Van … Cast, VC Commander
- Richard Montgomery … Cast, General's Aide
- Andrew Borba … Cast, Reporter #1 (Nick)
- Michael Markovitch … Cast, Peter Vann (age 12)
- John Patrick Markovitch … Cast, Jesse Vann (age 9)
- Kathleen Markovitch … Cast, Patty Vann (age 7)
- Richard DeRusha … Cast, Protocol Officer
- Richard Libertini … Cast, Marriage Counselor
- James Bigwood … Cast, Office Manager
- Ed Lauter … Cast, General Fred Weyand
- Kurtwood Smith … Cast, General Westmoreland
- Eric Bogosian … Cast, Doug Elders
- Jon Marsh … Cast, British Reporter
- Les J.N. Mau … Cast, General Chin
- David Warshofsky … Cast, Terry Pike
- Than Nguyen … Cast, ARVN Translator
- Xuyen Dangers … Cast, The School Teacher
- Tom Hong … Cast, ARVN Captain
- Wannipa "Aoi" Navapan … Cast, Child's Mother
- Pichariva Narakbunchai … Cast, Annie
- Samboon Putaroth … Cast, The Housekeeper
- Philip Roope … Cast, Red Cross Man
- Grace Walker … Cast, Pastor
- Robert Miranda … Cast, Vann's Cousin
- Colin D. Smith … Cast, American Commander
- Jim Pearson … Cast, Army Sergeant
- John Higgins … Cast, CIA Man
- Vu Dinh Nguyen … Cast, Lieutenant Tran Ngoc Ba
- Ching Peng Chaplin Chang … Cast, Annie's Father
- Abhijati Jusakul … Cast, Sergeant Muek
- James Rebhorn … Cast, the U.S. Ambassador
- Robert Pross … Cast, Reporter #2 (Bobby)
- Bob Szempruch … Cast, Vann's Helicopter Pilot
- Christopher J. Webster … Cast, Vann's Aide
- John Lafayette … Cast, Major Jones
- Rory J. Aylward … Cast, Bomber Command
- Todd Sible … Cast, Jesse Vann (age 19)