Coming Home

Rating:
Summary: AFI's Greatest Love Stories: #78 Coming Home
Review: "Coming Home" came out the same year as "The Deer Hunter," and it is somewhat ironic that of the two films the one that is most about Vietnam takes place in the United States. But then "The Deer Hunter" was not really about the Vietnam War but rather was about the warrior mentality and the "one shot" ideal. Director Hal Ashby's film brought the war about the war to the screen in the form of a love triangle that metaphorically represented the divided nation as Sally Hyde (Jane Fonda) chooses paraplegic Vietnam vet Luke Martin (Jon Voight) over her war hero husband, Bob (Bruce Dern).

Bob has just been left for a tour of duty in Vietnam and Sally decides to occupy her time by helping out at the VA Hospital. There she literally runs into Luke, or more accurately, the bag at the end of his catheter. The foul-mouthed and angry Luke is everything Sally's husband is not, so much so that his being in a wheelchair seems the least of their problems. This is one of those films where it is not that the opposites attract but that they run into each other so often they start to rub off on each other.

Of course the political potency of the film is hampered somewhat by the casting of Jane Fonda, simply because how can anybody really be surprised by the choice made by "Hanoi Jane"? The mere fact it is Fonda playing the character married to Dern makes the strength of the marriage suspect. Voight was also a vocal opponent against the war, but in terms of Hollywood Fonda was in a class by herself. However, the film cannot be dismissed as an anti-war diatribe and the key moment is arguable when Bruce Dern's character questions what is happening over there.

Ironically, seen today "Coming Home" stands up better as a romance film than it does as an anti-war film. The love scene between Voight and Fonda's body double is one of the most tender I can recall. Certainly the idea that a paraplegic could have a sex life was a revelation to thousands of movie goers and this is one of the more adult and realistic portrayals of such a relationship you are likely to find. Note: The DVD version of "Coming Home" features an above average commentary track with actors Voight and Dern, along with the great cinematography Haskell Wexler.

Most Romantic Line: Nothing real springs to mind, but I do remember the awful tagline for this film: "A man who believed in war! A man who believed in nothing! And a woman who believed in both of them!" Sheesh.

If you like "Coming Home," then check out these other films on the AFI's list: #7 "Doctor Zhivago" and #20 "From Here to Eternity." Why? Because they are also about war time romances. Of course, even though it is not on the list the obvious film that comes to mind for comparison is "The Best Years of Our Lives," the "Coming Home" of World War II films.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent acting in a great and powerful film
Review: ...Now back to the movie....Coming Home is a wonderful film with great performances from Jane Fonda and Jon Voight who both deservedly won Oscars. Penelope Milford also shines in her part as Janes best friend. I also think all the music used in the film was fantastic it added so much and made the film even more powerful and moving. I loved this film and if it was not for the "Deer Hunter" it would have easily swept the 1978 Oscars.

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Summary: A Great Film about the Affects of War!
Review: After a long wait, the Academy Award winning classic "Coming Home" has finally been released to DVD. It is an emotionally powerful drama, which explores how the Vietnam war affected our country and those who fought in it. This is a war movie that never lets us see the actual battlefield, yet shows us how it can break both the body and the spirit.Actress Jane Fonda plays Sally Hyde. She is a traditional military wife who sees her husband Bob (played by Bruce Dern) enthusiastically go off to the Vietnam War. To fill her time, Sally gets a volunteer job in the local VA hospital helping returning wounded soldiers.It is there that she meets and eventually falls in love with Luke (played by John Voight) an embittered paraplegic. The film shows us how these two individuals grow and change as people, against the turbulant background of the 1960s.Eventually Sally's Husband returns wounded from the war. His physical wound is superficial, but he is a spiritially broken, shell of a man.By the end of the film, these three people must deal in their own ways with the emotional carnage, that the war has brought upon their lives.This is among one of my favorite movies.It is not very often, that one finds such a perfect mixture of direction, screen writing, and acting to produce such a moving film.The late director, Hal Ashby,(who also made "Shampoo", "Harold & Maude" and "Being There") could have made a political diatrabe about Vietnam. Instead he chose to use the context of a love story to put across his point and to get us emotionally envolved with the subject of war and it's affects.Jane Fonda and John Voight are suberb as the two conflicted lovers.Their Academy Award winning, performances are probably the best of both their careers.Bruce Dern also gives a wonderful, yet scary performance as a man who no longer understands where he belongs in life.A special mention should be made about this movie's soundtrack.There are very few instances that I can think of where a film so successfully uses popular music (Rolling Stones, Beatles, Richie Havens, Simon & Garfunkle etc.) to not only create atmosphere and setting, but to also propel the actions and emotions of the movie. This is masterfully done at the emotional climax of the film with the use of folk singer, Tim Buckley's mournful rendition of "Once I Was".The lyrics and music tell the whole story of that movie. Never have I seen such perfection of music and image put together.Kudos for Hal Ashby and film editor, Don Zimmerman's work!The DVD version of this movie includes the trailer and two short documentries. It also has an excellent commentary soundtrack that includes cinematograher, Haskel Wexler and actors John Voight and Bruce Dern.It's too bad we don't get to hear Jane Fonda's thoughts and remembrances of the movie.Get this film on DVD! I think it is a film experience that will genuinely move most movie fans!

Rating:
Summary: HORSE MANURE
Review: As if to counter-balance "The Deer Hunter", good old Jane Fonda starred in "Coming Home" (1978) with Jon Voight. Saved by the pure benevolence of American goodwill from a treason trial, she was allowed to pursue her craft (she is excellent at it). "Coming Home" seemed to be the realization of the self-fulfilling prophecy she created in 1972. It was that year that she traveled to Hanoi, the heart of America's enemy, and allowed herself to be posed on Communist tanks, wearing an army helmet. It was blatant "aid and comfort" provided to an enemy during a time of war. Jane did not stop there. Like a modern day Tokyo Rose, she got on the radio and told the troops their wives and girlfriends were having sex with hippies and protestors back home. To this day, the G.I.s have never forgiven "Hanoi Jane". She tried to apologize and say she was wrong, but her heart was never in it.
Eventually she married CNN founder Ted Turner, a man who may not be the anti-Christ (but may be), and may not have achieved his success by invoking Satan (but may have). When Turner saw CNN employees adorned in "ashes" to worship Ash Wednesday, he went ballistic about "Jesus freaks" in his employ. Such a crime! Jane, in the first move she ever did that I liked (other than wearing skintight sex clothes in her hot-selling workout vids), declared she was a "born again Christian." That was the last straw for Turner, who divorced her. There is no word on whether Christianity took in Jane's life, but I wish her well.
In "Coming Home", she portrays the very cheating wife she described to the boys in her "Hanoi Jane" days. She tries to pepper the performance with an apology to her officer husband, Bruce Dern, but it ends up being more of an explanation, which in light of what we know about Vietnam does not wash. Two thumbs down.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
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Rating:
Summary: A PIECE OF HISTORY
Review: Coming Home is a piece of history now twice removed -- looking at it again in today's even more cynical world, it takes on an almost more powerful quality. The world created by Hal Ashby and his stunning lead players -- Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, Bruce Dern -- rips away the myth and underlying national disaster that was Viet Nam. Fonda's transformation rings particularly true: my mom wore those outfits, and with a dad in the service, went to those meetings, held her head high with righteousness. Fonda's development, and growth into an independent woman, was the way it was in the late 60s and early 70s. Jon Voight thunders onto the screen, and he gives the movie a personal counterpoint and heartbreaking foil for Fonda. They deserved their Oscars. This movie is never cruel -- it gently exposes its idea of truth and discovery and therefore works effectively as a teacher, nearly. The soundtrack -- which never appeared in record form -- captures brilliantly the era, and more importantly, each specific moment that each song underscores.

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Summary: my all time favourite
Review: coming home is a true classic that features 2 of the most powerfull actors of all time. should have won the oscar. bruce dern is also magnificent wonderfull

Rating:
Summary: MY ALL TIME FAVOURITE
Review: coming home is a true classic that features two of the most powerfull actors of all time. dern is also great as fonda's husband. should have won the oscar. after vi's brother killed himself i started wondering if vietnam was really worth it. well i dont think so.

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Summary: One of the BEST pictures' about the Viet-Nam era.
Review: COMING HOME is one of the best movies I've seen portraying the Viet-Nam era..Jane Fonda makes "ammends" to all veterans she outwardly condemmed during the sixties protests to the Vietnam war. John Voit and Bruce Dern perform perhaps "at their best".. GREAT soundtrack accompanies this excellent movie.

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Summary: War On the Homefront
Review: For years this film has been a big favorite of mine.It is a briliant tale of how a women finds her identity and changes against the back drop of what was going on in the United States during the Vietnam War. It is a war movie that looks at the battle field of the homefront.How did this war affect our veterens both physically and mentally?How did the war effect thier wives and sweethearts?This movie attempts to portray these situations in a most emotional way.Both Jane Fonda and John Voight give the performances of a lifetime and roundly deserve the Oscars they recieved for thier roles.Hal Ashby's direction is extremely effective.A special mention also, for a wonderful sixties soundtrack which features the songs of the Rolling Stones.My only question is when will this great movie come out on DVD?

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Summary: great soundtrack ,how can I get It
Review: great movie, that's just what war can do to little boys after high school before they grow up. the ending broke me up. I'm trying to find the soundtrack to this movie I thought it was out on a album but have been uable to find it I would appreciate it if you knew this and how to get it thank you