On G List of Movie Reviews

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Go Tell the Spartans (1978)

Rate: 7
Viewed: 5/17

5/17: Some parts of Go Tell the Spartans, which are the typical army fuck-ups, are amusing to watch.

But overall, the movie is okay. Yet it's more honest about the Vietnam War than, say, The Green Berets and reminds me a lot of Beach Red. Remember the setting takes place in the early (the first five years from 1959 to 1964), not the middle or final, stage of the war. A lot of vets have attested to the film's accurate portrayal of what was really going on at that time.

At the spiffy age of 64, Burt Lancaster has great acting scenes, however few of them there are, so be on the lookout for them. They are simply priceless. He was actually limping, having suffered a knee injury. The rest of others have done a good job to keep the film afloat. Their characters are realistic, and many can relate to them.

All in all, Go Tell the Spartans is a worthy anti-war picture, but it's more enjoyable if the expectations are kept low.

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