Customer Reviews

The Boys in Company C

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Boys in Company C was not only released 10 years before Full Metal Jacket, but is 10 times better. R. Lee Ermey plays the USMC DI who whips a bunch of civilian misfits into a cohesive fighting unit that will have most of them going to Vietnam upon graduation. (Sounds familiar doesn't it Mr. Kubrick?). This movie gives the viewer a fantastic Who's Who of most of the cast before they even show up to "Boot Camp". From the concientious objector, to the high school jock, to the street-smart drug dealer, the first ten minutes of the movie gives you a solid understanding of why their characters do what they do throughout the movie. Although this movie is paralleled by FMJ, The Boys of Company C has a much better story line. After graduation, the ones chosen for Vietnam meet their new company commander on the transit ship and are exposed to an interesting concept of how to defeat the Vietnamese by playing soccer. The entire movie is excellent, well acted, and flows evenly without the viewer ever once having to "accept" something just because it happened. For any current or former military member, this movie is chock full of little treats that have you saying "Yes! That's just the way it is!" BOTTOM LINE: If you've ever seen "Full Metal Jacket", you owe it to yourself to see the original masterpiece.

The parallels between 'Full Metal Jacket' and this film, 'The Boys of Company C', could not fail to be noticed, even without the stand-out performance of R. Lee Ermey in both films as a Drill Instructor (DI), a role he fulfilled in real life prior to his acting career. This was Ermey's first film role, and made him a person to watch; ironically, Ermey is better recognised today that most of the other stars of the film. Stan Shaw gives one of the best performances of his career here as Tyrone Washington, the independent, out-for-himself recruit who, being a natural leader, is tapped to take charge, and finds his sense of duty and teamwork growing stronger as his time in the Marine Corps proceeds.

Other recruits followed include Billy Ray Pike (Andrew Stevens, in one of his early roles), a high school jock depressed because he has lost the glory of those days; Alvin Foster (James Canning), the aspiring writer who is hoping to turn the Marine Corps into a story for fame and fortune; Vinnie Fazio (Michael Lembeck) as a hot-to-trot Marine, looking to survive to the next sexual encounter; and Dave Bisbee, a hippie-turned-marine looking to survive as well.

The plot is realistic -- there's no over-the-top play in either the Boot Camp or the in-country Vietnam scenes. The waste and futility of war comes through clearly without too much political overtones (more like one big snafu), and the run-of-the-mill situations of bureaucratic and leadership less-than-competence contrasts with the ground grunts' hope to live through it all and still carry on a valid mission.

The battle scenes are well choreographed without false glory and without false carnage. The base camp and boot camp situations are true to life in design, as are the situations; officers vs. enlisted, racial conflicts, American vs. Vietnamese. Small touches like letters from home and sub-plots such as the journal writing and drug-smuggling ideas also add to the strength of the film.

In a long tradition of Vietnam films and war films, this ranks among the better ones in many respects.

The boot camp scenario alone is worth the price of admission.
Although this movie starred STAN SHAW it is clear to me the real star of this film is GUNNARY SGT. R. LEE ERMY. This was his film debut, you'll prabably remember him as the drill Sgt. in FULL METAL JACKET, This movie is one ot the better Vietnam War era film and it attempts to define the difference between Duty and Survival. It is clear, the difference is a fine line and this movie danced the line nicely.....

This film is the pinnacle of the way life and death befell the soldiers of the "Viet Nam Conflict". As depicted in this movie, men fought for there own reasons but when it came to dying most gave by committing the ultimate sacrifice, for love of their fellow soldiers. Boy's From Company C had shown historicism, not a story. If you want to know why Viet Nam Vets are shy heros or why the Viet Nam war is not taught in history classes in school watch this movie, it will scare the heck out of you, or at the very least, remind you respect those vets. PS: To David Lee, They Are Not Forgotten. We will always take a glance back to where they can no longer go.

The Boys in Company C is one of the most accurate depictions of what the Vietnam War was like. It all starts off with a bunch of high school kids and shows you each person's life and why they are going to Vietnam. These kids are wipped into soldiers, and as fate should have it, were sent to Vietnam. On the ride to Vietnam, the commander has them learn the game of soccer to think like the Vietnamese. Many things happen in this video that help you to feel the affect of the war and it makes you wish it never happened. This movie has one of the best plot lines for a Vietnam Movie. You haven't experienced a good war movie until you've seen this one. And to note, I liked it so much I'm trying to find it on video to buy, so if you know of anywhere i can get it-email me at Schaferstyle_03@hotmail.com. Thanks

I saw this film in the theaters on its opening night. I remember there was not a lot of people. I can't remember how old I was but it was very powerful then because of one thing. On that occasion it had a very different ending. The movie did not end with the song when I first saw it. It had an epologue like George Lucas'"American Graffiti". I think it stated what happended to a number of personnel from company C that survived Vietnam and "one of them who survived was not Washington" it stated. That made it powerful, then the music started. Then I saw it again in theaters months later and the film did not have the epologue. That made it lose some of its powerfulness! The non-epologue ending is the version on the video. I wonder if the first version still exists?

I remember renting this movie a few years ago with some friends. I loved it. Especially some of the scenes of boot camp. The movie makes a statement about war without getting too preachy. I think that says alot. It also has a fine performance by one Lee Ermey. He pretty much makes the movie.

I wish they would release this puppy on DVD so that I can own it. The showings they have AMC don't do it justice.

This movie is the best and one of the greatest. It was the young men in my age group that went to Nam and returned if we were lucky. Everyone of them that I know say this is the movie, the one that shows best what it was like, especially the hypocrisy of the political machine. Not that we don't believe it was right to go and fight even if the effort was not appreciated upon their return. If you never see another war movie or if you don't like war movies (and I don't), you MUST see this movie!!!!! Since I'm a woman this movie helps to understand and support the continuing unconscious stress caused by this war to the men of my generation.

This Sidney J. Furie directed story is finally here on DVD. An ensemble piece telling the tale of young marines going to Viet Nam. Look for an early glimpse of R. Lee Ermey as a D.I. in the boot camp scenes. He is great because he was a decorated marine and drill instructor. His acting here paved the way for Full Metal Jacket, and instant fame.

The movie focuses on a street wise Chicago kid (Stan Shaw), a naive country guy (Andrew Stevens), and a long haired draft dodger (Craig Wasson). Other actors are thrown into the mix but I can't remember there names anymore. The film was out of print for so long. James Whitmore, Jr. is great as a platoon leader for them. He is a mustang officer and steers them through the jagged path of the Viet Nam war. Their company commander is a by the book, regulation type, which only spells trouble for the guys while learning about jungle combat. After losing guys in combat, and too many close calls, the captain sees a way out for his men-play sports and allow the ARVN to shine in soccer games. The young marines learn the game of soccer and get a break from the war. The dilema is they have to lose games or it's back to combat duty.

With the release of The Boys in Company C, will Purple Hearts be close behind? This was another Sidney J. Furie Viet Nam war movie about a Navy surgeon who falls in love with a nurse.

THE BOYS IN COMPANY C stands apart from the late 1970's crop of Vietnam films. Sidney J. Furie has a minor war classic and it's easy to see the comparisons to Kubrick's FULL METAL JACKET...FMJ is BOYS retold. With PURPLE HEARTS (1984), Furie had the start of what should have been a Vietnam trilogy, with BOYS the best of the lot. You have strong performances, especially Stan Shaw, James Whitmore, Jr. and Scott Hylands, as the dreadful company commander. And of course, the now great R. Lee Ermey, as Sgt. Royce. A must for DVD.