Product Details

• Actors: Bill Paxton, Bo Eason, William L. Mansey, Karina Logue, Amy Madigan
• Directors: Terry George
• Writers: Terry George, Neil Sheehan
• Producers: Greg Ricketson, James Bigwood, Lois Bonfiglio
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Hbo Home Video
• VHS Release Date: June 8, 1999
• Run Time: 118 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0783108443
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #308,579 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Based on Neil Sheehan's controversial book about the making of the Vietnam war, this HBO production is told from the perspective of Lt. Colonel John Paul Vann (Bill Paxton), one of the original military advisers sent in 1962 to prop up the fledgling South Vietnamese army against the Viet Cong. Battle-ready and enthusiastic upon his arrival, Vann quickly learns that political and social pressures are causing the South Vietnamese to doctor evidence of their victories and local military brass to take undeserved credit for overhyped battles. As the propaganda draws America ever deeper into a war most people clearly don't understand, Vann takes issue with the corruption and finds his career in tatters--only the beginning of a long journey that piles tragedies upon ironies. Written and directed by Terry George (Some Mother's Son), A Bright Shining Lie has a somewhat rushed and brittle quality to it, made all the more dry by passages from Sheehan's book read, documentary-style, by Donal Logue. But George also makes a case for Vann's more blatant personal contradictions--such as the casualness of his womanizing when he so clearly loves his wife (Amy Madigan)--that only grow as years pass and political myths supporting the war fold over onto themselves. (Pentagon Papers leaker Daniel Ellsberg, more or less played in this film by Eric Bogosian, has taken issue with this depiction of Vann's character.) Sustaining the whole project is Paxton's focused, thoughtful performance, and an enduring public hunger to know just what it was that happened in Vietnam. On both counts, the film is well worth seeing. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent little known Nam movie..., May 18, 2005

By 

// deep:blue // (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Bright Shining Lie (DVD)

I read all the reviews that were submitted...interesting. Valid points include that this film attempts to follow the tumultous life of a man of uncomprimising nature as well as an uncanny military genius w/ mixed success. Less credible are the Vann's "grandson" comments on his distain for interracial sexual relations(?), and "there's not enough action". Many Vietnam movies tend to focus on the extremes of human emotion and visceral narration (i.e grunts, fighter jocks, spec. ops. etc). If you are seeking the emotional impact and bullet time of Platoon or Apocalypse Now you won't find it here.

This movie focuses on the broader issues of the conflict, South Vietnamese corruption, U.S military leaders' ineptitude in combating guerilla warfare, and the evolution of the press affecting American sentiment toward to the long course of war. Corrupt South Vietnamese cadre, themselves products of colonialism, whose elitism pushed to average Vietnamese into the waiting arms of the communists. Also the single-mindness of the US military is clearly evident, even when their continual losses revealed their flawed strategy. General Westmoreland is portrayed as a over-conficent and narrow-minded man unaccepting of his subordinates advice. If this seems inaccurate, just watch his opinated comments in the Hearts and Minds documentary. Its seems poor Vann is the only man w/ the right ideas in a world full of officers still fighting WWII. His career is shattered because he wouldn't back down in a military system where you don't challenge your commanders. In the end, Vann finally gets his props and realizes his potential, but it was too late...American public had enough of Vietnam.

I wouldn't review this movie on its accuracy on the book or the man, this is told as a story of a man who personified the conflicted nature of the American side of the conflict. In the beginning Vann wants to fight the war w/ a conscience but as it gets uglier you see his character begin to solidify into a consumate fighter only wanting to win at any cost. His inability to compromise and adapt to a world changing much faster than him eventually consumes him.

Overall, the film breaks new ground into Nam movies by showing an abbreviated evolution of the conflict, the workings of the US brass, and the nasty underlying issues that made that conflict so controversial w/out beating you over the head. I wouldn't compare it to other blockbuster movies on Vietnam...if only this movie was given their huge budget and screen time.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Eye-opener, April 6, 2005

By 

EagleStorm (Manila, Philippines) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Bright Shining Lie (DVD)

I first watched this movie five years ago on HBO, and to be honest, this film inspired me to read the book, though it would take me four long years to find it.

ABSL focuses on the life of one of the most signficant, yet unrecognized in the mainstream, figures of the Vietnam War: Lt. Col. John Paul Vann, USA.

Just like the novel, the movie starts off at the funeral, then proceeds to Vann's arrival in Vietnam in March 1962. He begins to devote time advising his Vietnamese counterpart, Col. Nguyen Van Cao, played by Singaporean actor Lim Kay Tong. Vann feels something is not right when the South Vietnamese fake the VC body counts and deduce that they have no stomach for fighting the Communists-they only want to protect the Diem regime. The Battle of Ap Bac would later make the Americans and South Vietnamese begin paying for such errors in blood, as it's aftermath jacks up the war to a new level...

The film mostly focuses on the action in Vietnam. Bill Paxton portrayed the role of Vann quite well, as a father, husband, and officer. He was able to add color to his role as his Vann character gets screwed over by the military leadership over the conduct of the war, and his troubles at home. His sexual hijinks with Lee the schoolteacher and Annie the naive schoolgirl are also in the movie.

If General Westmoreland was really that arrogant in Vietnam, Kurtwood Smith did a fine job playing him.

Lim Kay Tong's Singaporean accent is evident in his role as Colonel Cao, unless the Vietnamese really speak that way.

It's obvious that there were errors in the movie that I would later discover in the novel-names changed and all of that. Vann was not there when the first Buddhist monk committed suicide by fire, for example.

The film also has original video footage of the war spliced into it, particularly those taken during the Tet Offensive-even including the famous footage of a VC spy shot point-blank by a Southern police colonel.

I never gave the Vietnam War a real in-depth look, until I watched this movie. Good thing I read the book it was based on-it filled a lot of gaps the movie obviously had.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic of Vietnam era depiction advisor to near end., October 9, 1999

By 

LeRoy W. Truenow Sr. ([e-mail]) (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Bright Shining Lie [VHS] (VHS Tape)

1. The story takes place during the Vietnam Conflict in Southeast Asia when the world was experiencing trying yet exciting times. A country of peasant people whose leadership along with U.S. policy was corrupt. Policy appeared to be formulated to fool or misguide the people of which the survivors would inevitably have to try and build a future society. 2. The movie is trying to show us the positive and the negative side of human nature and the constant struggle between the two cultures with the Vietnamese people trying to survive. John Paul Vann helps us understand that a leader is human and may have character flaws. His decisions were subject to the situation and political policy in the same manner as the rest of us. The story also accurately depicts the conflict and the effects of divisiveness within our society. I think the author convincingly developed the story well by gradually challenging the legitimacy and goals of U.S. policy from the time of the advisor policy through the height of the conflict. 3. John Paul Vann responds to situations with the unique ability to assess the total scope of the situation he was in and formulates a plan. John Paul Vann understood he was not the overall leader, but constantly challenged leadership in one way or another. The U.S. Press Corps constantly bonded with John Paul Vann and would counsel him so he would not be put into a worse position than he already was with U.S. military leadership. 4. The main pressure on John Paul Vann and many like him that fought was that they believed in what they were doing. The problem for John Paul Vann was he, as an outcast, knew the professional arrogance and corruption between U.S. and South Vietnamese leadership was real. John Paul Vann, initially, was a U.S. Army officer that was willing to risk the truth for his own career. His belief of freedom and democracy even as a civilian aid worker trying to harness the peasant revolution resulted in a general, jealous, rivalry between John Paul Vann and the policy makers. 5. The movie shows that the American public and the survival of the combat veteran do not always come together in times when survival is dependent on it. I think a key point in the movie was that democracy does not always run its course and the people are unaware of the overall goal unless the military or even the central government is kept in check. The movie also depicts that man is ambivalent and there is a very thin line between people working for the greater good of government that in turn works for the public good and one that serves an individual or individuals. It is believed that democracy is the best form of government but it is very dependent on the character and values of those that are to be working for the good of all. The lack of ethical and moral values as reflected in the movie often do not always produce a fair outcome which reflects the necessity to have a balance of power. 6. The political symbols are the peasants; rice; clothing of both the North Vietnamese and South Vietnamese people; freedom; and democracy; and the misguided moral compass as depicted by leadership in the movie. Interestingly, John Paul Vann's belief that harnessing the peasant revolution could turn the conflict around would become the symbol of U.S. Armed forces in Vietnam. Perhaps it could be said that with John Paul Vann's relentless belief is a symbol of personified intentions and courage. The title of the book is itself could be construed as a political symbol. 7. The story gave me a better understanding of the interplay of deception within U.S. policy, power struggles, and of the selfless price the signatories of the Declaration of Independence endured. It shows how power can lead to corruption, how a legitimate a leader can be sidestepped, and how greed and impulsiveness can replace reason. The movie reinforced lessons learned throughout life, primarily that ethical and moral values combined with leadership by example is paramount. 8. Even though we live in a democracy that is alive and well. It is imperative that citizens are involved and watchful of government officials. The fact is, in order for people to make an informed decision they must be involved and demonstrate involvement within their sphere of influence. 9. Yes, I would recommend this movie to my fellow students and anyone else. It is worth a second and third viewing and even more importantly to read the book to get the most out of its message about symbolism and the meaning of truth depending on who we choose to listen to.