Customer Reviews

Coming Home [VHS]

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

You can read the reviews to find out how moving and real this film is. Jane Fonda, Jon Voight and Bruce Dern are all perfect in their roles. Since the soundtrack doesn't seem to be available, I am going to share with you the songs played on the soundtrack so that you can compile your own soundtrack.

They are organized by group.

Happy Viewing and Listening! This is a film not to be missed.

Beatles - Hey Jude
Big Brother & the Holding Company with Janis Joplin - Call on Me
Tim Buckley - Once I Was
Buffalo Springfield - Expecting to Fly, For What It's Worth
Chambers Brothers - Time Has Come Today
Bob Dylan - Just Like a Woman
Aretha Franklin - Save Me
Richie Havens - Follow
Jimi Hendrix - Manic Depression
Jefferson Airplane - White Airplane
Rolling Stones - Out of Time, No Expectations, Jumpin' Jack Flash, My Girl, Ruby Tuesday, Sympathy for the Devil
Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends
Steppenwolf - Born to Be Wild

I realize that some folks' contempt for Jane Fonda has caused them to feel equal contempt for this movie... Dont let it... Regardless of one's perspective on Fonda's political position(s) over the years, "Coming Home" is nonetheless the most poignant of all the Viet Nam movies.

Made in a period before the subject had been done to death (especially in the 1980s, where pretense, posturing and insincerity reigned), "Coming Home" which, as per its title, takes place almost entirely on American soil, get the mood, and late-60s "look" uncannily correct.

Focusing on a paraplegic vet (Jon Voight) who falls in love with a married and not-worldly army nurse (Fonda) while her officer husband (Bruce Dern) is overseas, the Oscar-winning "Coming Home" is its era's equivalent of 1946's "The Best Years of Our Lives"... Some may consider that blaspemous, but it isn't-- at all.

Too bad this movie seems to be buried now... Is it because of the done-too-much-since-then subject-matter, or is it bias against Miss Fonda? I dont know. But despite all those other Viet Nam films that would come along, this a (rare) classic take on that period-- a period now so long ago.

And long before Voight dun lost his mind.

This is the moving story of a military wife, played by Jane Fonda, who volunteers in a veterans' hospital when her captain husband gets sent to Vietnam. Here she meets Luke Martin, a paraplegic, played by Jon Voight. When she first meets him, he's on a gurney, and when she accidentally bumps into him, his catheter bag is knocked over, embarrassing him so much that he goes into an angry rage and has to be restrained. Eventually, though, she comes to know him and, as his condition improves enough so that he can get a wheelchair, she gradually develops a relationship with him. Through the art of this film, I found myself drawn right into the emotional intensity of the situation and I learned more than I ever wanted to know about the life of a paraplegic.

All the actors are great, including the supporting roles of Bruce Dern as the husband and Penelope Milford as Fonda's friend whose psychotic brother commits suicide. No wonder the film was nominated for eight academy awards in 1979 with those coveted statues going to Fonda and Voight as well as a trio of writers for the screenplay. I applaud the entire production though because it never slipped into maudlin sentimentality. Instead it was a real story the way the Vietnam War affected us all; it was easy to relate to it.

The scenes in the veterans' hospital are particularly upsetting as we watch these young men gradually learn to live with their broken bodies. The audience is not spared the actualities of their care and of their suffering. However, as the film moves on, we get to know the Jon Voight character and the romantic scene between him and Fonda plays as bittersweet reality. Years have now past since the Vietnam War, but this film brings it all back. And it does this without one scene being placed in Vietnam itself. A fine film. Recommended.

Who would have thunk?? How is that someone as adamantly against the Vietnam war made such a transition that she starred in this terrific melodrama focusing on what happens to those who gave their all for their country, and have to live with the consequences. Certainly none of us veterans would have supposed Hanoi Jane to be capable of such a mind-boggling transformation. Yet her personal feelings about the damage done to our young men and women "in country' were truly galvanized by what she learned in preparing for her role as the wife of a Marine officer at loose ends with her time and spirits, and volunteers her time at the local Veteran's hospital. Both she and co-star Jon Voight won Academy Awards for their thoughtful, moving, and emotional portrayals of people caught in the biggest and most overwhelming geo-political issue f the sixties.

The entire ensemble cast is wonderful, with Bruce Dern superbly playing the marine officer feeling confused and cuckolded, on an emotional knife's edge as he learns of her romantic and emotional betrayal with the wheel-chair ridden Voight, and neither of them can save him from the roaring emotions Dern feels roaring through his head. This is a sensitive screenplay that introduces a lot of fairly sophisticated and sometimes shocking aspects of real life onto the screen, but it is so well done that it all seems quite natural and open and healthy. For example, this was the first time paraplegics are seen making love on-screen, and the action is both realistic and fairly explicit. So forget about Jane's confused and somewhat tortured past, take a chance and give this movie a roll. I know you will love it. Enjoy!

Coming Home is a sensitive portrayal of three people and how their lives were changed by the war in Vietnam. Look for wonderful acting by Jane Fonda who had to contend with a script that was not exactly the best I've ever seen; and Jon Voight does an excellent job playing the role of Luke Martin, a Vietnam vet who was badly wounded in combat. Bruce Dern plays Capt. Bob Hyde with a lot of style; all the actors do their best in this film. The script fails to flesh out the depth of the characters and the movie held my attention although there were some slow moments along the way.

When the action begins, we meet Sally Hyde (Jane Fonda) and her soon to go to war Marine husband Bob Hyde (Bruce Dern). We also soon meet Sally's friend Vi Munson who is ably portrayed by Penelope Milford. Bob is eager to go to war and fight (and kill) for his country but Sally's much more realistically concerned about her husband being in combat. After Bob does go off to war, Sally and Vi form a friendship bond that is sweet and touching. Vi's brother Bill Munson (Robert Carradine) is psychiatrically disabled in a veteran hospital; so when Vi goes to volunteer there Sally decides to volunteer as well. Sally wants to deal with true issues about the war but the other women volunteers won't have any of it; and slowly but surely Sally begins to doubt that the war is absolutely necessary and good.

At the same time, Sally meets an old school pal named Luke Martin (Jon Voight). Luke himself is very injured following his being wounded in combat during the war and Luke is certainly cynical and haunted by guilt to say the least. Luke and Sally also form a friendship and this eventually leads to a love affair that is rather poignant and well done in the movie.

Of course, the plot could go anywhere from here. Will Sally want to leave her husband Bob when he returns from war and live with Luke instead? How will Vi handle life after her brother Bill kills himself in the hospital? What about Bob's injury--just how did he REALLY get wounded? In addition, when Bob is away Sally works (which Bob doesn't like) and she becomes more anti-war than ever before. How will Bob handle this change in his wife? No plot spoilers here, folks--watch the movie and find out!

There are a few DVD extras; the optional running commentary was very good.

Overall, Coming Home is a very good but not truly great story of how lives were drastically changed because of the war in Vietnam. I recommend this for people who like this type of theme and people studying the Vietnam War would do well to get this movie. However, the script falls short of my expectations and the actors are indeed left to make the best of a lukewarm situation. The acting is truly better than the script!

I've seen quite a few movies dealing with the subject of the war in Vietnam but this is the best by far. I love the realism in this film and how effective the plot of the movie plays into the lives of the two main characters. This is one of the best films ever made period, the acting,writing and directing is superb on all counts. John Voight is brilliant in this movie as the bitter paraplegic. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1978, which I was glad that he did because he truly deserved it. Bruce Dern (in his Oscar nominated role) is also wonderful and very convincing even Jane Fonda who I have never been fond of was very good. This movie was directed by the late Hal Ashby and Waldo Salt wrote the terrific screenplay. This film is excellent in every way and it would make a great addition to anyone who collects great movies such as this one.

I have always loved this movie, and I saw it again after many years. It was as deep and well acted as remembered. Jane Fonda, Bruce Dern,and Jon Voight were at their professional and artistic peaks. The details are what made this so compelling, the real Vietnam vets, ( they were not actors), the music, the expressions in the actors' and actresses' eyes...
I have to especially commend the men who did the commentary. It is one of my favorite things to do, to re-watch a good movie and listen to the commentary, which often is quite entertaining ( such as the movie Sideways' commentary)or in this case, extremely enlightening and educational.
Haskell Wexler, Jon Voight, and Bruce Dern provided the commentary, and while I would have loved Jane Fonda to be included, these 3 proved to be wonderful. They quietly discussed all the aspects of this movie, from the difficulties in lighting, the script and improvisational moments, the interpersonal relationships, the Vietnam vets in the movie and the real basketball players; the purpose of the music chosen, the history of what was going on in the US and why this movie was unique for it's time...I can not stress enough to any of you reading this: Please take time for the commentary. To be able to hear these 3 great artists and to learn about a piece of movie making history... it was engrossing and touching; makes me appreciate the movie itself even more.

Sally Bender (Jane Fonda) feels lonely and unfulfilled while her husband Bob (Bruce Dern) is away in Vietnam, so she volunteers at a veteran's hospital. There she meets an old high school acquaintance named Luke Martin (Jon Voight). Luke is a bitter paraplegic, but he begins to warm up to Sally. Sally discovers that beneath his rage Luke is sensitive and attentive, whereas her husband is distant physically and emotionally. Luke is released from the hospital and he and Sally fall in love. Sally feels emotionally - and sexually - fulfilled for the first time, but she and Luke know that the days are numbered until Bob comes home. Soundtrack includes original songs by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Buffalo Springfield. Luke comes across as an inspiration when we see how he doesn't let his crippling injury hamper his life. Unfortunately, some of the final scenes let us down; there really isn't a satisfactory wrap up. Otherwise a wonderful film that will stand the test of time.

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!

This is not just another film about the Vietnam War. It is the film about people affected by the war in a ways they least expected. Young military wife is left to her own devices once her husband is called into active duty in Vietnam. As she and her husband grow increasingly apart, thru her volunteer work she reconnects with an old high school friend Luke who is wounded and is adjusting to a life of a paraplegic. The unlikely love affair between her and Luke evolves and both rediscover themselves thru their devotion to one another. It is the unlikely love affair that affirms their life to both of them. Jon Voight's performance is fantastic. The range of emotion (rage, depression, longing for a woman) he is able to express in this film is absolutely beautiful.