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Born on the Fourth of July (film)

July 20, 2023

Born on the Fourth of July is a 1989 American biographical anti-war drama film that is based on the 1976 autobiography of Ron Kovic. Directed by Oliver Stone, and written by Stone and Kovic, it stars Tom Cruise, Kyra Sedgwick, Raymond J. Barry, Jerry Levine, Frank Whaley, and Willem Dafoe. The film depicts the life of Kovic (Cruise) over a 20-year period, detailing his childhood, his military service and paralysis during the Vietnam War, and his transition to anti-war activism. It is the second installment in Stone's trilogy of films about the Vietnam War, following Platoon (1986) and preceding Heaven & Earth (1993).

Born on the Fourth of July
Theatrical release poster
Directed byOliver Stone
Screenplay by
Based onBorn on the Fourth of July
by Ron Kovic
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyRobert Richardson
Edited by
Music byJohn Williams
Production
company
Ixtlan Productions[1]
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • December 20, 1989 (1989-12-20)
Running time
145 minutes[2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$17.8 million[1]
Box office$161 million[3]

Producer Martin Bregman acquired the film rights to the book in 1976 and hired Stone, also a Vietnam veteran, to co-write the screenplay with Kovic, who would be played by Al Pacino. When Stone optioned the book in 1978, the film adaptation became mired in development hell after Pacino and Bregman left, which resulted in him and Kovic putting the film on hold. After the release of Platoon, the project was revived at Universal Pictures, with Stone attached to direct. Shot on locations in the Philippines, Texas and Inglewood, California, principal photography took place from October 1988 to December, lasting 65 days of filming. The film went over its initial $14 million production budget and ended up costing $17.8 million after reshoots.

Upon release, Born on the Fourth of July was praised by critics for its story, Cruise's performance and Stone's direction. The film was successful at the box office as it grossed over $162 million worldwide, becoming the tenth highest-grossing film of 1989. At the 62nd Academy Awards, it received eight nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Cruise, his first nomination, and the film won for Best Director, Stone's second in that category, and Best Film Editing. The film also won four Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

Plot

In 1956 Massapequa, New York, 10-year-old Ron Kovic is playing with his friends in a forest. On his Fourth of July birthday, he attends an Independence Day parade with his family and best friend Donna. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy's televised inaugural address inspires a teenage Kovic to join the United States Marine Corps. After attending an impassioned lecture by two Marine recruiters visiting his high school, he enlists. His decision receives support from his mother, but upsets his father, a World War II veteran who lost many of his friends to the war. Kovic goes to his prom, dances with Donna and kisses her before leaving for recruit training.

In October 1967, Kovic is now a Marine sergeant on a reconnaissance mission in Vietnam, during his second tour of duty. He and his unit kill a number of Vietnamese villagers after mistaking them for enemy combatants. After encountering enemy fire, they flee the village and abandon its sole survivor, a crying baby. During the retreat, Kovic accidentally kills Wilson, a young private in his platoon. He reports the action to his superior, who ignores the claim and advises him not to say anything else. In January 1968, Kovic is critically wounded during a firefight, but is rescued by a fellow Marine. Paralyzed from the mid-chest down, he spends several months in recovery at the Bronx Veterans Hospital in New York. Conditions in the underfunded and understaffed hospital are poor; the doctors, nurses and orderlies ignore patients, abuse drugs, and operate using old equipment. Against his doctors' requests, Kovic desperately tries to walk again with the use of braces and crutches, only to severely injure one of his legs, nearly requiring its amputation.

In 1969, Kovic, now permanently using a wheelchair, returns home and turns to alcohol to cope with his growing depression and disillusionment. During an Independence Day parade, he is asked to give a speech, but is unable to finish after he hears a crying baby in the crowd, triggering a flashback to Vietnam. Kovic visits Donna in Syracuse, New York, where the two reminisce. While attending a vigil for the victims of the Kent State shootings, they are separated when Donna and other protestors are arrested by police.

In Massapequa, a drunken Kovic has a heated argument with his mother, and his father decides to send him to Villa Dulce, a Mexican haven for wounded Vietnam veterans. He has his first sexual encounter with a prostitute, whom he falls for until he sees her with another customer. Kovic befriends Charlie, another paraplegic, and the two decide to travel to another village after getting kicked out of a bar. After annoying their taxicab driver, they are stranded on the side of the road, and an argument turns into a fight. They are picked up by a passing motorist who takes them back to Villa Dulce.

Kovic travels to Armstrong, Texas, where he locates Wilson's tombstone. He then visits the fallen Marine's family in Georgia to confess his guilt. Wilson's widow Jamie expresses that she is unable to forgive Kovic, while his parents are more sympathetic. In 1972, Kovic joins the organization Vietnam Veterans Against the War, and travels to the Republican National Convention in Miami, Florida. As Richard Nixon is giving an acceptance speech for his presidential nomination, Kovic expresses to a news reporter his hatred for the war and the government for abandoning the American people. His comments enrage Nixon's supporters, and his interview is cut short when police attempt to remove and arrest him and other protestors. Kovic and the veterans manage to break free from the officers, regroup, and charge the hall again, though not successfully. In 1976, Kovic delivers a public address at the Democratic National Convention in New York City, following the publication of his autobiography.

Cast

In addition, decorated Marine and Vietnam War veteran Dale Dye appears as an infantry colonel (being interviewed by a TV reporter played by Oliver Stone), Chicago Seven anti-war protester Abbie Hoffman appears as a student strike organizer at Syracuse University, and singer Edie Brickell appears as a folksinger in Syracuse. Hoffman died before the film was released, with an "In Memoriam" in his honor shown in the closing credits.

Production

Development

 
Director Oliver Stone in February 1987

Al Pacino expressed interest in portraying Ron Kovic after watching the Vietnam veteran's televised appearance at the 1976 Democratic National Convention and reading his autobiography. He also turned down starring roles in the Vietnam War-themed films Coming Home (1978) and Apocalypse Now (1979), the former for which Kovic would act as a consultant.[4] Kovic met with Pacino in New York, where they discussed adapting the book to film.[4] In September 1976, Pacino's manager, producer Martin Bregman, contacted Kovic's agent and entered into negotiations for the film rights. The following October, Bregman's production company Artists Entertainment Complex acquired the rights for $150,000.[4] Filming was scheduled to begin in June 1977[4] with Paramount Pictures acting as distributor,[1] but the project fell apart. Bregman and Pacino were unhappy with the script,[4] and the studio dropped the film.[1]

In 1977, Bregman hired Oliver Stone, also a Vietnam veteran, to help write the screenplay.[4][5] At the time, Stone had been developing Platoon (1986), and an unproduced sequel script titled Second Life, that was inspired by his own life after the war.[6] He and Kovic bonded over their experiences during the war, and they began work on a new script in 1978 after Stone optioned the book.[1] Stone also discussed the adaptation with William Friedkin, who turned down an opportunity to direct in favor of The Brink's Job (1978).[5] After Bregman secured financing from German investors,[5] the film briefly continued development at United Artists[1] before moving to Orion Pictures.[5] Daniel Petrie was hired to direct, but several weeks before rehearsals, the investors withdrew from funding the film.[5][7] After the project moved to Universal Pictures, Bregman and Pacino left the film.[7] Bregman deemed the project impossible, and felt it would be overshadowed by the success of Coming Home.[1] Stone and Kovic grew frustrated with the troubled pre-production and dropped the project, though Stone expressed his hope to return and make the film at a later time.[8] Stone promised Kovic that if his career took off, he would return to Kovic to revive the project.[9] Kovic stated that after the release of Platoon, Stone called Kovic and told him he was ready to return working on the film.[9]

In April 1987, John Daly, chairman and CEO of the English-based Hemdale Film Corporation, announced that it was producing the film, which would act as a sequel to Platoon.[10] The studio entered into negotiations to finance the film in May 1988 with a $20 million budget, but it later withdrew from funding the film.[1][11] Stone was announced as director in June 1988, and his Ixtlan Productions banner was enlisted as a production company.[11][12] Tom Pollock, president of Universal Pictures, read the script as Stone was developing Wall Street (1987), and the studio allocated a $14 million budget on the condition that a major star appears in the lead role.[8] Stone and Kovic then revised the script, adding the latter's appearance at the 1976 Democratic National Convention.[13]

Casting

 
Tom Cruise (pictured in 1989) portrays Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic.

Sean Penn, Charlie Sheen and Nicolas Cage were among those considered by Stone to portray Kovic.[14] In 1987, Stone's agent Paula Wagner had shown Platoon to Tom Cruise, after he had expressed interest in working with the director.[13] Cruise met with Stone to discuss the role in January 1988.[8] The studio was concerned over the prospects of Cruise appearing as a dramatic film lead.[15][16] Stone, in particular, had dismissed his previous film Top Gun (1986) as a "fascist movie",[16] but expressed that he was drawn to the actor's "Golden Boy" image. "I saw this kid who has everything," he stated. "And I wondered what would happen if tragedy strikes, if fortune denies him ... I thought it was an interesting proposition: What would happen to Tom Cruise if something goes wrong?"[8] Kovic was also wary of Cruise's casting, but relented when the actor visited him at his home in Massapequa, New York.[8]

Cruise spent one year preparing for the role.[17] He visited several veterans' hospitals, read various books on the Vietnam War and practiced riding in a wheelchair.[18] At one point during pre-production, Stone suggested that Cruise be injected with a chemical drug that would render him paralyzed for two days; the director believed that the drug would help him realistically portray the difficulties of being a paraplegic. The insurance company responsible for the film vetoed the idea, believing that the drug would cause permanent incapacitation.[19] Kovic visited the production daily and would often participate in rehearsals with Cruise.[1] Kovic also appears in the film as a World War II veteran at an Independence Day parade who flinches in response to exploding firecrackers, a reflex that Cruise's character develops later in the film.[20] On July 3, 1989, following the end of reshoots, Kovic gave Cruise his Bronze Star Medal as a birthday present and in praise of his commitment to the role.[21][22]

Casting directors Risa Bramon Garcia and Billy Hopkins sought more than 200 actors for various speaking roles. They auditioned 2,000 child actors in Massapequa and hired 8,000 extras for scenes shot in Dallas, Texas.[23] For the Fourth of July parade sequences, student protests and presidential conventions, the production employed nearly 12,000 people from the National Paralysis Foundation, Campfire Girls and American Legion to appear as extras.[1] The film reunited Stone with several past collaborators who make brief appearances in the film. Tom Berenger, who worked with the director on Platoon, plays Gunnery Sergeant Hayes, a Marine recruiter.[24] Michael Wincott, who had a supporting role in Talk Radio (1988), plays a wounded veteran in Mexico. John C. McGinley, in his fourth collaboration with Stone, plays an official at the 1976 Democratic Convention.[25] Mark Moses, who appeared in Platoon as Lieutenant Wolfe, plays an overwhelmed doctor at the VA hospital in the Bronx. Stone himself appears as a skeptical news reporter.[26]

To prepare the actors portraying Marines, military advisor Dale Dye organized one-week training missions, one in the United States, and the other in the Philippines where the battle sequences were to be filmed.[1][27][26] Abbie Hoffman, a Yippie activist, acted as a consultant who educated the cast about the peace movement. He also makes an appearance as a protestor in Syracuse, New York.[28] The film is dedicated to Hoffman, who died on April 12, 1989.[1]

Filming

Principal photography was scheduled to begin in September 1988, but did not commence until mid-October of that year.[1] Studio executive Pollock planned an initial budget of $14 million, but the film went over budget.[1][14][29] The high production costs prompted Stone and Cruise to waive their salaries and instead receive a percentage of the box office gross.[1][15][29] The final production cost of the film was $17.8 million.[1][14][29] The film was cinematographer Robert Richardson's fifth collaboration with Stone, and their first to be shot in the anamorphic format.[12] Richardson shot the film using Panavision cameras and lenses,[30][31] and primarily utilized 35 mm film stocks; 16 mm and Super 16 mm stocks were also used to film the scene of Kovic demonstrating at the 1972 Republican National Convention, blended with archive footage of the actual event.[32]

Filming began in Dallas, Texas,[19] for scenes set in the United States. The Elmwood neighborhood of Oak Cliff doubled for Massapequa. The Kimball High School band and staff appeared in the parade scenes and the dramatic prom scene featuring Sedgwick and Cruise.[1][33] The Dallas Convention Center was used to re-create the 1972 Republican National Convention in Miami, Florida. The filmmakers also shot scenes at the Parkland Memorial Hospital, which stood in for the Bronx Veterans Hospital in New York.[1] They also filmed on soundstages at Las Colinas Studios in Irving, Texas.[31] The Philippines stood in for scenes set in Vietnam and Mexico.[1] Stone originally wanted to shoot on location in Vietnam but was unable to do so, due to unresolved conflicts between that country and the United States.[34] Principal photography wrapped in December 1988, after 65 days of filming.[14][18][19]

After viewing a rough cut of the film, Universal demanded that the ending, which depicted Kovic's appearance at the 1976 Democratic National Convention, be reshot. The original scene was shot in Dallas, with 600 extras, but the studio was dissatisfied with the filmed footage, and requested that Stone make it "bigger and better".[1][35] The scene was reshot in July 1989 at The Forum arena in Inglewood, California.[1] Filming lasted one day, with 6,000 extras.[35] The reshoot ended up costing $500,000.[1][14][29]

Music

Born on the Fourth of July (Motion Picture Soundtrack Album)
Soundtrack album
ReleasedDecember 19, 1989
Length56:45
Label
ProducerJohn Williams

The score was produced, composed and conducted by John Williams, who agreed to work on the film after viewing a rough cut version.[36] Recording sessions took place at 20th Century Fox Studios in Los Angeles, California.[37] Timothy Morrison, a member of the Boston Pops Orchestra, acted as a trumpeter.[36] Williams stated, "I knew immediately I would want a string orchestra to sing in opposition to all the realism on the screen, and then the idea came to have a solo trumpet – not a military trumpet, but an American trumpet, to recall the happy youth of [Kovic]."[36] The motion picture soundtrack album was released on December 19, 1989, by MCA Records. In addition to Williams's score, it features eight songs that appear in the film.[1][38] AllMusic's Tavia Hobbart wrote that the score "literally haunts you as you watch the movie. It's just as effective here."[37] Stephen Holden of The New York Times stated, "Mr. Williams's themes are melodically strong enough so that one could imagine them being developed into a full-blown symphonic poem."[39]

Born on the Fourth of July (Motion Picture Soundtrack Album)
No.TitleWriter(s)ArtistLength
1."A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall"Bob DylanEdie Brickell & New Bohemians4:58
2."Born on the Bayou"John FogertyThe Broken Homes4:54
3."Brown Eyed Girl"Van MorrisonVan Morrison3:07
4."American Pie"Don McLeanDon McLean8:32
5."My Girl"Smokey Robinson, Ronald WhiteThe Temptations2:43
6."Soldier Boy"Luther Dixon, Florence GreenbergThe Shirelles2:39
7."Venus"Ed MarshallFrankie Avalon2:21
8."Moon River"Henry Mancini, Johnny MercerHenry Mancini2:41
9."Prologue"John WilliamsJohn Williams1:22
10."The Early Days, Massapequa, 1957"John WilliamsJohn Williams4:57
11."The Shooting of Wilson"John WilliamsJohn Williams5:07
12."Cua Viet River, Vietnam, 1968"John WilliamsJohn Williams5:02
13."Homecoming"John WilliamsJohn Williams2:38
14."Born on the Fourth of July"John WilliamsJohn Williams5:44

Release

Universal gave the film a platform release which involved showing it in select cities before expanding distribution in the following weeks. To qualify the film for awards consideration,[40] the studio issued a limited theatrical run in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Toronto on December 20, 1989.[1] The film was released across North America on January 5, 1990,[3] playing at 1,310 theaters,[41][42] and expanding to 1,434 theaters by its eleventh week.[41][43] A heavily edited version of the film was scheduled for broadcast on CBS in early 1991, but was shelved by the network's executives due to the impending Persian Gulf War. The film had its network premiere on January 21, 1992.[1][44]

Box office

The film grossed $172,021 on its first week of limited release, an average of $34,404 per theatre. More theatres were added on the following weekend, and it grossed a further $61,529 in its second weekend, with an overall gross of $937,946.[41] On its third weekend, the film entered wide release, grossing $11,023,650 and securing the number one position at the North American box office.[41][42] The film fell 27.2% the following week, grossing an additional $8,028,075 while remaining first in the top-ten rankings.[41][45] On its fifth weekend, it earned an additional $6,228,360 for an overall gross of $32,607,294.[46]

The film grossed $4,640,940 in its sixth weekend, dropping to second place behind Driving Miss Daisy.[41][47] The following weekend, it moved to third place, earning an additional $4,012,085.[41][48] On its eighth weekend, it had dropped to fourth place and earned $3,004,400.[41][49] It stayed in fifth place for the next three weekends, and by March 4, 1990, the film had an overall gross of $59,673,354.[41][43]

The film grossed $70,001,698 in North America[3] ($151,650,800 when adjusted for inflation),[50] and $91 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $162,001,698.[3] In the United States and Canada, it was the seventeenth highest-grossing film of 1989.[51] Worldwide, it was the tenth highest-grossing film of 1989,[52] as well as Universal's second highest-grossing film released that year, behind Back to the Future Part II.[53]

Home media

The film was released on VHS on August 9, 1990,[54] and DVD on October 31, 2000.[55] On January 16, 2001, it was again released on DVD as a part of the "Oliver Stone Collection", a box set of films directed by Stone.[56] Special features include an audio commentary by Stone, production notes, and cast and crew profiles.[57] A Special Edition DVD was released on October 5, 2010, containing the film, the commentary by Stone, as well as archive news footage from NBC News.[58] The film was released on HD DVD on June 12, 2007,[59] and on Blu-ray on July 3, 2012. The Blu-ray presents the film in 1080p high definition, and contains all the additional materials found on the Special Edition DVD.[60]

Reception

Critical response

 
Ron Kovic attending the 62nd Academy Awards on March 26, 1990. He and Stone received an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay twenty-two years to the day after he was injured.

Based on 51 reviews, the film holds a score of 84% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, with an average rating of 7.50/10. The website's consensus reads, "Led by an unforgettable performance from Tom Cruise, Born on the Fourth of July finds director Oliver Stone tackling thought-provoking subject matter with ambitious élan."[61] Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 75 out of 100 based on reviews from 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[62] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.[63]

David Denby of New York magazine, stated that the film was "a relentless but often powerful and heartbreaking piece of work, dominated by Tom Cruise's impassioned performance."[64] Richard Corliss of Time, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times, Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune and Peter Travers of Rolling Stone also commended Cruise's performance.[21][65][66][67] Vincent Canby of The New York Times said the film was "the most ambitious nondocumentary film yet made about the entire Vietnam experience."[68] Janet Maslin, also writing for The New York Times, praised Stone's direction, writing that he "reaches out instantly to his audience's gut-level emotions and sustains a walloping impact for two and a half hours."[69] Internet reviewer James Berardinelli felt that the film's greatest accomplishment was "its contrasting of the glorious illusion of war as seen from thousands of miles away to the barbarity of it up-close."[70]

The Washington Post published two negative reviews; Hal Hinson called the film "alienating",[71] while Desson Howe was critical of Cruise's "whiny" performance.[72] Sheila Benson of the Los Angeles Times felt that the actor's portrayal of Kovic was lacking in character development.[73] Jonathan Rosenbaum derided the storytelling for "brimming with false uplift",[74] and Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly called the film "2 1/2 hours of self-righteousness masquerading as art."[75] Pauline Kael of The New Yorker wrote, "It's almost inconceivable that Ron Kovic was as innocent as the movie and the 1976 autobiography on which it's based make him out to be ... Kovic's book is simple and explicit; he states his case in plain, angry words. Stone's movie yells at you for two hours and twenty-five minutes."[76]

The film also received criticism for its dramatization of actual events, prompted by Kovic's declared decision to run for Congress as a Democratic opponent to Californian Republican Robert Dornan in the 38th congressional district. As a result, Born on the Fourth of July became Stone's first film to be publicly attacked in the media.[77] Dornan criticized the film for portraying Kovic as "[being] in a panic and mistakenly shooting his corporal to death in Vietnam, visiting prostitutes, abusing drugs and alcohol and cruelly insulting his parents". Kovic dismissed his comments as being part of a "hatred campaign",[78] and ultimately did not run for election.[77]

In an article for the New York Post, former White House Communications Director Pat Buchanan criticized the adaptation for deviating from the book, and concluded by calling Stone a "propagandist".[1] Democratic State Senator Nancy Larraine Hoffmann, who took part in Syracuse University's 1970 peaceful protest of the Cambodian Campaign, was critical of the film's depiction of Syracuse police as "faceless people brutalizing peaceful protesters".[79] Following the film's wide release in January 1990, Stone wrote a letter apologizing to the city of Syracuse and its police officials.[80]

Accolades

The film received various awards and nominations, with particular recognition for the screenplay, Cruise's performance, Stone's direction and the score by John Williams. The National Board of Review named it one of the "Top 10 Films of 1989", ranking it at number one.[81] The film received five Golden Globe Award nominations[82] and won four for Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director and Best Screenplay, while Williams was nominated for Best Original Score.[83]

In February 1990, the film competed for the Golden Bear at the 40th Berlin International Film Festival, but lost to the American film Music Box (1990) and Czech film Larks on a String (1969).[84] That same month, the film garnered eight Academy Awards nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor; its closest rival was Driving Miss Daisy, which received nine nominations.[85] At the 62nd Oscars, Stone won a second Academy Award for Best Director;[86] he had previously won the award for Platoon.[87] The film also won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing; Driving Miss Daisy, The Bear, Glory and The Fabulous Baker Boys had also been nominated in that category.[86] At the 44th British Academy Film Awards in 1991, the film received two nominations for Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Adapted Screenplay, but did not win in either category.[88]

On May 10, 2021, Cruise returned all three of his Golden Globe awards to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association due to controversy in its lack of diversity among its membership, including his Best Actor award for this film.[89]

Award Date or year of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Academy Awards March 26, 1990 Best Picture A. Kitman Ho and Oliver Stone Nominated [86]
Best Director Oliver Stone Won
Best Actor Tom Cruise Nominated
Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium Oliver Stone and Ron Kovic Nominated
Best Cinematography Robert Richardson Nominated
Best Film Editing David Brenner and Joe Hutshing Won
Best Original Score John Williams Nominated
Best Sound Michael Minkler, Gregory H. Watkins, Michael Hoskinson, Wylie Stateman and Tod A. Maitland Nominated
American Film Institute 1998 AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies ———— Nominated [90]
2005 AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains Ron Kovic (portrayed by Tom Cruise) Nominated [91]
AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers ———— Nominated [92]
2007 AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) ———— Nominated [93]
American Society of Cinematographers Awards 1989 Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases Robert Richardson Nominated [94]
Artios Awards 1990 Best Casting for Feature Film, Drama Risa Bramon Garcia, Billy Hopkins Nominated [95]
Berlin International Film Festival February 1990 Golden Bear Oliver Stone Nominated [84][96]
British Academy Film Awards 1991 Best Actor in a Leading Role Tom Cruise Nominated [88]
Best Adapted Screenplay Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic Nominated
Directors Guild of America Awards 1989 Outstanding Directing – Feature Film Oliver Stone Won [97]
Golden Globe Awards January 21, 1990 Best Motion Picture – Drama ———— Won [82][83]
Best Director Oliver Stone Won
Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Tom Cruise Won (returned)
Best Screenplay Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic Won
Best Original Score John Williams Nominated
Los Angeles Film Critics Awards 1989 Best Director Oliver Stone (Runner-up) Nominated [98]
Best Cinematography Robert Richardson (Runner-up) Nominated
National Board of Review 1989 Top 10 Films ———— Won [81]
National Society of Film Critics Awards 1989 Best Actor Tom Cruise (Third place) Nominated [99]
Writers Guild of America Awards 1989 Best Adapted Screenplay Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic Nominated [100]

See also

References

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  6. ^ Devine 2017, p. 338.
  7. ^ a b Dutka, Elaine (December 17, 1989). "The Latest Exorcism of Oliver Stone: With Ron Kovic's "Born on the Fourth of July", the film maker returns to Vietnam to cast out more of the war's demons (Page 2 of 5)". Los Angeles Times. p. 2. from the original on July 6, 2012. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
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July 20, 2023
born, fourth, july, film, born, fourth, july, 1989, american, biographical, anti, drama, film, that, based, 1976, autobiography, kovic, directed, oliver, stone, written, stone, kovic, stars, cruise, kyra, sedgwick, raymond, barry, jerry, levine, frank, whaley,. Born on the Fourth of July is a 1989 American biographical anti war drama film that is based on the 1976 autobiography of Ron Kovic Directed by Oliver Stone and written by Stone and Kovic it stars Tom Cruise Kyra Sedgwick Raymond J Barry Jerry Levine Frank Whaley and Willem Dafoe The film depicts the life of Kovic Cruise over a 20 year period detailing his childhood his military service and paralysis during the Vietnam War and his transition to anti war activism It is the second installment in Stone s trilogy of films about the Vietnam War following Platoon 1986 and preceding Heaven amp Earth 1993 Born on the Fourth of JulyTheatrical release posterDirected byOliver StoneScreenplay byOliver Stone Ron KovicBased onBorn on the Fourth of Julyby Ron KovicProduced byA Kitman Ho Oliver StoneStarringTom Cruise Kyra Sedgwick Raymond J Barry Jerry Levine Frank Whaley Willem DafoeCinematographyRobert RichardsonEdited byJoe Hutshing David BrennerMusic byJohn WilliamsProductioncompanyIxtlan Productions 1 Distributed byUniversal PicturesRelease dateDecember 20 1989 1989 12 20 Running time145 minutes 2 CountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBudget 17 8 million 1 Box office 161 million 3 Producer Martin Bregman acquired the film rights to the book in 1976 and hired Stone also a Vietnam veteran to co write the screenplay with Kovic who would be played by Al Pacino When Stone optioned the book in 1978 the film adaptation became mired in development hell after Pacino and Bregman left which resulted in him and Kovic putting the film on hold After the release of Platoon the project was revived at Universal Pictures with Stone attached to direct Shot on locations in the Philippines Texas and Inglewood California principal photography took place from October 1988 to December lasting 65 days of filming The film went over its initial 14 million production budget and ended up costing 17 8 million after reshoots Upon release Born on the Fourth of July was praised by critics for its story Cruise s performance and Stone s direction The film was successful at the box office as it grossed over 162 million worldwide becoming the tenth highest grossing film of 1989 At the 62nd Academy Awards it received eight nominations including Best Picture and Best Actor for Cruise his first nomination and the film won for Best Director Stone s second in that category and Best Film Editing The film also won four Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture Drama Best Actor Motion Picture Drama Best Director and Best Screenplay Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 3 1 Development 3 2 Casting 3 3 Filming 3 4 Music 4 Release 4 1 Box office 4 2 Home media 5 Reception 5 1 Critical response 5 2 Accolades 6 See also 7 References 7 1 Books 8 External linksPlot EditIn 1956 Massapequa New York 10 year old Ron Kovic is playing with his friends in a forest On his Fourth of July birthday he attends an Independence Day parade with his family and best friend Donna In 1961 President John F Kennedy s televised inaugural address inspires a teenage Kovic to join the United States Marine Corps After attending an impassioned lecture by two Marine recruiters visiting his high school he enlists His decision receives support from his mother but upsets his father a World War II veteran who lost many of his friends to the war Kovic goes to his prom dances with Donna and kisses her before leaving for recruit training In October 1967 Kovic is now a Marine sergeant on a reconnaissance mission in Vietnam during his second tour of duty He and his unit kill a number of Vietnamese villagers after mistaking them for enemy combatants After encountering enemy fire they flee the village and abandon its sole survivor a crying baby During the retreat Kovic accidentally kills Wilson a young private in his platoon He reports the action to his superior who ignores the claim and advises him not to say anything else In January 1968 Kovic is critically wounded during a firefight but is rescued by a fellow Marine Paralyzed from the mid chest down he spends several months in recovery at the Bronx Veterans Hospital in New York Conditions in the underfunded and understaffed hospital are poor the doctors nurses and orderlies ignore patients abuse drugs and operate using old equipment Against his doctors requests Kovic desperately tries to walk again with the use of braces and crutches only to severely injure one of his legs nearly requiring its amputation In 1969 Kovic now permanently using a wheelchair returns home and turns to alcohol to cope with his growing depression and disillusionment During an Independence Day parade he is asked to give a speech but is unable to finish after he hears a crying baby in the crowd triggering a flashback to Vietnam Kovic visits Donna in Syracuse New York where the two reminisce While attending a vigil for the victims of the Kent State shootings they are separated when Donna and other protestors are arrested by police In Massapequa a drunken Kovic has a heated argument with his mother and his father decides to send him to Villa Dulce a Mexican haven for wounded Vietnam veterans He has his first sexual encounter with a prostitute whom he falls for until he sees her with another customer Kovic befriends Charlie another paraplegic and the two decide to travel to another village after getting kicked out of a bar After annoying their taxicab driver they are stranded on the side of the road and an argument turns into a fight They are picked up by a passing motorist who takes them back to Villa Dulce Kovic travels to Armstrong Texas where he locates Wilson s tombstone He then visits the fallen Marine s family in Georgia to confess his guilt Wilson s widow Jamie expresses that she is unable to forgive Kovic while his parents are more sympathetic In 1972 Kovic joins the organization Vietnam Veterans Against the War and travels to the Republican National Convention in Miami Florida As Richard Nixon is giving an acceptance speech for his presidential nomination Kovic expresses to a news reporter his hatred for the war and the government for abandoning the American people His comments enrage Nixon s supporters and his interview is cut short when police attempt to remove and arrest him and other protestors Kovic and the veterans manage to break free from the officers regroup and charge the hall again though not successfully In 1976 Kovic delivers a public address at the Democratic National Convention in New York City following the publication of his autobiography Cast EditTom Cruise as Sergeant Ron Kovic Bryan Larkin as Young Ron Willem Dafoe as Charlie Kyra Sedgwick as Donna Jessica Prunell as Young Donna Raymond J Barry as Mr Kovic Jerry Levine as Steve Boyer Frank Whaley as Timmy Caroline Kava as Mrs Kovic Cordelia Gonzalez as Maria Elena Villa Dulce Ed Lauter as Legion Commander John Getz as Marine Major Vietnam Beau Starr as Man 2 Arthur s Bar Michael Wincott as Vet 3 Villa Dulce Edith Diaz as Madame Villa Dulce Richard Grusin as Coach Massapequa Stephen Baldwin as Billy Vorsovich Bob Gunton as Doctor 1 Veterans Hospital Vivica Fox as Hooker Jason Gedrick as Martinez Vietnam Richard Panebianco as Joey Walsh Anne Bobby as Susanne Kovic David Warshofsky as Lieutenant Vietnam Reg E Cathey as Speaker Syracuse Josh Evans as Tommy Kovic Bruce MacVittie as Patient 2 Veterans Hospital Lili Taylor as Jamie Wilson David Herman as Patient 1 Veterans Hospital Andrew Lauer as Vet 2 Villa Dulce Tom Sizemore as Vet 1 Villa Dulce Bryan Larkin as Young Ron John C McGinley as Official 1 Democratic Convention Pushing Kovic s Wheelchair Wayne Knight as Official 2 Democratic Convention Tom Berenger as Gunnery Sergeant Hayes Marine Recruiter Richard Haus as Marine Sergeant 2nd Recruiter Mark Moses as Optimistic Doctor Holly Marie Combs as Jenny In addition decorated Marine and Vietnam War veteran Dale Dye appears as an infantry colonel being interviewed by a TV reporter played by Oliver Stone Chicago Seven anti war protester Abbie Hoffman appears as a student strike organizer at Syracuse University and singer Edie Brickell appears as a folksinger in Syracuse Hoffman died before the film was released with an In Memoriam in his honor shown in the closing credits Production EditDevelopment Edit Director Oliver Stone in February 1987Al Pacino expressed interest in portraying Ron Kovic after watching the Vietnam veteran s televised appearance at the 1976 Democratic National Convention and reading his autobiography He also turned down starring roles in the Vietnam War themed films Coming Home 1978 and Apocalypse Now 1979 the former for which Kovic would act as a consultant 4 Kovic met with Pacino in New York where they discussed adapting the book to film 4 In September 1976 Pacino s manager producer Martin Bregman contacted Kovic s agent and entered into negotiations for the film rights The following October Bregman s production company Artists Entertainment Complex acquired the rights for 150 000 4 Filming was scheduled to begin in June 1977 4 with Paramount Pictures acting as distributor 1 but the project fell apart Bregman and Pacino were unhappy with the script 4 and the studio dropped the film 1 In 1977 Bregman hired Oliver Stone also a Vietnam veteran to help write the screenplay 4 5 At the time Stone had been developing Platoon 1986 and an unproduced sequel script titled Second Life that was inspired by his own life after the war 6 He and Kovic bonded over their experiences during the war and they began work on a new script in 1978 after Stone optioned the book 1 Stone also discussed the adaptation with William Friedkin who turned down an opportunity to direct in favor of The Brink s Job 1978 5 After Bregman secured financing from German investors 5 the film briefly continued development at United Artists 1 before moving to Orion Pictures 5 Daniel Petrie was hired to direct but several weeks before rehearsals the investors withdrew from funding the film 5 7 After the project moved to Universal Pictures Bregman and Pacino left the film 7 Bregman deemed the project impossible and felt it would be overshadowed by the success of Coming Home 1 Stone and Kovic grew frustrated with the troubled pre production and dropped the project though Stone expressed his hope to return and make the film at a later time 8 Stone promised Kovic that if his career took off he would return to Kovic to revive the project 9 Kovic stated that after the release of Platoon Stone called Kovic and told him he was ready to return working on the film 9 In April 1987 John Daly chairman and CEO of the English based Hemdale Film Corporation announced that it was producing the film which would act as a sequel to Platoon 10 The studio entered into negotiations to finance the film in May 1988 with a 20 million budget but it later withdrew from funding the film 1 11 Stone was announced as director in June 1988 and his Ixtlan Productions banner was enlisted as a production company 11 12 Tom Pollock president of Universal Pictures read the script as Stone was developing Wall Street 1987 and the studio allocated a 14 million budget on the condition that a major star appears in the lead role 8 Stone and Kovic then revised the script adding the latter s appearance at the 1976 Democratic National Convention 13 Casting Edit Tom Cruise pictured in 1989 portrays Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic Sean Penn Charlie Sheen and Nicolas Cage were among those considered by Stone to portray Kovic 14 In 1987 Stone s agent Paula Wagner had shown Platoon to Tom Cruise after he had expressed interest in working with the director 13 Cruise met with Stone to discuss the role in January 1988 8 The studio was concerned over the prospects of Cruise appearing as a dramatic film lead 15 16 Stone in particular had dismissed his previous film Top Gun 1986 as a fascist movie 16 but expressed that he was drawn to the actor s Golden Boy image I saw this kid who has everything he stated And I wondered what would happen if tragedy strikes if fortune denies him I thought it was an interesting proposition What would happen to Tom Cruise if something goes wrong 8 Kovic was also wary of Cruise s casting but relented when the actor visited him at his home in Massapequa New York 8 Cruise spent one year preparing for the role 17 He visited several veterans hospitals read various books on the Vietnam War and practiced riding in a wheelchair 18 At one point during pre production Stone suggested that Cruise be injected with a chemical drug that would render him paralyzed for two days the director believed that the drug would help him realistically portray the difficulties of being a paraplegic The insurance company responsible for the film vetoed the idea believing that the drug would cause permanent incapacitation 19 Kovic visited the production daily and would often participate in rehearsals with Cruise 1 Kovic also appears in the film as a World War II veteran at an Independence Day parade who flinches in response to exploding firecrackers a reflex that Cruise s character develops later in the film 20 On July 3 1989 following the end of reshoots Kovic gave Cruise his Bronze Star Medal as a birthday present and in praise of his commitment to the role 21 22 Casting directors Risa Bramon Garcia and Billy Hopkins sought more than 200 actors for various speaking roles They auditioned 2 000 child actors in Massapequa and hired 8 000 extras for scenes shot in Dallas Texas 23 For the Fourth of July parade sequences student protests and presidential conventions the production employed nearly 12 000 people from the National Paralysis Foundation Campfire Girls and American Legion to appear as extras 1 The film reunited Stone with several past collaborators who make brief appearances in the film Tom Berenger who worked with the director on Platoon plays Gunnery Sergeant Hayes a Marine recruiter 24 Michael Wincott who had a supporting role in Talk Radio 1988 plays a wounded veteran in Mexico John C McGinley in his fourth collaboration with Stone plays an official at the 1976 Democratic Convention 25 Mark Moses who appeared in Platoon as Lieutenant Wolfe plays an overwhelmed doctor at the VA hospital in the Bronx Stone himself appears as a skeptical news reporter 26 To prepare the actors portraying Marines military advisor Dale Dye organized one week training missions one in the United States and the other in the Philippines where the battle sequences were to be filmed 1 27 26 Abbie Hoffman a Yippie activist acted as a consultant who educated the cast about the peace movement He also makes an appearance as a protestor in Syracuse New York 28 The film is dedicated to Hoffman who died on April 12 1989 1 Filming Edit Principal photography was scheduled to begin in September 1988 but did not commence until mid October of that year 1 Studio executive Pollock planned an initial budget of 14 million but the film went over budget 1 14 29 The high production costs prompted Stone and Cruise to waive their salaries and instead receive a percentage of the box office gross 1 15 29 The final production cost of the film was 17 8 million 1 14 29 The film was cinematographer Robert Richardson s fifth collaboration with Stone and their first to be shot in the anamorphic format 12 Richardson shot the film using Panavision cameras and lenses 30 31 and primarily utilized 35 mm film stocks 16 mm and Super 16 mm stocks were also used to film the scene of Kovic demonstrating at the 1972 Republican National Convention blended with archive footage of the actual event 32 Filming began in Dallas Texas 19 for scenes set in the United States The Elmwood neighborhood of Oak Cliff doubled for Massapequa The Kimball High School band and staff appeared in the parade scenes and the dramatic prom scene featuring Sedgwick and Cruise 1 33 The Dallas Convention Center was used to re create the 1972 Republican National Convention in Miami Florida The filmmakers also shot scenes at the Parkland Memorial Hospital which stood in for the Bronx Veterans Hospital in New York 1 They also filmed on soundstages at Las Colinas Studios in Irving Texas 31 The Philippines stood in for scenes set in Vietnam and Mexico 1 Stone originally wanted to shoot on location in Vietnam but was unable to do so due to unresolved conflicts between that country and the United States 34 Principal photography wrapped in December 1988 after 65 days of filming 14 18 19 After viewing a rough cut of the film Universal demanded that the ending which depicted Kovic s appearance at the 1976 Democratic National Convention be reshot The original scene was shot in Dallas with 600 extras but the studio was dissatisfied with the filmed footage and requested that Stone make it bigger and better 1 35 The scene was reshot in July 1989 at The Forum arena in Inglewood California 1 Filming lasted one day with 6 000 extras 35 The reshoot ended up costing 500 000 1 14 29 Music Edit Born on the Fourth of July Motion Picture Soundtrack Album Soundtrack albumReleasedDecember 19 1989Length56 45LabelMCAProducerJohn WilliamsThe score was produced composed and conducted by John Williams who agreed to work on the film after viewing a rough cut version 36 Recording sessions took place at 20th Century Fox Studios in Los Angeles California 37 Timothy Morrison a member of the Boston Pops Orchestra acted as a trumpeter 36 Williams stated I knew immediately I would want a string orchestra to sing in opposition to all the realism on the screen and then the idea came to have a solo trumpet not a military trumpet but an American trumpet to recall the happy youth of Kovic 36 The motion picture soundtrack album was released on December 19 1989 by MCA Records In addition to Williams s score it features eight songs that appear in the film 1 38 AllMusic s Tavia Hobbart wrote that the score literally haunts you as you watch the movie It s just as effective here 37 Stephen Holden of The New York Times stated Mr Williams s themes are melodically strong enough so that one could imagine them being developed into a full blown symphonic poem 39 Born on the Fourth of July Motion Picture Soundtrack Album No TitleWriter s ArtistLength1 A Hard Rain s a Gonna Fall Bob DylanEdie Brickell amp New Bohemians4 582 Born on the Bayou John FogertyThe Broken Homes4 543 Brown Eyed Girl Van MorrisonVan Morrison3 074 American Pie Don McLeanDon McLean8 325 My Girl Smokey Robinson Ronald WhiteThe Temptations2 436 Soldier Boy Luther Dixon Florence GreenbergThe Shirelles2 397 Venus Ed MarshallFrankie Avalon2 218 Moon River Henry Mancini Johnny MercerHenry Mancini2 419 Prologue John WilliamsJohn Williams1 2210 The Early Days Massapequa 1957 John WilliamsJohn Williams4 5711 The Shooting of Wilson John WilliamsJohn Williams5 0712 Cua Viet River Vietnam 1968 John WilliamsJohn Williams5 0213 Homecoming John WilliamsJohn Williams2 3814 Born on the Fourth of July John WilliamsJohn Williams5 44Release EditUniversal gave the film a platform release which involved showing it in select cities before expanding distribution in the following weeks To qualify the film for awards consideration 40 the studio issued a limited theatrical run in New York Los Angeles Chicago and Toronto on December 20 1989 1 The film was released across North America on January 5 1990 3 playing at 1 310 theaters 41 42 and expanding to 1 434 theaters by its eleventh week 41 43 A heavily edited version of the film was scheduled for broadcast on CBS in early 1991 but was shelved by the network s executives due to the impending Persian Gulf War The film had its network premiere on January 21 1992 1 44 Box office Edit The film grossed 172 021 on its first week of limited release an average of 34 404 per theatre More theatres were added on the following weekend and it grossed a further 61 529 in its second weekend with an overall gross of 937 946 41 On its third weekend the film entered wide release grossing 11 023 650 and securing the number one position at the North American box office 41 42 The film fell 27 2 the following week grossing an additional 8 028 075 while remaining first in the top ten rankings 41 45 On its fifth weekend it earned an additional 6 228 360 for an overall gross of 32 607 294 46 The film grossed 4 640 940 in its sixth weekend dropping to second place behind Driving Miss Daisy 41 47 The following weekend it moved to third place earning an additional 4 012 085 41 48 On its eighth weekend it had dropped to fourth place and earned 3 004 400 41 49 It stayed in fifth place for the next three weekends and by March 4 1990 the film had an overall gross of 59 673 354 41 43 The film grossed 70 001 698 in North America 3 151 650 800 when adjusted for inflation 50 and 91 million in other territories for a worldwide total of 162 001 698 3 In the United States and Canada it was the seventeenth highest grossing film of 1989 51 Worldwide it was the tenth highest grossing film of 1989 52 as well as Universal s second highest grossing film released that year behind Back to the Future Part II 53 Home media Edit The film was released on VHS on August 9 1990 54 and DVD on October 31 2000 55 On January 16 2001 it was again released on DVD as a part of the Oliver Stone Collection a box set of films directed by Stone 56 Special features include an audio commentary by Stone production notes and cast and crew profiles 57 A Special Edition DVD was released on October 5 2010 containing the film the commentary by Stone as well as archive news footage from NBC News 58 The film was released on HD DVD on June 12 2007 59 and on Blu ray on July 3 2012 The Blu ray presents the film in 1080p high definition and contains all the additional materials found on the Special Edition DVD 60 Reception EditCritical response Edit Ron Kovic attending the 62nd Academy Awards on March 26 1990 He and Stone received an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay twenty two years to the day after he was injured Based on 51 reviews the film holds a score of 84 on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 7 50 10 The website s consensus reads Led by an unforgettable performance from Tom Cruise Born on the Fourth of July finds director Oliver Stone tackling thought provoking subject matter with ambitious elan 61 Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 75 out of 100 based on reviews from 16 critics indicating generally favorable reviews 62 Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of A on an A to F scale 63 David Denby of New York magazine stated that the film was a relentless but often powerful and heartbreaking piece of work dominated by Tom Cruise s impassioned performance 64 Richard Corliss of Time Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune and Peter Travers of Rolling Stone also commended Cruise s performance 21 65 66 67 Vincent Canby of The New York Times said the film was the most ambitious nondocumentary film yet made about the entire Vietnam experience 68 Janet Maslin also writing for The New York Times praised Stone s direction writing that he reaches out instantly to his audience s gut level emotions and sustains a walloping impact for two and a half hours 69 Internet reviewer James Berardinelli felt that the film s greatest accomplishment was its contrasting of the glorious illusion of war as seen from thousands of miles away to the barbarity of it up close 70 The Washington Post published two negative reviews Hal Hinson called the film alienating 71 while Desson Howe was critical of Cruise s whiny performance 72 Sheila Benson of the Los Angeles Times felt that the actor s portrayal of Kovic was lacking in character development 73 Jonathan Rosenbaum derided the storytelling for brimming with false uplift 74 and Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly called the film 2 1 2 hours of self righteousness masquerading as art 75 Pauline Kael of The New Yorker wrote It s almost inconceivable that Ron Kovic was as innocent as the movie and the 1976 autobiography on which it s based make him out to be Kovic s book is simple and explicit he states his case in plain angry words Stone s movie yells at you for two hours and twenty five minutes 76 The film also received criticism for its dramatization of actual events prompted by Kovic s declared decision to run for Congress as a Democratic opponent to Californian Republican Robert Dornan in the 38th congressional district As a result Born on the Fourth of July became Stone s first film to be publicly attacked in the media 77 Dornan criticized the film for portraying Kovic as being in a panic and mistakenly shooting his corporal to death in Vietnam visiting prostitutes abusing drugs and alcohol and cruelly insulting his parents Kovic dismissed his comments as being part of a hatred campaign 78 and ultimately did not run for election 77 In an article for the New York Post former White House Communications Director Pat Buchanan criticized the adaptation for deviating from the book and concluded by calling Stone a propagandist 1 Democratic State Senator Nancy Larraine Hoffmann who took part in Syracuse University s 1970 peaceful protest of the Cambodian Campaign was critical of the film s depiction of Syracuse police as faceless people brutalizing peaceful protesters 79 Following the film s wide release in January 1990 Stone wrote a letter apologizing to the city of Syracuse and its police officials 80 Accolades Edit The film received various awards and nominations with particular recognition for the screenplay Cruise s performance Stone s direction and the score by John Williams The National Board of Review named it one of the Top 10 Films of 1989 ranking it at number one 81 The film received five Golden Globe Award nominations 82 and won four for Best Motion Picture Drama Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama Best Director and Best Screenplay while Williams was nominated for Best Original Score 83 In February 1990 the film competed for the Golden Bear at the 40th Berlin International Film Festival but lost to the American film Music Box 1990 and Czech film Larks on a String 1969 84 That same month the film garnered eight Academy Awards nominations including Best Picture and Best Actor its closest rival was Driving Miss Daisy which received nine nominations 85 At the 62nd Oscars Stone won a second Academy Award for Best Director 86 he had previously won the award for Platoon 87 The film also won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing Driving Miss Daisy The Bear Glory and The Fabulous Baker Boys had also been nominated in that category 86 At the 44th British Academy Film Awards in 1991 the film received two nominations for Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Adapted Screenplay but did not win in either category 88 On May 10 2021 Cruise returned all three of his Golden Globe awards to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association due to controversy in its lack of diversity among its membership including his Best Actor award for this film 89 Award Date or year of ceremony Category Recipient s Result Ref Academy Awards March 26 1990 Best Picture A Kitman Ho and Oliver Stone Nominated 86 Best Director Oliver Stone WonBest Actor Tom Cruise NominatedBest Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium Oliver Stone and Ron Kovic NominatedBest Cinematography Robert Richardson NominatedBest Film Editing David Brenner and Joe Hutshing WonBest Original Score John Williams NominatedBest Sound Michael Minkler Gregory H Watkins Michael Hoskinson Wylie Stateman and Tod A Maitland NominatedAmerican Film Institute 1998 AFI s 100 Years 100 Movies Nominated 90 2005 AFI s 100 Years 100 Heroes and Villains Ron Kovic portrayed by Tom Cruise Nominated 91 AFI s 100 Years 100 Cheers Nominated 92 2007 AFI s 100 Years 100 Movies 10th Anniversary Edition Nominated 93 American Society of Cinematographers Awards 1989 Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases Robert Richardson Nominated 94 Artios Awards 1990 Best Casting for Feature Film Drama Risa Bramon Garcia Billy Hopkins Nominated 95 Berlin International Film Festival February 1990 Golden Bear Oliver Stone Nominated 84 96 British Academy Film Awards 1991 Best Actor in a Leading Role Tom Cruise Nominated 88 Best Adapted Screenplay Oliver Stone Ron Kovic NominatedDirectors Guild of America Awards 1989 Outstanding Directing Feature Film Oliver Stone Won 97 Golden Globe Awards January 21 1990 Best Motion Picture Drama Won 82 83 Best Director Oliver Stone WonBest Actor Motion Picture Drama Tom Cruise Won returned Best Screenplay Oliver Stone Ron Kovic WonBest Original Score John Williams NominatedLos Angeles Film Critics Awards 1989 Best Director Oliver Stone Runner up Nominated 98 Best Cinematography Robert Richardson Runner up NominatedNational Board of Review 1989 Top 10 Films Won 81 National Society of Film Critics Awards 1989 Best Actor Tom Cruise Third place Nominated 99 Writers Guild of America Awards 1989 Best Adapted Screenplay Oliver Stone Ron Kovic Nominated 100 See also EditPlatoon the first installment in Oliver Stone s Vietnam War trilogy Heaven amp Earth the third installment in Stone s Vietnam War trilogy Casualties of War another 1989 film set during the Vietnam War based on the 1966 incident on Hill 192 Vietnam War in film United States Vietnam relationsReferences Edit a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z AFI Catalog American Film Institute Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Born on the Fourth of July British Board of Film Classification Retrieved June 20 2018 a b c d Born on the Fourth of July 1989 Box Office Mojo Archived from the original on 11 October 2009 Retrieved 8 August 2013 a b c d e f Mogk 2013 p 221 a b c d e Seitz 2016 p 90 Devine 2017 p 338 a b Dutka Elaine December 17 1989 The Latest Exorcism of Oliver Stone With Ron Kovic s Born on the Fourth of July the film maker returns to Vietnam to cast out more of the war s demons Page 2 of 5 Los Angeles Times p 2 Archived from the original on July 6 2012 Retrieved June 8 2018 a b c d e Dutka Elaine December 17 1989 The Latest Exorcism of Oliver Stone With Ron Kovic s Born on the Fourth of July the film maker returns to Vietnam to cast out more of the war s demons Page 3 of 5 Los Angeles Times p 3 Archived from the original on July 6 2012 Retrieved June 8 2018 a b Veterans Ron Kovic Oliver Stone on the True Cost of War Video amp Transcript Truthdig Expert Reporting Current News Provocative Columnists Archived from the original on 2019 06 20 Retrieved 2019 06 20 Grove Martin A April 1 1987 Hemdale celebrates Platoon Oscar with plans for sequel The Hollywood Reporter p 1 a b Ryan Desmond June 10 1988 Another Vietnam Look From Oliver Stone Chicago Tribune Archived from the original on June 14 2018 Retrieved June 13 2018 a b Duchovnay 2004 p 94 a b Lavington 2011 p 194 a b c d e Lavington 2011 p 195 a b Gabriel Trip January 11 1990 Tom Cruise at the Crossroads Rolling Stone Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 20 2018 a b Stone 2001 p 76 Morton 2008 p 120 a b Dutka Elaine December 17 1989 The Latest Exorcism of Oliver Stone With Ron Kovic s Born on the Fourth of July the film maker returns to Vietnam to cast out more of the war s demons Page 4 of 5 Los Angeles Times p 4 Archived from the original on July 6 2012 Retrieved June 8 2018 a b c Morton 2008 p 122 Lavington 2011 p 197 a b Corliss Richard December 25 1989 Tom Terrific Time Archived from the original on March 12 2017 Retrieved June 8 2018 Morton 2008 p 123 Collins Glenn January 30 1990 For Casting Countless Auditions And One Couch Never Used The New York Times Archived from the original on May 25 2015 Retrieved June 20 2018 Canby Vincent December 20 1989 How an All American Boy Went to War and Lost His Faith The New York Times Archived from the original on June 28 2012 Retrieved June 8 2018 Lavington 2011 p 195 196 a b Seitz 2017 p 175 Chutkow Paul December 17 1989 The Private War of Tom Cruise The New York Times Archived from the original on June 13 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Lavington 2011 p 196 a b c d Dutka Elaine December 17 1989 The Latest Exorcism of Oliver Stone With Ron Kovic s Born on the Fourth of July the film maker returns to Vietnam to cast out more of the war s demons Page 5 of 5 Los Angeles Times p 5 Archived from the original on May 6 2021 Retrieved June 8 2018 Pubsun Corporation 1990 p 41 a b Fisher 1990 p 27 Ressner Jeffrey Fall 2012 Breaking Conventions DGA Quarterly Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Elmwood History Elmwood Neighborhood Association Archived from the original on 20 February 2020 Retrieved 31 August 2020 1990 Drama Born on the Fourth of July Golden Globe Awards Archived from the original on June 21 2018 Retrieved June 20 2018 a b Smith Stacy Jenel August 6 1989 Re Born in July Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on October 29 2015 Retrieved June 13 2018 a b c Dyer Richard August 31 1989 You Will Be Hearing From Him The Boston Globe p 77 a b Born on the Fourth of July Motion Picture Soundtrack Album AllMusic Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Born on the Fourth of July Soundtrack Details SoundtrackCollector com Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Holden Stephen January 28 1990 Recordings The Image of Movie Music Is Changing Once Again The New York Times Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Devine 2017 p 337 a b c d e f g h i Born on the Fourth of July 1989 Weekend Box Office Results Box Office Mojo Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 a b Weekend Box Office Results for January 5 7 1990 Box Office Mojo Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 a b Weekend Box Office Results for March 2 4 1990 Box Office Mojo Archived from the original on October 5 2016 Retrieved June 8 2016 Gerber 2012 p 113 Weekend Box Office Results for January 12 14 1990 Box Office Mojo Archived from the original on May 6 2021 Retrieved June 8 2018 Weekend Box Office Results for January 19 21 1990 Box Office Mojo Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Weekend Box Office Results for January 26 28 1990 Box Office Mojo Box Office Mojo Archived from the original on June 16 2017 Retrieved October 7 2016 Weekend Box Office Results for February 2 4 1990 Box Office Mojo Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Weekend Box Office Results for February 9 11 1990 Box Office Mojo Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Top Grossing R Rated Movies at the Box Office Box Office Mojo Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 1989 Yearly Box Office Results Box Office Mojo Archived from the original on April 24 2013 Retrieved June 8 2018 1989 Yearly Box Office Results Box Office Mojo Archived from the original on June 20 2015 Retrieved June 8 2018 1989 Yearly Box Office Results Universal Box Office Mojo Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Born on the Fourth of July 1989 Misc Notes Turner Classic Movies Archived from the original on June 13 2018 Retrieved June 13 2018 Born on the Fourth of July Special Edition Blu ray com Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved August 14 2018 Oliver Stone Collection DVD Any Given Sunday JFK Natural Born Killers Heaven and Earth Born on the Fourth of July Wall Street The Doors Nixon Talk Radio U Turn Oliver Stone s America Blu ray com Archived from the original on June 6 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Born on the Fourth of July DVD Special Edition Blu ray com Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Born on the Fourth of July DVD Special Edition Blu ray com Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 LaserDisc Database Born on the Fourth of July 61032866 LaserDisc Database Archived from the original on October 11 2015 Retrieved June 8 2018 Born on the Fourth of July Blu ray Blu ray com Archived from the original on June 6 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Born on the Fourth of July 1989 Rotten Tomatoes Archived from the original on September 10 2009 Retrieved November 15 2022 Born on the Fourth of July Reviews Metacritic Archived from the original on June 13 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Find CinemaScore Type Born on the Fourth of July in the search box Archived from the original on January 2 2018 Retrieved June 12 2018 Denby 1989 p 101 Ebert Roger December 20 1989 Born on the Fourth of July Movie Review 1989 RogerEbert com Archived from the original on April 19 2021 Retrieved June 8 2018 Siskel Gene December 22 1989 Cruise Reborn As Actor In Born on the Fourth Chicago Tribune Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Travers Peter December 20 1989 Born on the Fourth of July Rolling Stone Archived from the original on January 17 2015 Retrieved June 8 2018 Canby Vincent December 20 1989 Review Film How an All American Boy Went to War and Lost His Faith The New York Times Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 9 2018 Maslin Janet December 31 1989 Film Film View Oliver Stone Takes Aim At the Viewer s Viscera The New York Times Archived from the original on June 13 2018 Retrieved June 13 2018 Berardinelli James August 23 2009 Born on the Fourth of July Reelviews Movie Reviews Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 10 2018 Hinson Hal January 5 1990 Born on the Fourth of July The Washington Post Archived from the original on June 18 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Howe Desson January 5 1990 Born on the Fourth of July The Washington Post Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Benson Sheila December 20 1989 Movie Review Oliver Stone Goes to War Again Drama The maker of Platoon touches the emotions but not the mind with Born on the Fourth of July Tom Cruise excels as disabled Vietnam War vet Ron Kovic Los Angeles Times p 2 of 2 Archived from the original on April 26 2016 Retrieved June 8 2018 Rosenbaum Jonathan January 5 1990 Born on the Fourth of July Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Gleiberman Owen August 10 1990 Born on the Fourth of July Entertainment Weekly Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 9 2018 Kael 2011 p 93 a b Lavington 2011 p 211 Phillips Richard February 6 1990 Here s to a Nice Addiction Chicago Tribune Archived from the original on June 29 2018 Retrieved June 29 2018 Ravo Nick January 15 1990 Fourth of July Unfair to Syracuse Police Some Residents Say The New York Times Archived from the original on June 29 2018 Retrieved June 29 2018 Stone publicly apologizes for his depiction of police Deseret News September 30 1997 Archived from the original on October 6 2018 Retrieved June 29 2018 a b 1989 Archives National Board of Review Archived from the original on March 20 2021 Retrieved June 8 2018 a b Thomas Bob December 27 1989 Romance Comedy 2 War Films Each Get 5 Globe Nominations Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on October 29 2017 Retrieved June 8 2018 a b Winners amp Nominees 1990 Golden Globe Awards Archived from the original on December 20 2016 Retrieved June 8 2018 a b Prizes amp Honours 1990 Berlinale de Archived from the original on November 23 2015 Retrieved June 13 2018 Easton Nina J February 15 1990 Driving Miss Daisy Paces Academy Awards Race Daisy tops field with nine nominations followed by Fourth of July with eight Los Angeles Times p 1 of 3 Archived from the original on May 6 2021 Retrieved June 8 2018 a b c The 62nd Academy Awards 1990 Nominees and Winners Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Archived from the original on May 10 2019 Retrieved June 8 2018 Harmetz Aljean March 31 1987 Platoon Wins Second Oscar as the Best Movie of 1986 The New York Times Archived from the original on July 14 2014 Retrieved June 12 2018 a b Film in 1991 British Academy of Film and Television Arts Archived from the original on 3 January 2020 Retrieved 4 July 2016 Fulser Jeremy May 10 2021 Tom Cruise Returns His 3 Golden Globes in Protest Against HFPA The Wrap Retrieved May 10 2021 AFI s 100 Years 100 Movies nominations PDF American Film Institute Archived PDF from the original on October 26 2013 Retrieved June 12 2018 AFI s 100 Years 100 Heroes and Villains nominations PDF American Film Institute Archived PDF from the original on September 21 2015 Retrieved June 12 2018 AFI s 100 Years 100 Cheers nominations PDF American Film Institute Archived PDF from the original on April 2 2019 Retrieved June 12 2018 AFI s 100 Years 100 Cheers official ballot PDF American Film Institute Archived PDF from the original on March 28 2014 Retrieved June 12 2018 The ASC Past ASC Awards American Society of Cinematographers Archived from the original on November 12 2010 Retrieved October 21 2016 1990 Artios Awards Casting Society of America Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Berlinale Annual Archives 1990 Programme berlinale de Archived from the original on May 8 2005 Retrieved June 13 2018 42nd Annual Directors Guild of America Awards Directors Guild of America Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved June 8 2018 Matthews Jack December 18 1989 Spike Lee s Right Thing Takes L A Film Critics Top Award Movies The 26 members agreed on My Left Foot sex lies and Baker Boys but split a tie for best actress between MacDowell and Pfeiffer Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on October 2 2015 Retrieved June 8 2018 Kehr Dave January 8 1990 U s Film Critics Pick Drugstore Cowboy As Best Chicago Tribune Archived from the original on October 2 2015 Retrieved June 8 2018 Kagan 2006 p 297 Books Edit Denby David December 18 1989 Days of Rage New York Vol 22 no 50 p 101 ISSN 0028 7369 Devine Jeremy M 2017 Vietnam at 24 Frames a Second A Critical and Thematic Analysis of 360 Films About the Vietnam War McFarland amp Company ISBN 978 1 4766 0535 7 Duchovnay Gerald June 17 2004 Oliver Stone Film Voices Interviews from Post Script SUNY Press p 94 ISBN 978 0 7535 4766 3 Fisher Bob February 1 1990 Born on the Fourth of July American Cinematographer Los Angeles United States American Society of Cinematographers 71 2 27 ISSN 0002 7928 Gerber David A 2012 Bitterness Rage and Redemption Disabled Veterans in History University of Michigan Press p 113 ISBN 978 0 4720 3508 3 Kael Pauline 2011 5001 Nights at the Movies Henry Holt and Company p 93 ISBN 978 1 2500 3357 4 Kagan Jeremy Paul 2006 Biographies Directors Close Up Interviews with Directors Nominated for Best Film by the Directors Guild of America Scarecrow Press p 297 ISBN 978 0 8108 5712 4 Lavington Stephen 2011 Born on the Fourth of July 1989 Virgin Film Oliver Stone Random House ISBN 978 0 7535 4766 3 Mogk Marie Evelyn 2013 13 Born on the Fourth of July Norden Different Bodies Essays on Disability in Film and Television McFarland amp Company ISBN 978 0 7864 6535 4 Morton Andrew 2008 Chapter 5 Tom Cruise An Unauthorized Biography St Martin s Press ISBN 978 1 4299 3390 2 Pubsun Corporation 1990 In Focus The Film Journal vol 93 Seitz Matt Zoller 2016 2 Who s Gonna Love Me The Oliver Stone Experience Abrams Books ISBN 978 1 6131 2814 5 Seitz Matt Zoller 2017 4 Break on Through 1987 1991 The Oliver Stone Experience Text Only Edition Abrams Books ISBN 978 1 6833 5190 0 Stone Oliver 2001 Playboy Interview Oliver Stone Oliver Stone Interviews ISBN 978 1 5780 6303 1External links Edit Wikiquote has quotations related to Born on the Fourth of July Born on the Fourth of July at IMDb Born on the Fourth of July at the TCM Movie Database Born on the Fourth of July at Box Office Mojo Born on the Fourth of July at AllMovie Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Born on the Fourth of July film amp oldid 1161352713, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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