''Vietnam'' is a 1987 Australian TV mini-series directed by
Chris Noonan
Chris Noonan (born 14 November 1952) is an Australian filmmaker and actor. He is best known for the family film ''Babe'' (1995), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director and Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
...
and
John Duigan
John Duigan (born 19 June 1949) is an Australian film director and screenwriter. He is mostly known for his two autobiographical films '' The Year My Voice Broke'' and '' Flirting'', and the 1994 film '' Sirens'', which stars Hugh Grant.
Bi ...
. It stars
Barry Otto
Barry Otto (born 1941) is an Australian actor, primarily of cinema, and an amateur artist.
Early life
Barry Otto was born in Brisbane in 1941, the son of a butcher. He trained as an artist but switched to acting.
Career
Otto received an AACTA ...
,
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an American and Australian actress and producer. Known for her work across various film and television productions from several genres, she has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid act ...
and
Nicholas Eadie
Nicholas Eadie (born 1958) is an Australian television, film and theatre actor.
Biography
Born in Sydney, New South Wales to actor and Australian Broadcasting Commission radio announcer Mervyn Eadie, he attended Waverley College from 1968 to 19 ...
. The series won the
Logie Award
The Logie Awards (officially the TV Week Logie Awards; colloquially known as The Logies) is an annual gathering to celebrate Australian television, sponsored and organised by the magazine ''TV Week''. The first ceremony was held in 1959 as the ...
for Most Popular Single Telemovie or Miniseries.
Plot
Set in the 1960s through to the early 1970s, ''Vietnam'' is a mini-series about Australia's involvement in the
Vietnam war
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. The Goddard family live in
Canberra
Canberra ( )
is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
– Public servant Douglas, Evelyn (Veronica Lang) and their son Phil and daughter Megan. Aged 15, Megan is now a rebellious teenager, infuriating her conservative parents whilst her older sibling Phil is a budding photographer.
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
joins the war in Vietnam and the strains and stresses it places on the Goddard family mirror the political and social upheavals the country experiences in the 1960s. Phil is called up in the national draft and he reluctantly goes to do his duty with Australian army forces in Vietnam. He encounters the harsh realities of the war when the platoon walks into a minefield in a rice paddy, losing several men including Phil's friend Ritchie. Phil is horrified as his unit is ordered to assist South Vietnamese forces to forcibly evacuate and destroy a peasant village. Phil and his best mate Laurie become romantically involved with Vietnamese sisters Lien and Le. Back home, Douglas' workaholic lifestyle is straining his marriage and both parents are growing distant from their increasingly headstrong daughter Megan. The latter begins a relationship with an older boy Serge and she has to, at first, pretend to be a fellow university student to become involved with him. Serge goes away to University in Sydney and Megan later runs away from home to join him. Phil comes home on leave but the traumatic experiences of the war weigh heavily on him and he can no-longer adjust to normal life.
Phil and Laurie return to the war which is growing ever more bloodier and cruel. Le is gang-raped by a platoon of US soldiers who have been brutalized by their experiences of combat. One American soldier is left behind to execute Le but he cannot bring himself to do it, instead he cuts off one of her ears and fires a shot into the dirt, in order to convince his comrades that he had killed her and taken a 'souvenir'. Outraged by the sufferings of her people, Lien joins the
Viet Cong
,
, war = the Vietnam War
, image = FNL Flag.svg
, caption = The flag of the Viet Cong, adopted in 1960, is a variation on the flag of North Vietnam. Sometimes the lower stripe was green.
, active ...
. During the
Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive was a major escalation and one of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam War. It was launched on January 30, 1968 by forces of the Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) against the forces o ...
, her group ambushes an Australian truck, wiping out the occupants including Laurie who is left permanently disabled by his injuries. Phil, increasingly disillusioned with the conduct of the war, joins a unit that specializes in
unconventional warfare
Unconventional warfare (UW) is broadly defined as "military and quasi-military operations other than conventional warfare" and may use covert forces, subversion, or guerrilla warfare. This is typically done to avoid escalation into conventional ...
. After taking part in an ambush of a group of guerrillas Phil is horrified to discover that one of the dead is Lien. Unbalanced by his discovery he later endangers his fellow soldiers with a grenade during target practice and is thrown out of the unit as a result.
Back in Australia, the Goddard family begins to be torn apart. Douglas has become a key figure in the political decisions behind Australia's involvement in the war and he serves under all four
prime-ministers who hold office during the Vietnam era, the demands of his job absorbing all of his time and energy. Fed up with the lack of attention from her husband and the unfulfilling existence as a housewife, Evelyn moves to
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
. Megan goes to live with Serge and both become heavily involved with the antiwar movement. Evelyn later joins the movement, feeling happier in her newfound independence and she and Megan become close again. Serge is called up by the draft but he conscientiously objects, going to prison for his stance.
Phil returns to Australia for good, as does Laurie who is joined by Le who emigrates to become the latter's wife, doing her best to care for her disabled and traumatized husband. Phil grows more isolated, not even seeing his family and he becomes self-centered and bitter. He cannot understand nor accept the anti-war movement and free-wheeling youth culture he sees around him.
Megan has become a leading figure in the anti-war protests and whilst answering questions on a talk-back radio show, her confidence and self-righteous composure is shattered by a surprise call from Phil whose voice she recognizes. Phil's resentment and bitterness makes Megan regret her movement's lack of support for returning soldiers. Le tells Phil about her rape and torture and why her sister joined the Viet Cong and he finally breaks down in tears, Le's story putting his own sufferings into perspective, jolting him out of his isolation. Douglas, Evelyn and Megan have a reunion dinner and afterwards as they are saying goodbye to each other outside, Megan notices some-one watching them from a nearby parked Holden ute. It is Phil. He says 'It's me.....sort of.'
The series concludes with Megan greeting Serge as he is released from prison and the two walk away arm-in-arm to face their future and adulthood together.
Cast
*
Barry Otto
Barry Otto (born 1941) is an Australian actor, primarily of cinema, and an amateur artist.
Early life
Barry Otto was born in Brisbane in 1941, the son of a butcher. He trained as an artist but switched to acting.
Career
Otto received an AACTA ...
as Douglas Goddard
*
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an American and Australian actress and producer. Known for her work across various film and television productions from several genres, she has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid act ...
as Megan Goddard
*
Nicholas Eadie
Nicholas Eadie (born 1958) is an Australian television, film and theatre actor.
Biography
Born in Sydney, New South Wales to actor and Australian Broadcasting Commission radio announcer Mervyn Eadie, he attended Waverley College from 1968 to 19 ...
as Phil Goddard
*
Veronica Lang
Veronica Lang is an Australian-born actress, who started her career in England in theatre and television, before working in her native country, she also briefly worked in America. She won the 1977 AFI Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role ...
as Evelyn Goddard
*
John Polson
John Polson (born 6 September 1965) is an Australian actor, director and founder of Tropfest.
As an actor, Polson's best known role is probably starring opposite Russell Crowe and Jack Thompson in '' The Sum of Us'' (1994).
In February 2001, ...
as Serge
*
Mark Lee as Laurie Fellows
*
Pauline Chan as Lien
*Grace Parr as Le
*
Alyssa-Jane Cook
Alyssa-Jane Cook (born 16 February 1967) is an Australian actress, singer and TV presenter currently on TVSN.
Actress roles
She is best known for her regular role as ''Lisa Bennett'' on the Australian television soap opera '' E Street''. Sh ...
as Deb
*
John Allen as T.V journalist
*
Brett Climo
Brett Leonard Climo (born 26 September 1964) is an Australian actor and comedian best known for his television soap opera roles, but has also appeared in films (feature-length and made-for-TV features). He is best known roles include in product ...
as Ritchie
*Mick Conway as Knifethrower
*Celia De Burgh as Monica Montgomery
*
Virginia Hey
Virginia Hey (born 19 June 1952) is an Australian actress, known for her role as Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan in the science fiction television series ''Farscape'', playing the "Warrior Woman" in '' Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior'', and various roles in tele ...
as Journalist
*
Jim Holt as Lt Smart
*
Cassandra Delaney as Melissa
*
John Castelo as extra at BBQ
*
Noel Ferrier
Noel Ferrier AM (20 December 193016 October 1997) was an Australian television personality, comedian, stage and film actor, raconteur and theatrical producer. He was a regular panelist in Graham Kennedy's popular game show '' Blankety Blanks ( ...
as Prime Minister
Robert Menzies
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory ...
*
Henri Szeps
Henri Szeps OAM, (born 2 October 1943) alternatively Henry Szeps, is an Australian character actor of theatre and television. He has also featured in films and worked in voice roles, and has worked in productions in the United Kingdom.
Early ...
as Prime Minister
Harold Holt
Harold Edward Holt (5 August 190817 December 1967) was an Australian politician who served as the 17th prime minister of Australia from 1966 until his presumed death in 1967. He held office as leader of the Liberal Party.
Holt was born in S ...
*
Alan Cassell
Alan Louis Cassell (16 February 1932 – 30 August 2017) was an English Australian actor, on stage, film and television.
Personal life
Alan Cassell was born in Manchester, England but grew up in Birmingham. Cassell was of a young age when his m ...
as Prime Minister
John Gorton
Sir John Grey Gorton (9 September 1911 – 19 May 2002) was an Australian politician who served as the nineteenth Prime Minister of Australia, in office from 1968 to 1971. He led the Liberal Party during that time, having previously been a l ...
*
Kevin Manser
Kevin Baden Manser (16 February 1929 – 21 December 2001) was an Australian actor best known for his career as a Dalek operator in the early seasons of the British science-fiction television series '' Doctor Who''.
He was born in Adelaide ...
as Prime Minister
William McMahon
Sir William McMahon (23 February 190831 March 1988) was an Australian politician who served as the 20th Prime Minister of Australia, in office from 1971 to 1972 as leader of the Liberal Party. He was a government minister for over 21 years, t ...
*
Leo 'Lucky' Grills as Senator
Shane Paltridge
* John Tarrant as Elphick (radio operator)
Production
The project was filmed in
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
, Australia, and for the month of June 1986 the Vietnam scenes were filmed in
Phuket
Phuket (; th, ภูเก็ต, , ms, Bukit or ''Tongkah''; Hokkien:普吉; ) is one of the southern provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. It consists of the island of Phuket, the country's largest island, and another 32 smaller islands of ...
in
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
. Kidman was 19 years old at the time, and Kennedy-Miller, the producers of the series, would later cast her in ''
Dead Calm
Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
''.
''Vietnam'' features a host of high caliber Australian television actors. Veronica Lang, Barry Otto and Nicholas Eadie (aged 27 at the time) comprised the Goddard family, playing Megan's mother Evelyn, father Douglas and older brother Phil, respectively. Otto is a five-time nominated Australian Film Institute actor, who built up a solid body of work since his debut in the mid-1970s. Playing Evelyn is Veronica Lang, an English actress who was a familiar face on TV screens in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
and Australia from 1965. She starred in ''Winners'' alongside Kidman in 1985, playing Alison Trig. Both
Barry Otto
Barry Otto (born 1941) is an Australian actor, primarily of cinema, and an amateur artist.
Early life
Barry Otto was born in Brisbane in 1941, the son of a butcher. He trained as an artist but switched to acting.
Career
Otto received an AACTA ...
and Veronica Lang also starred in Aussie soap ''
A Country Practice'', in which Kidman also appeared. Playing the pivotal role of Phil, Megan's older brother who gets drafted into the army, is
Nicholas Eadie
Nicholas Eadie (born 1958) is an Australian television, film and theatre actor.
Biography
Born in Sydney, New South Wales to actor and Australian Broadcasting Commission radio announcer Mervyn Eadie, he attended Waverley College from 1968 to 19 ...
.
Reception
The first episode of ''Vietnam'' was broadcast in Australia on 23 February 1987, and received some positive reviews from the Australian press. Reviews praised the show's accuracy in portraying society's changing attitudes towards the war, as well as the family dynamic and character development. "There is much to admire and little to criticize in ''Vietnam''. Personal relationships inside and outside the family and the shift in society's attitudes have been penetratingly and evocatively observed. All the characters, including the South Vietnamese for once, have been given an empathetic point of view," wrote ''The Age'' on the day of the show's premiere. The paper added that, "The direction elicits absolutely involving performances from a top-drawer cast who endow the piece with subtle flourishes and delightful finishing touches." In another review a few days later, the paper added – "Especially fine are Nicholas Eadie as Phil, beginning as a finely crafted ordinary bloke and ending as a man who has experienced too much, and Nicole Kidman as the little sister who grows up. It is their relationship, brother and sister, which holds the whole thing together."
Awards
TV Week
Logie Awards, 1988:
*Most Popular Single Telemovie or Miniseries: ''Vietnam'' (Ten)
*Most Popular Actor in a Single Drama or Mini-Series: Nicholas Eadie (''Vietnam'')
*Most Popular Actress in a Single Drama or Mini-Series: Nicole Kidman (''Vietnam'')
Australian Film Institute Awards
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, known as the AACTA Awards, are presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). The awards recognise excellence in the film and television industry, ...
, 1987:
* Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini Series: Nicholas Eadie (''Vietnam'')
* Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini Series: Nicole Kidman (''Vietnam'')
Releases
Original broadcast: Channel 10, 23 February 1987 – 27 April 1987. ''Vietnam'' aired in the UK in 1988.
Home video
*2009 Australia – PAL/Region 4 DVD
*Multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD (USA/Canada: Languages: English (Dolby Digital 2.0)
*Multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Subtitles)
*Widescreen (1.78:1) 3 DVD
See also
*
Cinema of Australia
The cinema of Australia had its beginnings with the 1906 production of ''The Story of the Kelly Gang'', arguably the world's first feature film. Since then, Australian crews have produced many films, a number of which have received internati ...
References
Nicole Kidman Official WebsiteNKidman Specials
External links
''Vietnam'' (TV mini-series 1987) IMDB(1987) ''Vietnam'' (TV miniseries) Night Master''Vietnam''at
Australian Screen Online
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national co ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vietnam
1987 Australian television series debuts
1980s Australian television miniseries
Television series set in the 1960s
Television series set in the 1970s
1987 Australian television series endings
Films produced by Doug Mitchell
Films directed by Chris Noonan
Television series about Vietnam War