History of the 20th-Century USA through Film: a History Research Plan
Title: Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
Description of the Film: Situated during the Vietnam War in 1965, Good Morning, Vietnam is a story of a nonconformist military disc jockey from Crete –
Adrian Cronauer. It is a comedy/drama focusing on the life of Cronauer, played by Robin Williams who works for the interest of military deployed in Saigon using his “unusual humor” and aired in the Armed Forces Radio Saigon (AFRS). The happy-go-lucky DJ goes on air with his witty delivery of daily news flash and information, pseudo-interviews (using his own voice in impersonating people), peculiar choice of music, and other goofy means of doing things that was loved by the listeners – the masses and Pfc. Eddie Garlick (Forest Whitaker) yet hated by military officers like Lt. Steven Hauk (Bruno Kirby) and later Sergeant Major Philip Dickerson (J.T. Walsh). Lt. Hauk wanted Cronauer to stick to military guidelines, even in terms of humor while Dickerson considers him as annoyance.
With his signature “Good Morning, Vietnam” greetings spoken in overstated or elongated manner, Cronauer was referred as someone who is “not G.I. enough” and possesses mocking inclination. During his free time, he strolls outside the radio station and teaches English to Vietnamese students where he met Trihn (Chintary Sukupatana) with a brother named Tuan (Tom Tran) also known as Phan Duc To, a terrorist who was hinted by the army.
After all the revelations, Cronauer prepared to leave the military and hands Garlick a tape reel to play when he is gone. He started an instant softball game with his students and bid goodbye to Trinh where she thanked Cronauer on warning his brother’s impending danger. Cronauer was replaced by Garlick and played the tape where Cronauer yelled “Goodbye, Vietnam!”
Summary of Preliminary Research Findings: The film reflected so much about history, culture, national identity and the nationalistic nature of Americans and Vietnamese. It also brings to light the concept of freedom – country, people, media, and self (to be discussed in the Research Paper). Good Morning, Vietnam is not just about war on its literal meaning but also to its symbolic and figurative perspective and relevance.
Thesis Statement: American history, like any other national history is full of struggles in order to discover its real distinctiveness and establish its desired position. The importance of freedom in American society rooted on the aspiration to promote one’s individuality among others. War is not just the presence of guns and ammunitions but the struggle of someone on forces that affect the concept of being free.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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