Review of classic movies about the Vietnam War

Images of 3 films: Wild Field, Upside Down Card Game, Saigon Special Forces. Photo: TL

Some of his works include: Wild Fields, Saigon Special Forces, Flipped Cards...

Sparkling lyricism

Wild Field is one of the classic films of Vietnamese revolutionary cinema, released on April 30, 1979 by Liberation Film Studio. The film was directed by People's Artist Nguyen Hong Sen, written by writer Nguyen Quang Sang and composed by musician Trinh Cong Son.

The film tells the story of a farmer couple, Ba Do - Sau Xoa (played by actors Lam Toi and Thuy An) and their young child, living on a deserted field in the Dong Thap Muoi region. Amidst the vast rivers and waters, full of bombs and bullets, the couple is happy with the joy of their young child and the work of growing rice and catching fish. Amidst the sound of bullets and exploding bombs, there is still the honest, gentle laughter of both husband and wife and their son in the middle of the wild nature. The couple also plays the role of liaison for the liberation army. The film depicts many valuable details such as: Ba Do and his wife putting their child in a plastic bag to avoid bombs; the scene of Ba Do - Sau Xoa wading across the river to listen for American planes, the death of Ba Do, of the American soldier...

In the program Cine 7 - Memories of Vietnamese Films broadcast recently by Vietnam Television, film critic, Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, commented that The Wild Field is a lyrical epic. Mr. Ba Do and his wife only have a small boat, live in a hut, in the middle of the wild field but every day face the sweeps of enemy planes, with the iron and steel forces symbolizing the civilized, modern world . However, there is still a sparkling lyricism with the sincere life, harmony with nature of people, the love between husband and wife, family and love for homeland and country.

Canh Dong Hoang, Van Bai Lap Nguoc, Biet Dong Sai Gon are just 3 of many successful films about revolutionary war in Vietnamese cinema. Up to now, when mentioning these films, the audience still immediately remembers the "lifetime" roles of Nguyen Chanh Tin, Thuong Tin, Thuy An, Thanh Lan...

Dramatic, exciting

Saigon Special Forces and Flip Cards are two “lifetime” films about revolutionary war. The appeal of these two films is not only because they are written from true stories, have tight, elaborate scripts, and are directed well, but also because of the cast that is very suitable for their roles.

Among them, the film Saigon Special Forces produced in 1985 by Vietnam Feature Film Studio was based on real documents about the special forces of the Southern Liberation Army (or Saigon Special Forces) during the Tet Offensive in 1968 and the resistance war against the US on the battlefield in Southern Vietnam. The film was written by Le Phuong, directed by Long Van, with the participation of actors Quang Thai, Ha Xuyen, Thanh Loan, Thuong Tin, Thuy An, Bui Cuong... Saigon Special Forces has 4 episodes: Rendezvous, Quiet, Storm and Returning My Name.

Saigon Special Forces tells the story of the intense battles of intelligence between intelligence officers in the city of Saigon in the 1960s. The most prominent of these are the "intelligence chief" Tu Chung (played by Quang Thai), Commander of the Saigon Special Forces, codename F8, and intelligence officer Ngoc Mai (Ha Xuyen), codename Z20, who fight side by side, playing the role of a husband and wife managing the Dong A Paint Company. Together with other teammates, Sau Tam (played by Thuong Tin), nun Huyen Trang (played by Thanh Loan), and Nam Hoa (codename K9, played by actor Bui Cuong), they create intense chases and battles of intelligence between us and the enemy.

When it was released, Saigon Special Forces created a fever with the audience. And up to this point, this is still a film about revolutionary war that exploits many aspects of intelligence soldiers - those who contributed to the Mau Than Victory in 1968 and the Ho Chi Minh Campaign.

Eight episodes long (including: The Bishop's Adopted Child, The Mobile Chess Piece, Shot on the Plateau, The Flood and Tango No. 3, Blue Sky Through the Leaves, The Last Warning, High Pressure and Floodwaters and Wreath Before the Grave ), also about the subject of intelligence, the film The Upside Down Card Game was produced by Ho Chi Minh City General Film Company (now Liberation Film Studio) in the years 1982-1987.

The film simulates the life of real-life spies who worked behind enemy lines during the anti-American resistance war, including the prototype of intelligence officer of the Vietnam People's Army Pham Ngoc Thao. Based on the serial story of writer Tran Bach Dang, director Le Hoang Hoa vividly portrayed the revolutionary life of Colonel Nguyen Thanh Luan (played by actor Nguyen Chanh Tin), who was deeply embedded in enemy lines, in Saigon, during the US-Diem period. In each episode, the audience sees a talented, intelligent, quick-witted, sharp, brave, handsome and gallant Nguyen Thanh Luan. Together with other teammates, especially his wife Thuy Dung, also a female intelligence officer (played by actress Thuy An and singer Thanh Lan), Colonel Nguyen Thanh Luan coordinated well, smoothly, overcame all challenges and doubts of the enemy to successfully carry out the assigned missions.

With an engaging and compelling script, a cast of actors who act in harmony, good music, and many beautiful scenes, The Upside Down Card has created a strong attraction for audiences right after its release. The film has continuously won prestigious awards. Notably, this is also the most successful role of actor Nguyen Chanh Tin in his acting career with the role of Colonel Nguyen Thanh Luan.

Minh Ngoc

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202504/xem-lai-nhung-bo-phim-kinh-dien-ve-chien-tranh-viet-nam-e3c3a5e/