History Film / TheGreenBerets

* BiasSteamroller: John Wayne thought that this was why the film received such negative reviews; the media weren't criticizing the film so much as the war itself.

* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Played straight; Creator/GeorgeTakei plays as a handsome South Vietnamese commander, and his Viet Cong counterpart is anything but.

* RetIrony: Captain Coleman falls afoul of the going to go home version

* ExecutiveMeddling: The Pentagon requested edits to the script so that it showed the South Vietnamese as a bigger part of the war effort, and changed the abduction of the North Vietnamese general, which originally featured a cross-border raid into North Vietnam[[note]]Such raids were, of course, happening all the time but they were highly classified.[[/note]].

* ExectuiveMeddling: The Pentagon requested edits to the script so that it showed the South Vietnamese as a bigger part of the war effort, and changed the abduction of the North Vietnamese general, which originally featured a cross-border raid into North Vietnam[[note]]Such raids were, of course, happening all the time but they were highly classified.[[/note]].

* InNameOnly: Although it is an adaptation of a book, the movie uses very little material from the original source. The most notable scene taken from the book was the ending where the team abducts a high ranking North Vietnamese officer using a beautiful woman as bait.

* RetIrony: Colonel Coleman falls afoul of the going to go home version

* IHaveMyWays: Petersen is known for getting stuff he shouldn't have. His room is filled with tons of stuff and even when off of the army base he still manages to smuggle in most of his luxuries. The team ends up using his skills to get their hands on a number of critical supplies that they normally shouldn't have. He manages to get his hands on several extra Heavy Machine guns for the base in a rather hilarious sequence that includes having to explain his methods.

* StrawCharacter: Beckworth is a straw anti-war reporter, who does a complete 180 after seeing the humanitarian work the soldiers do, witnessing a North Vietnamese attack, and understanding why America is fighting.

* ElitesAreMoreGlamorous: Averted by the Green Berets, who portrayed more realistically as advisors and leaders rather than one-man armies.

* IHaveMyWays: Petersen is know for getting stuff he shouldn't have. His room is filled with tons of stuff and even when off of the army base he still manages to smuggle in most of his luxuries. The team ends up using his skills to get their hands on a number of critical supplies that they normally shouldn't have. He manages to get his hands on several extra Heavy Machine guns for the base in a rather hilarious sequence that includes having to explain his methods.

* Retirony: Colonel Coleman falls afoul of the going to go home version

** Captain Coleman: Oh, uh, I noticed a load of corrugated tin has miraculously appeared overnight.
** Capt. Mac-Daniel: Sergeant Petersen provided it.
** Captain Coleman: Well, that's a good man you've got there.
** Colonel Mike Kirby: Sergeant Petersen say where he got it?
** Capt. Mac-Daniel: He, uh, said The Good Fairy left it.
** Colonel Mike Kirby: [smiling] I hope he said The Good Fairy left it, SIR!

** Capt. MacDaniel: Sergeant Petersen provided it.

** Capt. MacDaniel: He, uh, said The Good Fairy left it.

* StrawCharacter: Beckworth is a straw anti-war reporter, who does a complete 180 after seeing the humanitarian work the soldiers do, witnessing a North Vietnamese attack, and understanding why America is fighting.

* JohnWayne: In addition to directing, he played Mike Kirby, one of the main characters.

* BackedByThePentagon: After Wayne bought out Robin Moore, the original author's, share in the production. The Pentagon was trying to prosecute him for revealing classified information.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: A choral arrangement of "Ballad of the Green Berets" used at the beginning.

The film is about a reporter named George Beckworth, who is very critical of the war and is reporting on a group of Green Berets who are about to leave for Vietnam. Initially, he has a low opinion of the "brainwashed" soldiers but when asked if he has ever been to Vietnam, he realizes that he does not really know what the situation on the ground is like and decides to travel there to see the war for himself. When Beckworth gets to Vietnam, he finds that it is nothing like what the critics back home have been saying and is forced to confront his own personal beliefs out in the unforgiving jungle.

A war film released in 1968, directed by none other than Creator/JohnWayne. It was the height of UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar and public opinion in the US was already at the tipping point.[[note]]The Tet Offensive, which began the same year, has been called the point when America lost the war.[[/note]] The Duke was unhappy with the protests and general discontent that surrounded him. In order to counteract that, he decided to make a film about the Army's elite Special Forces, also known by their nickname "Green Berets".

->''One hundred men will test today, but only three win the Green Beret''
->-- '''Barry Sadler''', ''Ballad of the Green Berets''

A war film released in 1968, directed by none other than Creator/JohnWayne. It was the height of the VietnamWar and public opinion in the US was already at the tipping point[[hottip:*:The Tet Offensive, which began the same year, has been called the point when America lost the war.]]. The Duke was unhappy with the protests and general discontent that surrounded him. In order to counteract that, he decided to make a film about the Army's elite Special Forces, also known by their nickname "Green Berets".

* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: A choral arrangement of ''Ballad of the Green Berets'' used at the beginning.
* TagalongKid: Hamchuck.

A war film released in 1968, directed by none other than JohnWayne. It was the height of the VietnamWar and public opinion in the US was already at the tipping point[[hottip:*:The Tet Offensive, which began the same year, has been called the point when America lost the war.]]. The Duke was unhappy with the protests and general discontent that surrounded him. In order to counteract that, he decided to make a film about the Army's elite Special Forces, also known by their nickname "Green Berets".

The film was very controversial for its pro-Saigon and American stance. Critics were upset with how it seemed to [[WarIsGlorious glorify the war]] and painted an overly simplistic picture of what was actually going on. OliverStone was inspired to create ''Film/{{Platoon}}'' after seeing the film and it is partially a response to this one. Incidentally, more than a few currently serving Special Forces soldiers have cited it as an inspiration for their decision to wear the Green Beret.

->-- ''Barry Sadler'', ''Ballad of the Green Berets''