History Film / UnderFire

* DamselInDistress: A GenderFlipped example; Russell gets pinned down by soldiers because HeKnowsTooMuch about [[spoiler:Alex's]] death, and Claire is the one who comes to rescue him.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: The character of [[spoiler:Alex]] is based on Bill Stewart, an ABC correspondent who was murdered by Nicaraguan soldiers (although the government originally claimed it was the Sandinista rebels), which eventually caused [[UsefulNotes/JimmyCarter the Carter administration]] to withdraw support for the Somoza regime, leading to the overthrow of the government, just as in the film. Everything else in the movie is fiction, except for the war and the real people shown (see HistoricalDomainCharacter above).

'''Russell:''' I'd do it again.

[[quoteright:259:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/download_1532.jpg]]
''Under Fire'' is a 1983 political/romantic drama directed by Roger Spottiswoode and starring Creator/NickNolte, Joanna Cassidy, Creator/GeneHackman, Creator/EdHarris, and Creator/JeanLouisTrintignant.

Set during the Nicaraguan Civil War in the 1970's, the film follows Russell (Nolte), a photojournalist, Claire (Cassidy), a radio reporter, and Alex (Hackman), a TV reporter, who are sent to cover the war. The rebels against the Somoza government are led by someone named Rafael, who is never seen but whose face is shown everywhere. Russell wants to get a picture of Rafael because [[GoingForTheBigScoop because he thinks it's a good story]], but it turns out things are a lot more complicated than that. Also, while Alex and Claire were once married, they've now split up, and she and Russell end up falling in love with each other.

Not to be confused with the [[VideoGame/UnderFire video game]], this was one of a number of movies in the 1980's about various conflicts around the globe from the point of view of the reporters covering them, such as ''Film/TheYearOfLivingDangerously'', ''Film/TheKillingFields'', and ''Film/{{Salvador}}''.

-->'''Woman:''' Did you know the man who was killed. (''Claire nods'') 50,000 Nicaraguans have died and now a Yankee. Perhaps now Americans will be outraged at what has happened here.\\

* FakingTheDead: Oates ends up doing this when the Sandinistas bomb a bunch of soldiers he was with. Russell agrees to do so, which comes back to bite him (see NeutralNoLonger below).

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* WhereAreTheyNow: A brief one when Somoza is shown leaving the country; we're told he fled to Miami with his family when the Sandinistas took over, along with the bodies of his father and brother.

* AffablyEvil: Somoza, who honestly believes he's doing good for the people in his country, and is perfectly charming during his interview with Claire.

* ByNoIMeanYes: When Claire and Russell ask Jazy if he's a spy, Jerzy initially denies this, claiming he's just a businessman, but in the course of a long speech he makes to them, he admits yes, he is a spy.

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: President Somoza, of course. There's also a mention of Dennis Martinez, [[UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball a pitcher from Nicaragua who played for the Baltimore Orioles at the time]].

* ByNoIMeanYes: When Claire and Russell ask Jerzy if he's a spy, Jerzy initially denies this, claiming he's just a businessman, but in the course of a long speech he makes to them, he admits yes, he is a spy.
* TheCasanova: Jerzy, even sleeping with Somoza's mistress. This is why, when Claire and Russell break into Jerzy's house, and soldiers come to knock on the door, Claire, who answers the door, is able to send them away by pretending to be one of Jerzy's girlfriends.

* DefiantToTheEnd: Jerzy; even when he's confronted by rebels who are going to kill him, he gives a speech to Claire and Russell [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech telling them how wrong-headed they are]]:

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: The character of [[spoiler:Alex]] is based on Bill Stewart, an ABC correspondent who was murdered by Nicaraguan soldiers (although the government originally claimed it was the Sandinista rebels), which eventually caused [[UsefulNotes/JimmyCarter the Carter administration]] to withdraw support for the Somoza regime, leading to the overthrow of the government, just as in the film. Everything else in the movie is fiction, except for the real people shown (see HistoricalDomainCharacter above).

Not to be confused with the [[VideoGame/UnderFire video game]], this was one of a number of movies in the 1980's about various conflicts around the globe from the point of view of the reporters covering them, such as ''Film/YearOfLivingDangerously'', ''Film/TheKillingFields'', and ''Film/{{Salvador}}''.

Set during the Nicaraguan Civil War in the 1970's, the film follows Russell (Nolte), a photojournalist, Claire (Cassidy), a radio reporter, and Alex (Hackman), a TV reporter, who are sent to cover the war. The rebels against the Somoza government are led by someone named Rafael, who is never seen but whose face is shown everywhere. Russell wants to get a picture of Rafael because [[GoForTheBigScoop because he thinks it's a good story]], but it turns out things are a lot more complicated than that. Also, while Alex and Claire were once married, they've now split up, and she and Russell end up falling in love with each other.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: The character of [[spoiler:Alex]] is based on Bill Stewart, an ABC correspondent who was murdered by Nicaraguan soldiers (although the government originally claimed it was the Sandinista rebels), which eventually caused [[UsefulNotes/JimmyCarter the Carter administration]] to withdraw support for the Somoza regime, leading to the overthrow of the government, just as in the film. Everything else in the movie is fiction, except for the real people shown (see HistoricalDomainCharacter above).

* PrivateMilitaryContractor: Oates is this. At the beginning, when he and Russell meet each other in Chad, Oates claims he's with government soldiers, but when Russell points out they're actually rebels, Oates shrugs. At the end of the movie, when the Nicaraguan civil war is over, Oates tells Russell, "See you in Thailand."