Hearts and Minds

original title:
Hearts and Minds
country / year of production:
USA / 1974
original length:
112 min. , color
premiere:
F: May 1974, Cannes Film Festival
genre:
Documentary
based on:
director:
Peter Davis
film script:
producer:
cinematographer:
editor:
composer:
cast (role):
more:
plot synopsis:
This film recounts the history and attitudes of the opposing sides of the Vietnam War using archival news footage as well as new film and interviews. A key theme is how attitudes of American racism and self-righteousness militarism helped create and prolong this bloody conflict. The film also endeaveors to give voice to the Vietnamese people themselves as to how the war has affected them and their reasons why they fight the United States and other western powers while showing the basic humanity of the people that US propaganda tried to dismiss.
keywords:
racism , propaganda , civilians , resistance, opposition
war:
Vietnam War (1946-1975)
literature:
David Grosser. „‘We Aren’t Wrong Side, We Are the Wrong Side’. Peter Davis targets (American) hearts and minds“. In: Linda Dittmar/ Gene Michaud (Eds.). From Hanoi to Hollywood. The Vietnam war in American Film. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 1990, 269-283.
remarks:
"Hearts and Minds" won an "Oscar" for best documentary feature of 1974. Instead of an acceptance speech, co-producer Bert Schneider, read a statement from the provisional Vietnamese government. After Mr. Schneider spoke, Frank Sinatra (reading a statement written by Bob Hope) apologized for it.

The title refers to a quote by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964: "The ultimate victory," he said of the war, "will depend on the hearts and the minds of the people who live there".

See also Heather McIntosh's article at:
http://www.realityfilm.com/reviews/heartsandminds.php
availability:
VHS NTSC, DVD