director = Brian De Palma producer = Art Linson="hiddenStructure" Brian De Palma Brian De Palma (born September 11, 1940 in Newark, New Jersey) is an American film director. ...

Casulaties of War
Trailer	{{{trailer}}}
Directed by	{{{director}}}
Produced by	{{{producer}}}
Written by	Daniel Lang (novel), David Rabe (screenplay)
Starring	Michael J. Fox, Sean Penn director = Brian De Palma producer = Art Linson
Music by	Ennio Morricone
Cinematography	{{{cinematography}}}
Editing by	{{{editing}}}
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Released	August 18, 1989
Running time	{{{runtime}}}
Language	English
Budget	$22,500,000
Preceded by	{{{preceded_by}}}
Followed by	{{{followed_by}}}
IMDb profile

Casualties of War is a 1989 war movie about the Vietnam War, starring Michael J. Fox and Sean Penn. It was directed by Brian De Palma, with a screenplay by David Rabe. A film poster for Casualties of War, contended as fair use. ... David William Rabe (born March 10, 1940 in Dubuque, Iowa) is an American playwright and screenwriter. ... Michael J. Fox on the cover of his book, Lucky Man Michael J. Fox (born June 9, 1961) is a Canadian-born actor, made famous by his roles as Marty McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy and as Alex P. Keaton on the sitcom Family Ties. ... Sean Penn at Cannes, 2000 Sean Penn (born August 17, 1960 in Santa Monica, California) is an American film actor. ... Brian De Palma Brian De Palma (born September 11, 1940 in Newark, New Jersey) is an American film director. ... Ennio Morricone Ennio Morricone (born November 10, 1928) is an Italian composer, especially noted for his film scores. ... The Columbia Pictures logo, since 1996. ... August 18 is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Film refers to the celluloid media on which movies are printed. ... The Vietnam War or Second Indochina War was a conflict between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN, or North Vietnam), allied with the Communist World, namely the Soviet Union and Red China against the Republic of Vietnam (RVN, or South Vietnam), and its allies — notably the United States military... Michael J. Fox on the cover of his book, Lucky Man Michael J. Fox (born June 9, 1961) is a Canadian-born actor, made famous by his roles as Marty McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy and as Alex P. Keaton on the sitcom Family Ties. ... Sean Penn at Cannes, 2000 Sean Penn (born August 17, 1960 in Santa Monica, California) is an American film actor. ... Brian De Palma Brian De Palma (born September 11, 1940 in Newark, New Jersey) is an American film director. ... David William Rabe (born March 10, 1940 in Dubuque, Iowa) is an American playwright and screenwriter. ...

A squad of American soldiers loses one of its members in a village which is believed to be an ally to the Viet Cong. In retaliation, the squad kidnaps a Vietnamese girl to be their sexual slave, much to the objection of one soldier (Michael J. Fox) who wants no part of it and tries vehemently to stand for the girl's rights. This is all quashed by the likes of the squad's psychopathic leader (Sean Penn), who frequently antagonizes the hero for his conscience. During a firefight, they viciously murder the girl to avoid being discovered by their superiors. After the battle, they cover up the murder but the soldier (Fox) refuses to let the secret die, and jeopardizes both his life and military career (thanks in large part to indifferent superiors who prefer to bury the matter) to expose the squad . A Viet Cong soldier, heavily guarded, awaits interrogation following capture in the attacks on Saigon during the festive Tet holiday period of 1968. ... Michael J. Fox on the cover of his book, Lucky Man Michael J. Fox (born June 9, 1961) is a Canadian-born actor, made famous by his roles as Marty McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy and as Alex P. Keaton on the sitcom Family Ties. ... Sean Penn at Cannes, 2000 Sean Penn (born August 17, 1960 in Santa Monica, California) is an American film actor. ...

John C. Reilly and John Leguizamo co-star as members of the squad. John C. Reilly John Christopher Reilly (born May 24, 1965 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American actor of Irish and Lithuanian descent from the South Side of Chicago. ... John Leguizamo (born July 22, 1964 in Bogotá, Colombia), is a Colombian-American comedian, actor and producer of partial Puerto Rican extraction currently working in the Hollywood film industry. ...

The film is about how normal moral behavior is discarded during war times and shows it in the extreme when soldiers become savages who can dehumanize innocent by-standers. The film is also about personal responsiblity for maintaining that morality in extreme conditions.

The film was a departure for Fox who had worked with light-hearted comedy up untill that point. It proved he was capable of handling 'heavy' dramatic roles.

External links

• Casualties of War at the Internet Movie Database
• Brian De Palma at the Internet Movie Database
• Casualties of Genre, Difference, and Vision: Casualties of War essay at 24 Lies A Second