Heartbreak Ridge
Poster of the film Heartbreak Ridge
Directed by	Clint Eastwood
Produced by	Clint Eastwood Fritz Manes
Written by	James Carabatsos Joseph Stinson
Starring	Clint Eastwood Marsha Mason Everett McGill Mario Van Peebles
Music by	Lennie Niehaus Desmond Nakano
Cinematography	Jack N. Green
Editing by	Joel Cox
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date(s)	December 5, 1986
Running time	130 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$15,000,000 (estimated)
IMDb profile

Heartbreak Ridge is a 1986 film, starring Clint Eastwood (who also produced and directed) and Mario Van Peebles, about the 1983 U.S. invasion of Grenada, West Indies. A portion of the movie was filmed on the island itself. ImageMetadata File history File links Heartbreak_Ridge-_1986. ... This article is about the actor/producer/director. ... This article is about the actor/producer/director. ... This article is about the actor/producer/director. ... Marsha Mason with Richard Dreyfuss in The Goodbye Girl Marsha Mason (born April 3, 1942, St. ... Everett McGill (born October 21, 1945) is an American actor. ... Mario Van Peebles (b. ... Lennie Niehaus is an American alto saxophonist, arranger, and composer. ... “WB” redirects here. ... is the 339th day of the year (340th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about motion pictures. ... This article is about the actor/producer/director. ... Mario Van Peebles (b. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... Combatants  United States  Antigua and Barbuda  Barbados  Dominica  Jamaica  Saint Lucia  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines  Grenada  Cuba Commanders Ronald Reagan Joseph Metcalf H. Norman Schwarzkopf Hudson Austin Pedro Tortolo Strength 7,300 Grenada: 1,500 regulars Cuba: about 722 (mostly military engineers)[1] Casualties 19 killed; 116 wounded[2... The Caribbean or the West Indies is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. ...

The title comes from the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge, fought during the Korean War in 1951 by soldiers of the U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division, along with those of the French Battalion, against the North Korean Army. The character played by Eastwood was awarded the Medal of Honor as a result of his heroic actions there. In the film, he is a tough, grizzled Marine Gunnery Sergeant, with several wars and many battles under his belt. The Battle of Heartbreak Ridge was a month long battle in the Korean War. ... Combatants United Nations:  Republic of Korea,  Australia,  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Canada,  Colombia,  Ethiopia,  France,  Greece,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands,  New Zealand,  Philippines,  South Africa,  Thailand,  Turkey,  United Kingdom,  United States Medical staff:  Denmark,  Australia,  Italy,  Norway,  Sweden Communist states:  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,  Peoples Republic of China,  Soviet Union Commanders... The 2d Infantry Division is a formation of the United States Army. ... The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. ... A Marine is an elite warrior whose primary function is to serve aboard a ship and/or assault the land from the sea in amphibious warfare. ... Gunnery Sergeant insignia (U.S. Marine Corps) Gunnery Sergeant is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Marine Corps, just above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant and First Sergeant, and is a staff non-commissioned officer. ...

Plot

Gunnery Sergeant Thomas "Gunny" Highway (Eastwood) is nearing mandatory retirement from the Marines. He finagles a transfer back to his old unit. On the bus trip to his new assignment, he meets fellow passenger 'Stitch' Jones (Mario Van Peebles), a flashy wannabe rock musician who stiffs him for a meal at a stop and steals his bus ticket, leaving him stranded. Mario Van Peebles (b. ...

When Highway finally arrives at the base, more bad news awaits. His new commanding officer, Major Malcolm Powers (Everett McGill), is an Annapolis graduate who transferred over from Supply and has not had "the privilege" of combat. He sees Highway as an anachronism in the "new" Marine Corps, and assigns him the reconnaissance platoon. "Recon" is made up of undisciplined, undertrained Marines whose previous platoon sergeant had allowed them to slack off. Among his new charges, Highway finds none other than a dismayed Corporal Stitch Jones. Everett McGill (born October 21, 1945) is an American actor. ... City nickname: Americas Sailing Capital Location in the state of Maryland Founded 1649 Mayor Ellen O. Moyer (Dem) Area  - Total  - Water 19. ... Look up Logistics in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Highway quickly takes charge and begins forcing the men to shape up. They make a last-ditch attempt to intimidate Highway with the gigantic, heavily-muscled Swede Johanson (Peter Koch), but their plan fails miserably and they eventually begin to shape up and develop esprit de corps. Peter Koch (born January 23, 1962) is a former NFL football player and American actor. ... Esprit de Corps might refer to: Esprit de Corps - state of mind, Morale. ...

Highway repeatedly clashes with Powers and Staff Sergeant Webster (Moses Gunn) over his unorthodox training methods (even firing off an AK-47 at his men to familiarize them with the weapon's distinctive sound); however, he is supported by his old comrade-in-arms, Sergeant Major Choozoo (Arlen Dean Snyder), and his nominal superior officer, the awkward and inexperienced Lieutenant Ring (Boyd Gaines). Powers makes it clear that he views Highway's platoon as only a training tool for his own elite outfit. After Highway's men learn that he had been awarded the Medal of Honor in the Korean War, they gain new respect for him and close ranks against their perceived common enemy. Moses Gunn (October 2, 1929 – December 16, 1993) was an American actor. ... Avtomat Kalashnikova model 1947 g. ... This article is about a military rank and position. ... Boyd Gaines is an American actor born on May 11, 1953. ... The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. ...

Highway also has more personal problems. Aggie (Marsha Mason), his ex-wife, is working as a waitress in a local bar and dating the owner, Marine-hating Roy Jennings (Bo Svenson). Highway attempts to adapt his way of thinking enough to win Aggie back, even resorting to reading Cosmopolitan magazine to gain insights into the female mind. Initially, Aggie is still bitter over their failed marriage, but tentatively reconciles with Highway. Then Highway's unit is activated for the invasion of Grenada. Marsha Mason with Richard Dreyfuss in The Goodbye Girl Marsha Mason (born April 3, 1942, St. ... Bo Svenson (born 13 February 1944 is a Swedish actor, working in the US. Selected filmography Kill Bill, Vol. ... June 1936 issue Cosmopolitan is a magazine for women, sometimes referred to as Cosmo, which has been published for more than a century. ...

Highway's platoon is dropped by helocast in advance of the main force. Highway improvises, ordering "Stitch" Jones to use a bulldozer to provide cover for his men so they can advance on and destroy an enemy machine gun nest. Next, they rescue American students from a medical school. When they are trapped in a building by an armored car and infantry, with their radio out of commission, they use a telephone to call in air support. In combat, Lieutenant Ring shows previously unsuspected leadership qualities and gains the confidence of the men. Later, despite Powers' explicit orders to the contrary, they take a key position - a historical fort. When Powers finds out, he bawls them out and threatens Highway with a court-martial, but his commanding officer (Colonel Meyers) arrives and reprimands Powers for discouraging initiative and fighting spirit. Colonel Meyers also commends Lt. Ring for a job well done. A Marine exits a CH-46 during helocast operations. ...

When Highway and his men return to the U.S., they are met by a warm reception. Aggie is there to welcome him back. To Highway's mock dismay, Stitch informs him that he is going to make a career for himself in the Marines.

Government involvement

In the original script, Highway was a career Army officer. The U.S. Army read the script and refused to participate. The character was then changed to a marine. (This raised some conceptual difficulties, given that the title refers to a battle that primarily involved the U. S. Army. The Marine Corps first cooperated with the film project, planning to use it to promote its "Toys for Tots" campaign, but upon viewing a first cut, quickly disowned the film because of the language. Nevertheless, members of the Marine Corps have vouched for the film's authenticity. The US Defense Department originally supported the film, but withdrew its backing after seeing a preview in November 1986. A 2004 survey showed that since then many people have joined the military because of the attitudes and ideals this film encompasses.

Historical inspiration and accuracy

The sequence involving the bulldozer is based on a real event involving General John Abizaid, former commander of US Central Command (July 2003 - March 2007). "In the U.S. Invasion of Grenada in 1983, Abizaid improvised an attack on a Cuban bunker by having his unit take cover behind a charging bulldozer. The episode was depicted in the 1986 movie Heartbreak Ridge, with actor Clint Eastwood portraying Abizaid."^[1] John Philip Abizaid (born April 1, 1951) is a retired General in the United States Army and former Commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), overseeing American military operations in a 27-country region, from the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, to South and Central Asia, covering much... Emblem of the United States Central Command. ...

The American attack on Grenada is in some respects accurate, although U.S. Army Rangers, not Marines, secured the University medical school. The scene in which Lieutenant Ring must resort to using a credit card in order to communicate with his commanders was also based on real-life events.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ St. Petersburg Times, September 3, 2006

Logo of the St. ...

External links

• Heartbreak Ridge at the Internet Movie Database

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