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poster of Heartbreak Ridge
Rating: 6.868/10 by 1022 users

Heartbreak Ridge (1986)

A hard-nosed, hard-living Marine gunnery sergeant clashes with his superiors and his ex-wife as he takes command of a spoiled recon platoon with a bad attitude.

Directing:
  • Clint Eastwood
  • Michael Looney
  • Lloyd Nelson
  • Paul Moen
  • L. Dean Jones Jr.
Writing:
  • James Carabatsos
  • Joseph Stinson
  • Dennis Hackin
Stars:
Release Date: Fri, Dec 05, 1986

Rating: 6.868/10 by 1022 users

Alternative Title:
O Destemido Senhor da Guerra - BR
Kartelio ketera - LT
El guerrero solitario - AR
Wzgórze Złamanych Serc - PL
Wzgórze Rozdartych Serc - PL
Le Maître de Guerre - FR
El sargento de hierro - ES

Country:
United States of America
Language:
Español
English
Runtime: 02 hour 10 minutes
Budget: $15,000,000
Revenue: $42,700,000

Plot Keyword: war veteran, patriotism, recruit, battle assignment, marine, platoon, combat, military, us military

Clint Eastwood
Gunnery Sgt. Tom 'Gunny' Highway
Everett McGill
Major Malcolm A. Powers
Moses Gunn
Staff Sergeant Webster
Mario Van Peebles
Corporal 'Stitch' Jones
Eileen Heckart
Little Mary Jackson
Bo Svenson
Roy Jennings
Boyd Gaines
Lieutenant M.R. Ring
Arlen Dean Snyder
Sergeant Major Choozoo
Ramón Franco
Private Aponte
Begonya Plaza
Private Aponte's Wife
Peter Jason
Major G.F. Devin
Mike Gomez
Private Quinones
Rodney Hill
Private Collins
Peter Koch
'Swede' Johanson
Richard Venture
Colonel Meyers
J.C. Quinn
Quartermaster Sgt.
John Eames
Judge Zane
Timothy Fall
Kid in Jail
Jon Pennell
Jail Crier
Trish Garland
Woman Marine Officer
George Hartmann
Bar Tough Guy
Darwyn Swalve
Bar Tough Guy
Steve Halsey
Bus Driver
Rebecca Perle
Student in Shower
Annie O'Donnell
Telephone Operator
Michael Maurer
Bouncer in Bar
Tom Ellison
Marine Corporal
Russell Appling
Dock Marine (uncredited)
Stan Rodarte
Dancer in Bar (uncredited)
Tom Willett
Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Michael George
Musician (uncredited)

Wuchak

***A more comedic version of “The Dirty Dozen,” but taking place in 1983 and starring Clint Eastwood*** Clint Eastwood’s "Heartbreak Ridge" (1986) stars Eastwood as a tough, soon-to-retire Marine gunnery sergeant who conflicts with the brass and his former-wife (Marsha Mason) as he takes command of a spoiled recon squad. The platoon is eventually deployed to Grenada in late October, 1983, in order to prevent a communist takeover and rescue some med students. Thirteen years after “The Dirty Dozen,” Eastwood recycles the plot and adds a lot of hip comedy. Although it’s not a great military flick like “Dozen” it has its points of entertainment, but you have to roll with the odd mixture of believable military training drama with heavy doses of amusement, mainly revolving around the cartoonish character of Cpl. Stitch Jones, played with fervor by Mario Van Peebles. If you can acclimate to this odd mixture, there’s a lot to enjoy here. It helps that the movie hooks you in with the opening jail fight involving the hard-living Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Highway (Eastwood). His reunion with his ex-wife and their potentially developing relationship is another hook. Some parts are kinda meh, but there’s enough good here if you’re in the mood for a military training flick in the form of “The Dirty Dozen” meeting “Top Gun” (1987) mixed with an edgier version of Gomer Pyle. The film runs 2 hours, 10 minutes and was shot at Camp Pendleton, Southern Cal, as well as Santa Clarita (café), San Clemente (bar), El Toro (airfield homecoming) and Vieques, Puerto Rico (Grenada). GRADE: B-

John Chard

Crusty Clint is still not to be messed with. One of Clint Eastwood's most accessible 80s movies, Heartbreak Ridge sees the gruff actor on very fine form, this even though the "war is hell" core that fills out the last quarter via a rather silly gun toting rescue mission in Grenada does lack conviction. The film wins its stripes courtesy of James Carabatsos' razor witty script and the sub plot involving ex wife Aggie (Marsha Mason). For all its macho posturing and training routine shenanigans (you will wish we could have stayed at boot camp once Grenada arrives), at its heart is a very tender movie about a man who can't let the career go, and simultaneously the wife (ex) who simply lived hell each day as her man was off at war (Korea/Vietnam et al). That said, it's the comedy that has made the film one of the most quoted film's of big Clint's career. Be it Eastwood himself tossing off witty put downs to his rag tag band of men, or the likes of Mario Van Peebles hilariously looking like some punk version of Michael Jackson, there's a lot of fun to be had in every other frame. There's even a guy here whose thighs are bigger than Sly Stallone! So yes there's many stereotypes here, none more so than Everett McGill's fresh out of school prig Major Powers, and for sure the ending is never in any doubt what so ever. But get in line and enjoy the fun whilst noticing that it does have under the surface themes well worth time investment as well. 7/10

r96sk

'Heartbreak Ridge' is a rather good war film, one I enjoyed a fair bit. Clint Eastwood, to no-one's surprise, is the best performer from the onscreen talent, though I did like the support cast - namely Mario Van Peebles, Boyd Gaines and Arlen Dean Snyder. The plot is, although obvious in where it is heading, fun and holds one's attention. The score doesn't particularly stand out but there is one part around the middle which is neat. Some of the dialogue is a little cringe, but there are some good lines in there for Mr. Eastwood to quip.


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