John Wayne’s Controversial Foray Into Vietnam War Cinema: The Story Behind One of the First Films on the Conflict, the Criticism It Faced, and Roger Ebert’s Scathing Zero-Star Review
John Wayne, a Hollywood titan synonymous with rugged individualism and American patriotism, was no stranger to war films. Having starred in classics like The Sands of Iwo Jima and The Longest Day, Wayne had built a legacy portraying heroic soldiers in conflicts that shaped modern history. However, his attempt to tackle the Vietnam War with the 1968 film The Green Berets would become one of the most polarizing moments of his career.
Lauded by some as a patriotic ode to American troops and derided by others as propaganda, The Green Berets was one of the first Hollywood films to address the Vietnam War. Critics lambasted it for its oversimplified portrayal of a deeply complex conflict, and Roger Ebert famously gave the movie a scathing zero-star review. Despite its polarizing reception, the film offers a fascinating glimpse into the cultural and political climate of the late 1960s and Wayne’s own staunch beliefs about America’s role in the world.
The Genesis of The Green Berets: John Wayne’s Mission
By the mid-1960s, the Vietnam War was becoming a defining issue for the United States. As protests against the war mounted and public opinion began to shift, John Wayne, a vocal supporter of U.S. involvement in Vietnam, felt compelled to take a stand. He believed Hollywood had a duty to support the war effort and counter the growing anti-war sentiment in the country.
Wayne, a staunch conservative and proud patriot, saw the conflict in Vietnam as a crucial battle against the spread of communism. Dissatisfied with the way the war was being depicted—or ignored—by Hollywood, he decided to produce and direct a film that would serve as a rallying cry for American resolve. Alongside screenwriters James Lee Barrett and Col. Kenneth B. Facey, Wayne adapted The Green Berets, a 1965 book by Robin Moore that chronicled the experiences of the elite U.S. Army Special Forces in Vietnam.
For Wayne, the project was more than just another war movie—it was a deeply personal statement. He financed much of the film himself and even sought support from President Lyndon B. Johnson, who allegedly encouraged the production as a means of boosting public morale. Wayne’s passion for the project was evident, but so too was his determination to present the war on his terms: as a clear-cut battle between good and evil.
The Plot: Heroes, Villains, and Simplistic Narratives
The Green Berets follows Colonel Mike Kirby (played by Wayne) as he leads a group of U.S. Special Forces soldiers on a mission to combat North Vietnamese forces and train South Vietnamese allies. The film is divided into two main storylines: the construction and defense of a strategic base in South Vietnam and the rescue of a captured American officer. Along the way, the movie introduces a variety of characters, including a skeptical journalist who gradually comes to support the war effort after witnessing the heroism of American soldiers.
The film portrays the conflict in starkly black-and-white terms. The U.S. troops are noble and self-sacrificing, the South Vietnamese villagers are grateful and virtuous, and the North Vietnamese forces are depicted as ruthless aggressors. Missing from the narrative are the complexities and moral ambiguities that defined the Vietnam War—a conflict mired in questions about colonialism, national sovereignty, and the ethics of U.S. intervention.
The Backlash: Critics Slam The Green Berets
Upon its release in 1968, The Green Berets faced intense criticism. By this time, the Vietnam War had become a deeply divisive issue in America, and the film’s unabashedly pro-war stance struck many as tone-deaf. Critics accused it of being little more than propaganda, designed to bolster support for a controversial and increasingly unpopular war.
Roger Ebert, then a young film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, delivered one of the most blistering reviews. He gave the movie zero stars, writing, “The Green Berets simply will not do as a film about the war in Vietnam. It is offensive not only to those who oppose American policy but even to those who support it. It simply lies.” Ebert took issue with the film’s romanticized portrayal of the war and its lack of nuance, arguing that it presented a distorted and misleading view of a conflict that was far more complex.
Other critics echoed Ebert’s sentiments. Pauline Kael of The New Yorker called it “a grotesque parody of the truth,” while The New York Times described it as “insensitive and absurd.” Many pointed to specific scenes as particularly egregious, such as the infamous moment when the sun is shown setting over the South China Sea—a geographic impossibility given Vietnam’s location.
Public Reaction: A Divided Audience
While critics panned The Green Berets, it found an audience among certain segments of the American public, particularly those who supported the war effort. For these viewers, the film was a patriotic affirmation of their beliefs and a tribute to the bravery of U.S. soldiers.
However, the film also became a lightning rod for controversy, sparking protests at some screenings and heated debates about Hollywood’s role in shaping public opinion. Its release coincided with a period of intense social upheaval in the United States, marked by anti-war demonstrations, the civil rights movement, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. In this volatile context, The Green Berets felt, to many, like a relic of an earlier era—a simplistic narrative at odds with the messy realities of the world.
John Wayne’s Defense of the Film
John Wayne, ever the staunch defender of his vision, dismissed the criticism as politically motivated. In interviews, he argued that The Green Berets was intended to honor the soldiers fighting in Vietnam and to offer a counterpoint to what he saw as biased, anti-war propaganda in the media. “We’re trying to show the positive side of what America is doing in Vietnam,” he said. “The men who are over there deserve our support.”
Wayne’s defense did little to sway his detractors, who continued to view the film as overly simplistic and jingoistic. However, his unwavering commitment to the project underscored his deep belief in its message, even in the face of overwhelming criticism.
Legacy: A Polarizing Piece of Cinema
More than five decades later, The Green Berets remains a polarizing film. For some, it is a misguided attempt to glorify an unjust war, emblematic of Hollywood’s tendency to oversimplify complex issues. For others, it is a heartfelt tribute to the soldiers who fought and died in Vietnam, deserving of respect despite its flaws.
What is undeniable is the film’s historical significance. As one of the first major Hollywood productions to address the Vietnam War, The Green Berets set the stage for future films that would grapple with the conflict in more nuanced ways, such as Apocalypse Now and Platoon. It also marked a pivotal moment in John Wayne’s career, highlighting both his strengths as a filmmaker and the limitations of his worldview.
In the end, The Green Berets serves as a reminder of the power of cinema to reflect—and shape—the cultural and political debates of its time. Whether viewed as propaganda or patriotism, it stands as a testament to John Wayne’s determination to use his platform to fight for what he believed in, even if the critics were not on his side.
