I worked as an extra on the film. I was looking for work and a neighbor told me about a casting agency that was looking for extras. The scenes in the prison were filmed in a closed VA hospital in Westwood Los Angeles. The site was chosen because of the architectural similarity to the prison in Hanoi.
One of the perks of working on the film was a POW haircut.
We non union extras were told in no uncertain terms not to bother the actors. One time in the commissary line I was behind Michael Moriarty and another extra I was friendly with struck up a conversation with him. He told Michael that he had been an extra serving as a juror on a courtroom drama that Michael had filmed. Michael remembered him and chatted with him amiably. Later that day that extra got a 'bump' arranged by Moriarty. He was given a speaking line which gave him the right to get a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) card which is required to work as an actor. That extra had an ambition to be an actor so it was a huge step forward to get the SAG card. I always liked Moriarty as an actor but since that day I've liked him as a human being.
The scene of the prisoners being run through Hanoi was filmed in an industrial area south of downtown LA.
The scene of the prisoners waiting for the plane to take them home was filmed at an air base east of LA. Leo K. Thorsness, a retired air force colonel, who was a consultant on the film was present for the filming at the air base and much of the filming in Westwood. Thorsness had been shot down over North Vietnam in April 1967. He was released in March of 1973. He was tortured in captivity.
The plane landing to take the prisoners home was provided by the air force. The plane touched down and taxied on the runway long enough to be filmed then took off to return to its own base. We were told it was the same kind of plane that picked up the first batch of prisoners to be released. I got a kick out of the arid Southern California mountains in the background devoid of vegetation. In Southeast Asia every inch of every hill is covered with vegetation.
We filmed in the fall of 1983. I believe the film was played in sneak previews in several locations around the country and was wildly cheered by the audiences. The left wing press stepped up a campaign to trash the film. If I'm correct it was never released to theaters and was eventually released to video.
One of the perks of working on the film was a POW haircut.
We non union extras were told in no uncertain terms not to bother the actors. One time in the commissary line I was behind Michael Moriarty and another extra I was friendly with struck up a conversation with him. He told Michael that he had been an extra serving as a juror on a courtroom drama that Michael had filmed. Michael remembered him and chatted with him amiably. Later that day that extra got a 'bump' arranged by Moriarty. He was given a speaking line which gave him the right to get a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) card which is required to work as an actor. That extra had an ambition to be an actor so it was a huge step forward to get the SAG card. I always liked Moriarty as an actor but since that day I've liked him as a human being.
The scene of the prisoners being run through Hanoi was filmed in an industrial area south of downtown LA.
The scene of the prisoners waiting for the plane to take them home was filmed at an air base east of LA. Leo K. Thorsness, a retired air force colonel, who was a consultant on the film was present for the filming at the air base and much of the filming in Westwood. Thorsness had been shot down over North Vietnam in April 1967. He was released in March of 1973. He was tortured in captivity.
The plane landing to take the prisoners home was provided by the air force. The plane touched down and taxied on the runway long enough to be filmed then took off to return to its own base. We were told it was the same kind of plane that picked up the first batch of prisoners to be released. I got a kick out of the arid Southern California mountains in the background devoid of vegetation. In Southeast Asia every inch of every hill is covered with vegetation.
We filmed in the fall of 1983. I believe the film was played in sneak previews in several locations around the country and was wildly cheered by the audiences. The left wing press stepped up a campaign to trash the film. If I'm correct it was never released to theaters and was eventually released to video.