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About
A US Army officer, who made a "friendly fire" mistake that was covered up, has been reassigned to a desk job. He is tasked to investigate a female chopper commander's worthiness to be awarded the Medal of Honor. At first all seems in order. But then he begins to notice inconsistencies between the testimonies of the witnesses...
Theatrical
Jul 4, 1996
Box Office
$100.9M
Budget
$46.0M
Return
2.2x
DVD / Blu-ray
Dec 5, 2000
Theaters
2
Director
Edward Zwick
Writer
Patrick Sheane Duncan
Producers
John Davis, Joseph Singer, Debra Martin Chase
Music
James Horner
Studio
Davis Entertainment, Fox 2000 Pictures, Joseph M. Singer Entertainment, 20th Century Fox
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Quotes
See all →Honor, Justice, and Truth in Conflict
Taglines
A medal for honor. A search for justice. A battle for truth.
The First Casualty of War: Truth
Taglines
In wartime, the first casualty is always truth.
A Soldier's Burden of Guilt
Don Boylar
I guess we've been expecting you.
Nathaniel Serling
Ahem. First of all, let me, um. Let me just say that, uh, there was nothing that, uh, Tom and I wouldn't do for each other. Nothing. He was a good soldier. He was like a brother to me. That night, uh, 25 February, there were enemy tanks in our lines. We thought... I... I thought that, uh, Tom's tank was an enemy tank. And, uh... I gave the order to fire. God help me. I, um... Yeah, I killed him. As for the funeral, the lies the Army told, and the lies that I told, to you, I can only beg for your forgiveness. As far as the, as far as that night, um, I guess there's no way that, uh, I can even begin to ask you to forgive me.
Boylar
I know that, but it's a burden you're going to have to put down sometime.
Serling
Thank you, sir.
Heroism in Desperate Circumstances
Tony Gartner
General, Colonel Serling's order to activate lights, was that a standard response to enemy infiltration of the lines?
General Hershberg
At the critical moment, in spite of terrible losses, Colonel Serling didn't hesitate to act. Ordering those tanks to turn on their lights saved the lives of God knows how many of our men. Heroic acts arise out of desperate circumstances.
Gartner
I have no trouble at all believing Colonel Serling is a hero.
Hershberg
Like Captain Karen Walden. Did you know, Mr Gartner, that for the first time, a woman is being considered for the Medal of Honor for her performance under fire? And, um... Colonel Serling is just finishing up the inquiry. How's that going, Nat?
Serling
I think, uh... in order to honor a soldier like Karen Walden, we have to tell the truth, General, about what happened over there. The whole, hard... cold truth. And until we do that, uh, we dishonor her and every soldier who died, who gave their life for their country. My full report, General.
[stands up, walks over to General Hershberg and throws his very thick report on the desk to the general's surprise]
Cast
Full credits →
Denzel Washington
Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling
M
Meg Ryan
Captain Karen Emma Walden
L
Lou Diamond Phillips
Staff Sergeant John Monfriez
M
Michael Moriarty
Brigadier General Hershberg
M
Matt Damon
Ilario
B
Bronson Pinchot
Bruno
S
Seth Gilliam
Stephen Altameyer
R
Regina Taylor
Meredith Serling
Ž
Željko Ivanek
Banacek
S
Scott Glenn
Gartner
T
Tim Guinee
Rady
T
Tim Ransom
Boylar
S
Sean Astin
Patella
M
Mark Adair-Rios
Bobcat 5
N
Ned Vaughn
Chelli
M
Manny Perez
Jenkins
D
David McSwain
Egan
S
Sean Patrick Thomas
Thompson
K
Ken Jenkins
Joel Walden
K
Kathleen Widdoes
Geraldine Walden
