A Bright Shining Lie
Brief Synopsis
True story of Army man John Paul Vann, whose military success provided him the fulfillment he never found in his personal life.
Cast & Crew
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Terry George
Director
Bill Paxton
Lieutenant Colonel John Paul Vann
Amy Madigan
Mary Jane Vann
Eric Bogosian
Doug Elders
Kurtwood Smith
General William Westmoreland
Vivian Wu
Lee
Film Details
Also Known As
Bright Shining Lie
Genre
Adaptation
Drama
Historical
Political
War
Release Date
1998
Production Company
Central Casting, Inc.; Cinema Research Corporation; Cinemobile Productions; Complete Post Australia Pvt. Ltd; Deluxe Entertainment Services Group; Digiscope, Inc.; Electric Picture Solutions; Flash Film Works; HBO Films; HBO Network- Home Box Office; Hbo Entertainment; In Frame Inc; Laserpacific Media Corporation; Otto Nemenz International, Inc.; Planet 10 Post; Sound One; Vs Services
Distribution Company
HBO Home Video
Location
Lompburi, Thailand
Technical Specs
Duration
2h 10m
Synopsis
Based on Neil Sheehan's Pulitzer Prixe-winning book, which tells the true story of John Paul Vann, one of the first U.S. senior military advisers sent to Vietnam. Initially determined to defeat the Communists, Vann soon realized that the way in which the war was being fought made victory impossible. He saw that the U.S. government was supporting a corrupt regime in South Vietnam, which had no intention of carrying out the reforms they espoused. Vann shared this information, becoming a major source for American journalists critical of the war. After he returned home in 1964, Vann became bored with domestic life and returned to Vietnam in 1965 as a civilian to help the war's victims. Following Richard Nixon's election as president, Vann was appointed a civilian general, the first in history, for his efforts. While serving in this capacity, Vann was killed in a helicopter crash in 1972.
Director
Terry George
Director
Cast
Bill Paxton
Lieutenant Colonel John Paul Vann
Amy Madigan
Mary Jane Vann
Eric Bogosian
Doug Elders
Kurtwood Smith
General William Westmoreland
Vivian Wu
Lee
Donal Logue
Steven Burnett
Robert John Burke
Captain Frank Drummond
Harve Presnell
General Paul Harkins
Les J N Mau
General Chin
Pichariva Narakbunchai
Annie
Ed Lauter
General Fred Weyand
James Rebhorn
American Ambassador To Vietnam
Jon Marsh
British Reporter
David Warshofsky
Pike
Xuyen Dangers
School Teacher
John Lafayette
Major Jones
Richard Libertini
Marriage Counselor
Lim Kay Tong
Crew
Brian Bansgrove
Gaffer
Nicholas Beauman
Editor
Joan Bergin
Costume Designer
James Bigwood
Associate Producer
James Bigwood
Unit Production Manager
Murphy Birosall
Adr Editor
P. J. Bloom
Music Coordinator
Lois Bonfiglio
Executive Producer
Steve Borne
Sound Editor
Richard Boue
Stunt Coordinator
Laurie Butler
Associate Editor
Danielle Capawanna
Sound Department
Gary Chang
Music
Colin Chase
Electrician
Kevin Chisnall
Special Effects Supervisor
Gigi Coker
Makeup
Barbra Collins
Casting Associate
Marjorie Connelly
Post-Production Supervisor
Jack Conroy
Director Of Photography
Rosemary Cremona
Assistant Director
Dianne Crittenden
Casting
Kevin Deeth
Other
Pam Demetruis
Adr Editor
Thomas Drescher
Music Editor
Frances Edwards
Publicity
Woradet Emeam
Transportation Coordinator
Randy Feemster
Camera Operator
Wattanan Garuh
Hair Stylist
Terry George
Screenwriter
Charles Graffeo
Gaffer
Paul Guthrie
Camera Operator
Marjory Hahlin
Makeup Artist
Stephen Halbert
Gaffer
Douglas Harlocker
Property Master
Nicholas Hastandrea
Assistant Director
Eric Hedayat
Location Manager
Donovan Howard
Apprentice
Clint Ingram
Special Effects Coordinator
Abhijati Jusakul
Assistant Director
Vasu Kantatham
Construction Coordinator
Frank Keeyer
Gaffer
Evyen Klean
Music Supervisor
Johnny Knight
Construction Coordinator
Nancy Lesser
Publicity
Lisa J Levine
Adr Editor
Tippawan Mamanee
Assistant Director
Tony Martinez
Dialogue Editor
Alex Matcham
Production Accountant
Cory Mccrum-abdo
Post-Production Coordinator
Branka Mrkic-tana
Adr Supervisor
Jeanmarie Murphy-burke
Publicity
Yvette Nabel
Adr Editor
David Novack
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Bob Numbers
Wardrobe Supervisor
Tom Nursey
Art Director
Kitty Olisky
Production Supervisor
Chaloem Paipad
Dolly Grip
Pasiree Panya
Extras Agent/Coordinator
Patricia Pao
Location Casting
Pasakorn Permpoolsap
Property Master
Pita Pestonji
Unit Production Manager (Thailand)
Santa Pestonji
Production Supervisor
Lauren Polizzi
Art Director
Mary Ellen Porto
Dialogue Editor
Somchart Punklaew
Key Grip
Ginny Randolf
Art Director
John Rann
Construction Coordinator
Greg Ricketson
Producer
Dawn Murphy Riley
Production Coordinator
Marie-ange Ripka
Hair Stylist
Phillip Roope
Location Manager
Jac Rubenstein
Dialogue Editor
Griff Ruggles
Transportation Coordinator
Somchai Santitharangkul
Location Manager
Quentin Schaffer
Publicity
Emma Schofield
Assistant Director
Ger Scully
Wardrobe Supervisor
Neil Sheehan
Book As Source Material ("A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann And America In Vietnam")
Victor Sheelehov
Dolly Grip
Steve Sheridan
Color Timer
Adam Slater
Set Decorator
Chesda Smithsuth
Gaffer
Mutita Na Songkla
Wardrobe Supervisor
John F Sprague
Gaffer
Kuladee Suchartanun
Art Director
Barbara Tuss
Script Supervisor
Caroline Usher
Set Decorator
Steve Visscher
Foley Editor
Peter Waggoner
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Graham Walker
Production Designer
Mark James Wasiutak
Boom Operator
Sherry Whitfield
Music Editor
Gary Wilkins
Sound Mixer
Buncha Wongsaichae
Electrician
Film Details
Also Known As
Bright Shining Lie
Genre
Adaptation
Drama
Historical
Political
War
Release Date
1998
Production Company
Central Casting, Inc.; Cinema Research Corporation; Cinemobile Productions; Complete Post Australia Pvt. Ltd; Deluxe Entertainment Services Group; Digiscope, Inc.; Electric Picture Solutions; Flash Film Works; HBO Films; HBO Network- Home Box Office; Hbo Entertainment; In Frame Inc; Laserpacific Media Corporation; Otto Nemenz International, Inc.; Planet 10 Post; Sound One; Vs Services
Distribution Company
HBO Home Video
Location
Lompburi, Thailand
Technical Specs
Duration
2h 10m
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Aired in United States May 30, 1998
Released in United States on Video November 17, 1998
Began shooting October 13, 1997.
Neil Sheehan won the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction.
