Best movie ever!

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I have heard that this film got some negative reviews when it came out. I am not surprised. It was not politically correct in a movie about this war to present those who served as other than crazies, drug users, etc. The large majority of us weren't. This is not a great film. But. I think it is a really good one. I served in the Navy, and spent time in Vietnam, including at Da Nang (1972). I will tell you that a lot of what you see in this film is fairly realistic, or at least is far more so than what is seen in most "Vietnam movies." I think Cheryl Ladd played a main role in getting this film made. She, Ken Wahl, and the rest of the cast did a first class job. She and they showed high integrity in this film. Another thing different about this film than 90% of the American movies that were made about this war is that it respects those who served. You will care about these characters. It also happens to be a great love story.

I am sure the principal actors did their best, but ultimately they both really lack something...something hard to define.Ladd at least makes me believe she could have been a nurse in Viet Nam. On the other hand, I have trouble believing Ken Wahl made it out of high school, much less made it through medical school, life as an intern, and then independent doctor.Still...their romantic moments are sketchy. They both don't convince me of the "irresistible" attraction. Ladd seems a little too un-emotive and bland...again, probably an accurate portrayal of a war time nurse, forced to distance herself from what she is seeing everyday...thus kind of turning us away from sympathizing with her. By the time she is shaking from her brush with death with the black marketeers her acting seems believable, but just still manages to be cold. Accurate but not endearing. As a side note she looks excellent in a white bra.Ken Wahl. The less said the better. I am sure he is a likable. I can believe that someone saw him and thought "he's going to be a big star!". They were wrong. This movie proved it. This was his vehicle and, maybe it was that huge unibrow, but every time there was a close up of him...the audience probably focused more on that than on his attempts at "emotions". Cheryl Ladd also got her big chance with this...and I suspect she can thank her relationship to the man the production company is named after, Alan Ladd Jr. president/founder of the Ladd Co....her relative by marriage. But in the end there was a reason she was relegated to TV beyond this and it shows up here.The movie was an interesting, but rambling romp. It might have been a sleeper hit or even a regular one...but Wahl and Ladd were not the two actors to put it over the top.

One of the best and least known post Vietnam War movies. Wahl and Ladd are great, and it has a great supporting cast. I love Cyril O'Reilly in this movie, as the Special Operations, semi-psycho Zuma, and he has some of the best lines. He makes a great juxtaposition to Wahl's character.It's amazing how good the filming of the battle scenes are. Much better than a lot of really high budget war films. And, again the supporting cast is absolutely golden (I mean, it's got R. Lee Ermey in it, before he was in Full Metal Jacket, and just as good). Stephen Lee is great, too, and I became a fan of his and Cyril O'Reilly's just from watching this movie.And, the writing, and the story is almost perfect. A war movie that you can watch with your girl and you will both enjoy it.

This thoroughly entertaining movie has two intertwined story lines: a talented Navy doctor (Ken Wahl) trying to save lives while coping with the challenges of working in a war zone, and his involvement with a talented nurse (Cheryl Ladd).Other reviewers have already commented on the superb photographic artistry, so I'll just say that, more than 20 years after first seeing it, what still stands out in my mind is its ending.It's astonishing that (as of June, 2006), Purple Hearts still has not been released on DVD. Until then, you still may be able to rent or buy it on VHS.