Introduction

In Love and War (1987) is a Vietnam war-based thriller/drama television film starring James Woods and Jane Alexander.

Refer to In Love and War (1958), (1996), (2001), (2011), and (2018).

• 

• 

• 

Outline

In Love and War is an account of US Navy Commander James Stockdale’s eight year imprisonment in North Vietnam as a prisoner of war. During his confinement in sub-human living conditions within such camps as the infamous “Hanoi Hilton”, Stockdale, amongst other American prisoners, led a resistance group against the North Vietnamese, facing torture, isolation, and starvation in attempts to break their wills. Meanwhile, back in America, Stockdale’s wife, Sybil, begins working with other POW wives to try to get information on their husbands and to inform the world on their treatment.

Cast

• James Woods as James Stockdale.
• Jane Alexander as Sybil Stockdale.
• Concetta Tomei as Doyen Salsig.
• Richard McKenzie as Boroughs.
• James Pax as Rabbit.
• Haing S. Ngor as Major Bui.
• Jon Cedar as Bud Salsig.
• Sally Klein as Allison Decker.
• Stephen Dorff as Stan Stockdale (age 9).
• Lillian Lehman as News Anchorwoman.
• Lou Fant as Sidney Bailey.
• Leo Geter as Mike Haggerty.
• Raymond Ma as Pig Eye.
• Steven Vincent Leigh as Big Ugh.
• James Lashly as Chaplain.
• George Milan – Averell Harriman.
• Christopher Michael Moore – Intelligence.
• Brad Finefrock – Sid Stockdale (age 10).
• Christian Hoff – Sid Stockdale (age 18).
• Jamie McEnnan – Stan Stockdale (age 6).
• Christian Jacobs – Jimmy Stockdale (age 14).
• Matt Graber – Taylor Stockdale (age 10).
• John Posey – Pasquarelli.

Release

The film first aired on 16 March 1987, on the National Broadcasting Company Network. It was released in America on VHS via Vidmark Entertainment, and in 1992 via StarMaker Entertainment, Inc. Lions Gate Home Entertainment released a VHS version on 17 May 1993. It was also released on Laserdisc. The only American DVD release was on 16 November 2009, via FremantleMedia. In the UK it was released on DVD twice; on 11 August 2003 via Consolidated and on 11 September 2006 via Boulevard Entertainment Ltd.

In Germany, the film’s Cinema VHS release was re-titled P.O.W. – Prisoner of War. The film was also released on VHS in the Netherlands via Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) in 2000, and the company released a DVD version in 2007. Globo Vídeo released the film on VHS in Brazil. The film made its first showing in Greece on Aquarius TV in 2001.

Trivia

• The film is based on the true story of James Stockdale and Sybil Stockdale.
• James Stockdale, a high-ranking naval officer, was held as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, whilst Sybil Stockdale became a co-founder, and then later served as the national coordinator of the National League of Families, a non-profit organisation that worked on behalf of American Vietnam-era Missing in Action and Prisoner of War Families.
• The film’s screenplay was written by Carol Schreder, who was also one of the film’s producers.
• The screenplay was based on the book In Love and War: The Story of a Family’s Ordeal and Sacrifice During the Vietnam Years, which was written by James and Sybil Stockdale themselves.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Paul Aaron.
• Producer(s):
  • Jon Avnet … executive producer.
  • Steven R. McGlothen … associate producer.
  • Carol Schreder … producer.
  • Steve Tisch … executive producer.
• Writer(s):
  • Carol Schreder.
  • Jim Stockdale (book).
  • Sybil Stockdale (book).
• Music:
  • Charles Gross.
• Cinematography:
  • Gayne Rescher.
• Editor(s):
  • Skip Schoolnik.
• Production:
  • Carol Schneider Productions.
  • Tisch/Avnet Productions Inc.
• Distributor(s):
  • National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1987) (USA) (TV) (original airing).
  • Aquarius TV (2001) (Greece) (TV).
  • CEL Home Video (1988) (Australia) (video).
  • Canal+ (1992) (France) (TV) (dubbed version).
  • Crystal Screen Entertainment (1988) (Australia) (video).
  • Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS).
  • Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD).
  • Globo Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS).
  • King Features Entertainment (all media).
  • Multicom Entertainment Group (2019) (World-wide) (all media).
  • VCL Communications (all media).
  • Vidmark Entertainment (1993) (USA) (VHS).
• Release Date: 16 March 1987.
• Rating: 15.
• Running Time: 100 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

Video Link