Introduction

A Soldier’s Sweetheart is a 1998 television film directed by Thomas Michael Donnelly and starring Kiefer Sutherland, Skeet Ulrich, and Georgina Cates.

It is based on a short story by Tim O’Brien, “Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong.”, which was also the working title. The story was part of his award-winning book, The Things They Carried (1990).

Outline

An Army medic brings his girlfriend to stay with him at an out of the way Vietnam outpost in 1967, the woman disappears one day and he begins searching for her.

Cast

• Kiefer Sutherland as Rat Kiley.
• Skeet Ulrich as Mark Fossie.
• Georgina Cates as Marianne Bell.
• Daniel London as Eddie Diamond.
• Louis Vanaria as Bobbie D.
• Lawrence Gilliard, Jr. as Shoeshine.
• Christopher Birt as Lieutenant Mitchell Sanders.
• Tony Billy as Soldier #2.

Release

The film is only available on VHS, and a petition has been set up at IMDb urging the companies that own the rights to the film to consider reissuing it in DVD format. It was also premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival in 1998. The film received a theatrical release in Belgium in 2010.

Awards

A Soldier’s Sweetheart was nominated for two awards. One Primetime Emmy Awards for “Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special” and one Golden Reel Awards for “Best Sound Editing – Television Movies of the Week – Dialogue & ADR”.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Thomas Michael Donnelly.
• Producer(s):
  • William S. Gilmore … producer.
  • Marianne Moloney … executive producer.
• Writer(s):
  • Tim O’Brien (short story).
  • Thomas Michael Donnelly (teleplay) (as Thomas M. Donnelly).
• Music:
  • Gary Chang.
• Cinematography:
  • Jacek Laskus.
• Editor(s):
  • Anthony Sherin.
• Production:
  • Showtime Networks.
  • Moloney/Donnelly Productions.
• Distributor(s):
  • Paramount Pictures (1998) (USA) (theatrical) (Seattle International Film Festival).
  • Showtime Networks (1998) (USA) (TV).
  • Argentina Video Home (1999) (Argentina) (VHS).
  • Paramount Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (VHS).
  • Paramount Home Entertainment (Netherlands) (VHS).
  • Paramount Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS).
  • RTL Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL5).
  • United International Pictures (UIP) (1999) (Argentina) (all media).
  • WOWOW (2000) (Japan) (TV).
• Release Date: 08 June 1998 (Seattle International Film Festival, US).
• Rating: 15/R.
• Running Time: 112 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

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