Sunday, March 10, 2019

Jan Michael Vincent in "Tribes" (1970)


"A Marine Corps drill instructor who is disgusted by the fact that the Corps now accepts draftees finds himself pitted against a hippie who has been drafted but refuses to accept the military's way of doing things."


Tribes (1970)

Tribes, also known as The Soldier Who Declared Peace (UK), is a 1970 American television drama film broadcast as an ABC Movie of the Week directed by Joseph Sargent. A big ratings success when it first aired November 10, 1970 (which happened to be the Marine Corps' 195th birthday).


Plot

Private Adrian, a young United States Marine Corps Vietnam war era draftee who, despite being an anti-war hippie, reluctantly reports to boot camp to fulfill his duty as an American.


Adrian excels as a leader, though his pacifist ideology presents continuing conflicts between himself and his superiors. Adrian's drill instructor, Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Drake quickly recognizes Adrian's leadership qualities, but is conflicted as he grows to respect Adrian while also realizing that he represents everything Adrian opposes. At one point, Adrian points out that his love of meditation is similar to Drake's drawing to relax, indicating a sketch of a flying bird. Both are ways of finding freedom. Drake responds angrily, denying that he had drawn the picture.


Throughout the training, the Chief Drill Instructor, and Drake's superior, Master Sgt. Frank DePayster, takes an instant dislike to Adrian. He repeatedly argues with Drake about him, claiming that the fact that the man is performing all of his assigned tasks is not enough. He considers Adrian's attitude grounds enough for him to be set back and placed in the Motivational Platoon, a disciplinary unit for problem recruits. Drake disagrees and allows Adrian to continue training through to graduation, at one point personally bringing him back after he deserted. However, DePayster had gone behind Drake's back by filing a complaint against them both with the Company Commanding Officer. Without Drake's approval, the CO removed Adrian, placing him in the Motivational Platoon under DePayster. Drake accuses DePayster of carrying out a personal vendetta, to which DePayster replies "I'll forget I heard that."

Drake takes the drawing of the bird from his desk drawer and hangs it up, thus signifying his own method of rebellion and freedom. The platoon graduates without Adrian. As Drake awaits a new batch of recruits, DePayster informs him that Adrian went "over the hill" during the night.


Cast

Darren McGavin as Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Drake
Earl Holliman as Master Sgt. Frank DePayster
Jan-Michael Vincent as Adrian
John Gruber as Quentin
Danny Goldman as Sidney
Richard Yniguez as Sanchez
Antone Curtis as Marcellus
Peter Hooten as Scrunch
David Buchanan as Armstrong
Ric Weaver as Morton


Awards

Tribes received three Primetime Emmy Awards for Sound Editing (Don Hall, Jack Jackson, Bob Weatherford and Dick Jensen, sound editors), Film Sound Mixing (Theodore Soderberg, mixer) and Original Teleplay (Marvin Schwartz and Tracy Keenan Wynn, writers). It was also nominated for Directorial Achievement in Drama (Joseph Sargent).

Tribes was ranked the 8th best boot camp movie by Screenjunkies.

- Wikipedia


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