User reviews

Over the top unbelievable film and only worth a watch if there is nothing else you haven't seen before

This is a bad movie cause it doesn't use the story perfectly, this has to be a drama movie more than an action movie, I think that they should have concentrated on the relation brother-to-brother side in this story :this movie shouldn't be a hero story , it should be a family's story ... That's why I think that it's too week ... Don't waste your time with movies like that.

I was Robert Duvall's character coach or model in Harry. He attended my training camp in Alabama in September 1985 before going on down to Vera Cruz Mexico for the location filming.

The major problem with the film was the director(s) and the editing. The actual script wasn't bad. One director quit, and the finishing director cut so much from the film that Duvall tried to keep it from being released, and the director ended up having his own name removed from the film and "Alan Smithee" (a name used to protect the guilty) credited as director.

Virtually all of the training scenes were cut where the plumbers become commandos, and the character development went with it.

Duvall wanted to make a good movie. The script called for his character to give a dying speech after getting shot. When he and I went over the scene, I told him after getting hit the way he was supposed to, he wouldn't be able to say anything. He played it that way.

When I finally saw the film, I was surprised to discover that not only had Duvall followed my advice on how to dress, etc., but that he had adopted my own personal mannerisms and way of talking. He never said anything about doing that.

I was disappointed in the final release, even more than most viewers. I know what's missing.

Frank Camper

In Columbia two Americans get kidnapped. One is the US ambassador and the other a plumber named Harry Burck ( Mark Harmon ) from a small town in Illinois. They are kidnapped by a drug-lord who wants some of his men released from a US jail. Harry's friends go to Washington to try and get the government to do something about it. They are stone-walled. Desperate they hire a mercenary ( Robert Duvall ) and head for Columbia to Harry's rescue! Daft idea huh? Yep. But our brave American heroes are determined to save their friend! It could have been a nice action-movie, but it's pretty bad acted and executed. Most actors are sleepwalking. Only Duvall and Gary Busey give slightly inspired performances. Can't really blame the actors though for this is terribly bad written with no logic or interesting dialog at all. Waste of time I'd say.

It's no wonder this ultra-right wing fantasy never made it to theaters: besides stretching credibility to the outer limits of logic and coherence, it tacitly criticizes the Reagan administration as wimps for not effectively dealing with the threat of terrorism (presumably by nuking them out of their Third World foxholes). Mark Harmon plays an American engineer kidnapped in Bolivia by some very well dressed freedom fighters, prompting his beer-drinking buddies back in Aurora Illinois, to stage a daring paramilitary rescue in the jungles of South America (which look suspiciously not unlike Southern California). Robert Duvall lends the film a token measure of respectability in his role as a hard-boiled soldier of fortune whose blood runs red, white and blue, but Gary Busey steals the show playing a crack shot used car salesman with a streak of sadism. Sam Fuller had a hand in the story, which may explain some of the idiot masculinity, and the director's credit is actually a telltale industry pseudonym used when nobody has the guts to claim responsibility. Tune in the next time it shows up on late-night TV and find out why.

Director Stuart Rosenberg was so dismayed when he surveyed the finished film that he had his name taken off the credits. That should warn you just how bad this cheesy 80s action movie is. But on a certain level, there's a weird, voyeuristic pleasure to be gained from seeing so many good actors struggling with such awful material. Why is a personable leading man like Mark Harmon wasting his time in a badly-written glorified cameo? Why is a rugged, reliable old-timer like Ben Johnson slumming as an embittered father? And - biggest question of the lot - why is a dynamic, Oscar-winning talent as notable as Robert Duvall staining his amazing reputation on such a brainless, gung-ho production?

Harry (Harmon) is an American plumber who has just spent several months working in Colombia on an ambitious major water-plant. The day he is due to return home, he is kidnapped by jungle guerillas who say they will only return him safely if some of their colleagues are released by the American authorities. Since the Americans have no intention of meeting the kidnappers' demands, things look pretty bleak for Harry. Harry's brother can't bear the thought of losing his beloved sibling, so he hires a tough mercenary, Shrike (Duvall), and puts together an unlikely rescue team. Their mission, plain and simple: "Let's Get Harry!"

Coming hot on the heels of other rescue-in-the-jungle films (like Uncommon Valor, Missing in Action, P.O.W - The Escape, and Rambo), Let's Get Harry tries to be different by going for a South American locale instead of Vietnam. However, the story is utterly terrible, with totally unbelievable characters and situations, and an unhealthy attitude towards non-US citizens (who are here portrayed as corrupt, devious, violent, drug-fuelled and expendable). Other than Duvall, the performances are lazy and amateurish. Some reviewers would argue that I'm missing the point, and that the plot and characters have been intentionally sacrificed in the name of cheesy action - but the action is so intermittent (not to mention poorly filmed) that the film is a failure even on "mindless-adventure-movie" level. All things considered, Let's Get Harry can be summed up in three words: bad, bad bad!

Part of the "men-on-a-mission" cycle of the action war films craze during the 80's Era, spreading the jingoistic 'feelgood' of the Reagan Administration, "Let's Get Harry", directed by the veteran filmmaker, Stuart Rosenberg ("Cool Hand Luke", "The Amityville Horror"), tells the story of a group of blue collar workers from the Midwest who hire two Vietnam vets for a mission to rescue the older brother of one of them, held captive in Colombia by a drug dealer.

Rosenberg disowned the film, apparently when the producers took full control over the editing process and the film's direction is then credited to Alan Smithee, the well-known pseudonym used by directors who don't want their involvement in a film.

"Let's Get Harry" starts with a sloppy staged kidnapping scene in Colombia, where Harry Burck Jr. (played by hearthrob Mark Harmon) and an American Ambassador become hostages of Carlos Ochobar and his personal guerrilla, then the movie cuts to a factory situated in Mid-America for the credits roll that looks & feels straight out from a Bruce Springsteen's song.

Harry's younger brother, Corey (played by the 'prince charming' from John Hughes' "Sixteen Candles", Michael Schoeffling), when the U.S. government fails to negociate with the Colombian terrorists, convinces his co-workers and Harry's old buds, Spence (played by the musician / Eagles frontman, Glenn Frey); Kurt (action cult favorite, Rick Rossovich, from "The Terminator", "Top Gun" & "Navy Seals") & Pachowski (Thom "Biff Tannen" Wilson) to "Let's Get Harry" by themselves with the help of an used cars' salesman, Smiling Jack (the scene-stealer Gary Busey from "Big Wednesday", "Lethal Weapon" & "Point Break"), who is funding the rescue, and the guidance & military expertise of a 'Medal of Honor' honoree turned mercenary, Norman Shrike (played by the legendary Academy Award Winner, Robert Duvall).

The movie then moves to Colombia and some of the "Uncommon Valor"'s tried-seriousness went downhill when the things started to look cheap: the sets, the three major supporting actors upstaging the 4 leads (who are the leads anyway ?) and the writing making use of the "suspension of desbelief" to levels beyond imagination (the Duvall character explaining to 3 blue collar guys who had never shot a gun how to fire and 5 minutes later they are all turned into Rambo). It looks like the movie was originally longer to explain some of the plot devices, but key scenes got cut in the editing room for pacing reasons to keep the film in the less than the 100 minutes mark (probably the reason why Rosenberg disowned the film).

It was released in the Halloween day of '86 and was a major flop, both critically and comercially, ending the careers of his rising young stars, especially Thomas F. Wilson and Michael Schoeffling, who had his last breath in Hollywoodland with the sleeper hit, "Mermaids" ('90) before giving up the acting business.

Busey recovered the following year with the major hit, "Lethal Weapon" and Rossovich with "Roxanne". Duvall went unaffected due to his status, but started taking only supporting parts.

In short, "Let's Get Harry" works as a piece of pure escapism (like watching a Cannon Group action flick with a bit more money spent), it got plenty of 80's 'feelgood' moments: the true friendship, the patriotism, the moral, the 'cheese', the 'on-liners' and an adequate synthesizer orchestration provided by Brad Fiedel (from "The Terminator" fame), that all together can put a big smile on the face of an 80's enthusiast.

7.5 / 10 in my book.

Yes, it's a real Alan Smithee film, and it's pretty obvious why Stuart Rosenberg did not want to be associated with this dud. Basically an opportunity for pure hearted Young White Americans to pound the bejesus out of filthy Brown Skinned Drug Dealers, this Reaganesque paean to Manifest Destiny is boring and offensive. Avoid at all costs, unless you're a member of Aryan Nation.

Fun action flick with great performances by Busey,Harmon and Duval. Predictable cheese with explosions. Definitely worth a look.

this is just another movie about the evil Colombian guerrillas and the brave American heroes. bloody as it can be the movie only portraits the "bad" part of a beautiful country. I don't think it is well done as a movie or that it shows in anyway the reality of a country like Colombia which, constantly improves and shows to be winning the fight against terrorism and drug dealers. I also find it extremely utopic and epic, yet it is your choice to watch it or not. The whole movie revolves around friendship, but it shows a lot more than that. Just know that Hollywood is not showing the reality of those third world countries and that those kind of movies offend many people around the world.

Let's Get Harry is an excellent action movie, as far as low-budget, throwaway action movies go. Don't expect state-of-the-art special effects, a deep and meaningful plot, or Oscar-winning performances by any of the stars (however, it should be noted that Gary Busey, arguably, gives one of his best performances). What you will find, however, is a movie that will entertain fans of the genre for 102 minutes. Basically, it is a Charles Bronson movie without Charles Bronson. As for racial insensitivity, anyone that finds insensitivity within this movie is not a true fan of the genre and probably ought to stay away from action movies in general, as any movie where white people aren't being slaughtered is offensive to them. The purpose of Let's Get Harry is to entertain, not to provide thought-provoking insight into US/Colombian relations.

A fine bunch of plumbers... reminds me of the watergate crowd ... robert duvall is absolutely awful and so is gary busey ... the rest are cry babies ... ben johnson was good as the boy's father and mark harmon was totally pathetic as the plumber that couldn't produce ... typical state department approach to anything in colombia ...

The cast and the plot outline suggested an action-packed thriller. Instead, through a lack of intelligence, or just laziness, we get a cartoon,filled with irksome inconsistencies...examples-they're captured and thrown in a hellhole prison, but manage to keep coke, cigarette lighters a large,fresh cigar and wardrobe changes, for later use. with no obvious bulges in their pockets, or travel gear of any kind, they find seemingly endless ammo clips They are able to survive without water(no canteens), and constantly endanger the mission with meaningless tantrums. Finally,successfully, they return home in triumph to be greeted by a bunch of people we've never seen before, or merely in passing. Lives were lost,but no one seems to care or remember.

Even for me, a waste of time.

I was very disappointed with this poorly written effort that ended up being click bait. I've always said that a great cast of actors couldn't save a poor screenplay and this is one of them. I doubt if anyone involved in the production of this likes to talk about it. However, many did go on to become some really good artists in their own right and the successful ones will tell you never turn down anything, at least that's what Eric Roberts says and he has 760 credits on IMDB, maybe more by the time this gets posted. I guess the real reason I was disappointed with this is because I have seen all of these actors do much better work.

A group of Illinois metal workers decide to take the law in their own hands when the brother of one of them is kidnapped in Columbia by drugs smugglers. The government refuses to help so the men decide to launch an operation to free their friend/brother. So the director had his name replaced by the occasionally used Alan Smithee pseudonym. It seems that the director Stuart Rosenberg and the producers got into a fight during post production.

Maybe the producers ( who won) should have listened to the director. Because this is not a very good movie. It would have been interesting to see a seasoned mercenary, played with gusto by Robert Duvall train the Illinois rookies. But those scenes where all cut. The dialogues are not very good but the aforementioned Duvall, Gary Busey and Glenn Frey deliver good performances. But it is all rather mediocre and not very exciting.

(1987) Let's Get Harry WAR/ ACTION

You know when a movie is bad when the original director by the name of Stuart Rosenberg refused to be credited as director and uses the pseudo name "Allan Smithee" instead.. You know a movie is bad when respected actor Robert DuVall demands to leave the film early and they do it by killing his character in the most idiotic manner. You know a movie is bad when the only good acting one can get from this film are Gary Busey and Robert DeVall. Stupid movie with a lot of sub par acting with Glenn Fry (The Eagles) who should stick with his singing, he stars as Spence as one of 4 American brothers or friends attempting to travel to South America, Columbia to save their brother, Harry Burck Jr. (Mark Harmon) from the captured who kidnapped him and another person for an exchange of some prisoners held up by the United States gov't, since they refuse any type of negotiations. If there was any reason to watch this, it would be for the action toward the end which're done better on other films.

Mark Harmon, Gary Busey and the great Robert Duvall all give fine performances in this film. It is a good action flick that keeps you on the edge of your seat and makes you cheer for the good guys and the red white and blue. There are so many what you could call hidden "subliminal" messages in this film. There is a message in this film about the power of friendship, these men are willing to risk their lives to save their friend. This film sort of reminds us of people left behind like POWs in Vietnam. I like the fact the bad guy in this film is a scummy drug dealer who gets it in the end. Drug dealers are scum and murderers to me, they need to be wiped out! Gary Busey has been trashed enough for what he has done in his personal life, that is irrelevant. He is a fine actor who does good work. He is really funny in this film and steals the show. Robert Duvall is a GIANT in his field. This man was even in the Guiness Book of World Records as one of the most versatile actors of all time, he can play any role and play it well you would not even recognize him in one role from another. I really loved Saving Silverman because the message in the film was about friendship, the question HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO HELP A FRIEND???What a wonderful message! This film asks it as well. The blood and guts and shooting and explosions will keep you awake and on the edge of your seat, but the message will make you think after the credits are over. This film came out soon after Rambo: First Blood Part II did. It was when the country was experiencing a wave of patriotism. People realized they treated the Vietnam vets badly when they came home. They spit on them and called them baby killers. It was a horrible time for our country and we realized our wrongs at last. This film brings the message home that we must never do it again. Lets Get Harry won't be considered a classic film, but it is well worth your while to watch it.

I was afraid to see this as here has 5,1 and only 19 reviews... all this would lead to a terrible movie. Instead when I saw it a month ago I found myself in the minority as I liked it very much.

American engineer Harry Burck (Mark Harmon) is in Colombia for the opening of his company's pipeline. Unfortunately a group of rebels arrive for kidnapping an American diplomat and in the process, Harry is also kidnapped. News arrive to his brother Corey and his friends Bob (Thomas F. Wilson), Kurt (Rick Rossovich) and Spence, that soon discover that the kidnapping of Harry was orchestrated by drug lord Carlos Ochobar. Before heading to Colombia they enlist the help of car salesman Jack (Gary Busey) and mercenary Norman Shrike (Robert Duvall), that gives the group some basic training in military tactics. Once there they encounter resistance, spend one night in jail because they are set up by one of Shrike's contacts and taken to a plane (all but Kurt escape from it). When they finally reach Ochobar, there is a big shootout (where Norman and Jack are killed) and save Harry, and before leaving they make the camp explode.

So, does it deserve the hate and bad reviews? Absolutely not! The acting, while not outstanding, is very good. Robert Duvall as usual plays an endearing character (and a bit of a macho too here), Gary Busey gives one of his best performances, and the others (Wilson, Rossovich) are all entertaining. The soundtrack is very soaring, and the action sequences, despite lots of shootouts, explosions and deaths are great and they were justified.

Overall, an action movie much better than its reputation might suggest, and also one that can be enjoyed not only by fans of the genre. Worth watching and a lot of fun.

Does anyone else feel that Gary Busy was blatantly snubbed for an oscar for his role as the psychopathic, trigger-happy cocaine-fiend in Let's Get Harry? I mean, the man is pure genius. And Alan Smithee's flawless directing cannot be ignored. Let's face it--Let's Get Harry is simply one of the best films ever made. This movie has everything: an inexplicable plot, countless killings, a dirtball Columbian drug dealer who makes a fortune off of the work of an old man with alzheimer's who is happy with receiving a carton of cigarettes for a million dollar's worth of coke, and, of course...Busy, inflamed nostrils and all.

A typical mindless entertaining adventure/action film from the 1980's involving a dangerous rescue mission in Colombia with a group of friends (Michael Schoeffling, Thomas F. Wilson, Rick Rossovich and Glenn Frey) who need to rescue the brother of one of them, who got kidnapped by terrorists who want to exchange the man and Americm embassador for political prisoners. The blue-collar guys get the assistance of a war veteran (Robert Duvall) and a local car salesman (Gary Busey) who enjoys going on hunting trips. One can't go wrong with such a plot, you're probably sold with that.

But "Let's Get Harry" isn't much concerned about the action and perhaps that's its strongest point in a way but at the same time it can disappoint those in need for a "Commando" type of movie. The dramatic efforts of rescuing the poor man is interesting, specially when the friends and the man's brother keep discussing who's going with the mission and who's not, and that gorup's dynamic was good to follow but it's only when mystery man Duvall appears and gets hired by the group is that when things get really exciting.

I don't understand why the great director Stuart Rosenberg ("Cool Hand Luke", "Brubaker") was so embarassed by the picture. It's a little obvious that he had to give more room to Mark Harmon (the kidnapped man) who was becoming a huge TV star and his character in the movie was originally to be shown near its conclusion rather than showing the kidnapping and some thrilling moments where his life is put a risk. Rosenberg always managed to extract great performances from his actors and the majority of them are pretty good (I was surprising with Glenn Frey, he was awesome as the cocaine addict buddy). But if the idea of using Harmon for many scenes was the director's main objection I think he should really swap roles in this brothes case. Michael Schoeffling is an interesting face, but he was better suited for heartrob roles rather than an action star - as evidenced by his memorable roles in "Sixteen Candles" and "Mermaids". There were moments where his acting was so stiff and unconvincing that it was hard to watch. Had Harmon given that role of group leader the movie would be a lot better.

One can have some easy fun with the adventure and thrilling sequences despite many unbelievable moments or some sequences where you just get mad with the characters reactions (poor guy panicked out of nowhere and it cost someone's life for nothing. Ugh). As for the cliched message of Americans taking over drug lords/terrorists from third world countries with their unique strength rather than getting the aid from the government and army was just one of those silly ideas Hollywood has managed to sell time and again. It works sometimes and there was some fun to be found here. 8/10.

My review was written in May 1987 after watching the movie on HBO/Cannon video cassette.

"Let's Get Harry" is a well-made, but utterly routine action picture released by TriStar last October ahead of its current home video status. Pic is worth catching for two excellent (as usual) supporting performances by Robert Duvall and Gary Busey. Director Stuart Rosenberg took his name off the credits, reportedly due to a contretemps during post-production (pic was lensed in Mexico and Illinois in 1985).

Project originally was planned as a film by Samuel Fuller, writing and directing, in 1981; he is credited with co-writing the story. It's the trite concept (almost identical to another current release, Vestron''s "Nightforce") pf a grpi[ pf upimg gius. ;ed bu <ocjae; Scjpeff;omg. Deciding to take matters into their own hands to go to Colombia to rescue Schoeffling's brother Harry (Mark Harmon). Kidnapped along with the U. S. ambassador (Bruce Gray) by terrorists. These "terrorists" are actually drug dealers, holding the twosome hostage until their fellow dealers are released from prison.

Picture follows rigidly the cliches of this mini-genre: the old hand mercenary (Robert Duvall) who takes the youngsters under his wing; the hands-are-tied government official ("we don't negotiate with terrorists under any circumstances" is the policy line) and stereotyped bad guys. There's even a totally illogical female role written in, played by Elpidia Carrillo, who is cast in virtually every south-of-the-border Hollywood movie.

Fortunately, film is redeemed somewhat by Duvall, with shaved head and authoritative theping, as a gung ho medal-of-honor winner shaded differently than his similar roles in "Apocalypse Now" and "The Great Santini". Busey is also delightful as a smooth-talking car dealer who agrees to bankroll the mission if he can come along for a "hunting trip". Unfortunately both Duvall and Busey eventually are written out of the scenario, and the film dies without them around.

Lead roles are colorless, with Schoeffling doing an okay job but singing star Glenn Frey making little impression as one of his pals. Rugged he-man Rick Rossovich is cast against type as the wimp of the group.

A plot similar to this film was hatched by H. Ross Perot, as written in the book "On the Wings of Eagles," by Ken Follett about a situation in Iran which was very similar to this movie. To me this film really didn't have hardly anything to do with race, I think the reviewer may be reading a little too much into the plot. For a small action movie, this film was interesting and entertaining. The performance of Robert Duvall is understated and sublime, offset by the tailor-made role of the used car salesman, played by Gary Busey. It seems that Busey really didn't have to stretch his acting skills too much for this role, but it was fun to watch.