The Tribe

As an ex-Marine, I was keenly interested in seeing this movie of the week rerun when it aired, I think at 2 am, but what the heck I was on night shift anyway.

First off, I liked it, I really liked it and not because it "took sides" because frankly I don't think it did. A VERY young Jan-Michael Vincent played the part of a spacy draftee quite well and Darren McGavin was his usual excellent self. Parts of the film were filmed at MCRD (Marine Corps Recruit Depot) in San Diego, with real recruits going through drill training on the grinder. Even though it was filmed at the height of the Vietnam war, politics was left out of the film, but they did manage to show the conflict between the hippie and the more conventional recruits.

The best performance though was from Earl Holliman in my opinion. He played the hard-ass DI to the hilt and provided the strongest contrast to the hippie's live-and-let-live anarchy, even stronger than McGavin's character.

The movie didn't offer answers, nor did it preach about who was right and who wasn't (maybe that was the point anyway, nobody is really 100% "right" in any conflict).

I saw this when I was 14 in 1970 and it had a big impact on me. Everything about it was excellent. Special kudos to Vincent for insisting they shave his actual hair for realism. (I read about that in one of the teen magazines of the time, lol)

Anyone interested in the late 60s early 70s "hippie" movement should watch this, and anyone who wonders about the military's methods of transforming ordinary citizens into military personnel. As other reviewers have noted, this film doesn't take sides, but presents a sympathetic view to both the DI and the drafted hippie, and protrays them both as willing and able to see other points of view. A good film for parents to watch with teens; it will lead to interesting discussions.

In 1970 the United States Marine Corps did for the first time in its 194 year old history draft men for the corp. That's how come a long haired hippie wound up at the training base with long hair and a poncho. This counter-cultural chap Adrian comes face to face with a tough but honest DI played by Darren McGavin who has a softer, more human side under his " I'm a Marine and that's all I am" hardshell leatherneck persona Adrian doesn't conform and uses yoga (which he teaches to the other men) to deal with marine corp training. The made for tv movie has an interesting ending I would give this movie **** four stars

I was a mere 12 years old when I first viewed this film back in 1970 and I loved it. It now reminds me of a future "Full Metal Jacket" without the profanity and violence that that film carried some 17 years later. All the performers, Vincent, McGavin and Holliman were simply all superb. Being a retired military man now, I can highly appreciate military films and "Tribes" will always be amongst those that stand out. This was one truly superb film and I highly recommend it. Although Vincent went on to become a big star in major motion pictures and the TV series "Airwolf", it was shameful that his career was cut short due to his addiction to drugs and alcohol. Nevertheless, this film will always be a memorable one for me indeed. It would be interesting to have this film come out on DVD with comments from all three leading actors and the director.

I saw this movie when it came out 35 years ago (has it really been that long?). Most memorable scene was the one in which free spirit hippie Jan-Michael Vincent was forced to hold up two full buckets of water (one in each hand) shoulder high as punishment by taskmaster Darrin McGavin. Vincent turned the tables by meditating on a carefree afternoon spent frolicking on a sun-dappled hillside with a comely young miss. His blissed-out state enabled him to maintain the buckets aloft indefinitely. This naturally drove the by-the-book McGavin to distraction. Enjoyed the culture clash theme. Exemplary writing, directing, and especially acting (McGavin superb as the grizzled DI, and Vincent at his charismatic best).