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The Boys in Company C

  • 1978
  • R
  • 2h 5m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
3.8K
YOUR RATING
The Boys in Company C (1978)
In 1967, five young men undergo boot camp training before being shipped out to Vietnam. Once they get there, the experience proves worse than they could have imagined.
Play trailer2:21
1 Video
33 Photos
DramaWar

In 1967, five young men undergo boot camp training before being shipped out to Vietnam. Once they get there, the experience proves worse than they could have imagined.In 1967, five young men undergo boot camp training before being shipped out to Vietnam. Once they get there, the experience proves worse than they could have imagined.In 1967, five young men undergo boot camp training before being shipped out to Vietnam. Once they get there, the experience proves worse than they could have imagined.

  • Director
    • Sidney J. Furie
  • Writers
    • Rick Natkin
    • Sidney J. Furie
  • Stars
    • Stan Shaw
    • Andrew Stevens
    • James Canning
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.9/10
    3.8K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Sidney J. Furie
    • Writers
      • Rick Natkin
      • Sidney J. Furie
    • Stars
      • Stan Shaw
      • Andrew Stevens
      • James Canning
    • 64User reviews
    • 22Critic reviews
    • 62Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:21
    Official Trailer

    Photos33

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    Top cast36

    Edit
    Stan Shaw
    Stan Shaw
    • Tyrone Washington
    Andrew Stevens
    Andrew Stevens
    • Billy Ray Pike
    James Canning
    James Canning
    • Alvin Foster
    Michael Lembeck
    Michael Lembeck
    • Vinnie Fazio
    Craig Wasson
    Craig Wasson
    • Dave Bisbee
    Scott Hylands
    Scott Hylands
    • Capt. Collins
    James Whitmore Jr.
    • Lt. Archer
    Noble Willingham
    Noble Willingham
    • Sgt. Curry
    R. Lee Ermey
    R. Lee Ermey
    • Sgt. Loyce
    • (as Lee Ermey)
    Santos Morales
    • Sgt. Aquilla
    Drew Michaels
    • Col. Metcalfe
    Karen Hilger
    • Betsy
    Peggy Neal
    • Nancy Bisbee
    • (as Peggy O'Neal)
    Claude Wilson
    • Roy Foster
    Chuck Doherty
    • George Pike
    Israel Cisco Oliver
    • Spoon
    • (as Cisco Oliver)
    Stan Johns
    • Receiving Sergeant
    Don Gordon Bell
    Don Gordon Bell
    • Junior D.I
    • (as Don Bell)
    • Director
      • Sidney J. Furie
    • Writers
      • Rick Natkin
      • Sidney J. Furie
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews64

    6.93.7K
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    Featured reviews

    gazzo1

    Loved this movie

    I loved it, and guess having been a soldier, I got the humor of it. Everyone compares it to "Full Metal Jacket" but "Three Kings" reminded me more of it.

    I have to have this one in my DVD collection. I was told that it was done and released as a very limited number.
    8tjnzski

    The original Full Metal Jacket

    This is one of my favorite movies. The film has a good storyline. Actor, Stan Shaw did an excellent job in his role as Tyrone Washington. He went on to perform another great acting job in "The Great Santini". The boot camp scenes where spot on authentic with the Drill Instructors. Reminded me of my bootcamp when I entered the Air Force. R Lee Emery does a great job in his first movie but my favorite drill instructor in the film is the Puerto Rican Gunney that rips the new recruits a new one. Amazingly, a lot of people don't know about this film. In my view, it's one of the most entertaining military/Viet Nam movies that have ever been made. Great movie!
    7jddreyer

    Worth seeing

    An interesting war film that is mostly overlooked by Full Metal Jacket fans. Stan Shaw gives a good performance that when I which makes me wonder we he hasn't had a bigger career.

    This movie shares the soccer connection with the Caine/Stallone movie "Victory" (1981/I). I actually think the soccer scenes were better done in Company C.

    Nonetheless this movie is an interesting choice which any war movie buff should not miss...
    6peter_nilsson88

    An uneven Vietnam War Movie, but with some Shining Moments

    The Boys in Company C is a very uneven movie, which makes for a mixed experience. R. Lee Ermey does his iconic drill instructor role 9 years before Full Metal Jacket which in itself makes this movie a must watch!

    Stan Shaw is perfect for the Lead Role as Tyrone (and as a side note: My God can the man sing!) and the other main characters are good for their roles.

    Sadly the script is underwhelming and a bit unbelievable at times with countless insubordinations and dangerous acts which would make for court martial 10 times over for each of the main characters. The acting is not good for the emotional scenes and although the setting and scenery is well done, other aspects like explosions and fighting falls very short. The story never really evolves and comparing to later Vietnam war movies it's not anywhere close.

    Still, there are some shining moments: The beginning is good, boot camp is great and R. Lee Ermey is awesome, the initial scenes in Vietnam are good and Stan Shaw is almost too good for this movie, but again, the movie sadly never lifts.

    Yes, the body count insanity is shown in a good way which I like, but this drowns on the otherwise inconsistent script.

    I'm impressed with a movie like this coming out just 5 years after USA left Vietnam, and that they casted an African American as the Main Lead, and I'm sure it was a good movie at the time it came out.

    Watch it if you're a fan of Vietnam War movies, but don't expect another Full Metal Jacket or Platoon.
    9sol-

    My brief review of the film

    Even though the low budget of this film shows through at times, it still manages to be a compelling and intense portrayal of the whole experience of being sent to Vietnam, right from boot camp up to fighting. It really feels like one is there is at times, and it is fascinating to watch the changes that characters undergo in the course of the film. The symbolic soccer themes and ideas do not always work, but they still retain some power. The camera-work and editing suits the project fine, and the film also has an excellent, haunting song, "Here I Am", to go with the material. It is quite similar in many ways to 'Full Metal Jacket', and even though the technical side and acting might be inferior here, this is still one hell of a fine movie depicting the experiences of being involved in war from a recruit's point of view.

    Best Emmys Moments

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    Related interests

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    Drama
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    War

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      R. Lee Ermey was completely unaware that Stan Shaw had a butterfly knife in his shirt pocket in the recruit receiving area. When Shaw pulls the knife out what you see is Ermey's actual reaction.
    • Goofs
      DI SSgt Loyce (played by Lee Ermey) picks up the platoon of recruits at receiving as a Sgt, but is later seen as a SSgt with no explanation as to why or when he was promoted.
    • Quotes

      SSgt. Aquilla: [the Boys have just arrived for Boot Camp] Hey goddamnit! You with the fuckin pretty face! What the hell are you spitting on the ground for, what is that shit in your mouth?

      Pvt. Billy Ray Pike: Chewing tobacco sir.

      SSgt. Aquilla: Its what?

      Pvt. Billy Ray Pike: Chewing tobacco sir!

      SSgt. Aquilla: What the hell are you doing with chewing tobacco in your mouth?

      Pvt. Billy Ray Pike: I don't know sir, I chew when I play baseball.

      SSgt. Aquilla: Do you think this looks like a baseball stadium?

      Pvt. Billy Ray Pike: No Sir it doesn't.

      SSgt. Aquilla: Then what the hell are you chewing tobacco for? Did you get on the wrong fucking train, or did they draft you!

      Pvt. Billy Ray Pike: No sir, I enlisted Sir!

      SSgt. Aquilla: You did what?

      Pvt. Billy Ray Pike: I enlisted in the Marines Sir!

      SSgt. Aquilla: What the hell would you do a crazy thing like that for?

      Pvt. Billy Ray Pike: [pause]

      SSgt. Aquilla: Answer me goddamn it!

      Pvt. Billy Ray Pike: I wanna be a Marine sir!

      SSgt. Aquilla: What the hell for?

      Pvt. Billy Ray Pike: So I can fight for my country sir.

      SSgt. Aquilla: Fuckin turd! Right now I can't stand to look at you! Sergeant get this shit out of my fucking face!

    • Alternate versions
      German version was edited in a couple of areas to get a "not under 16" rating. Only in 2013 was the uncut version released on DVD and Blu-ray in Germany with the same "not under 16" rating.
    • Connections
      Featured in Hollywood Vietnam (2005)
    • Soundtracks
      Here I Am
      Words & Music by Craig Wasson

      Performed by Craig Wasson (uncredited)

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    FAQ16

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 2, 1978 (United Kingdom)
    • Countries of origin
      • Hong Kong
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Die Boys von Kompanie C.
    • Filming locations
      • Philippines
    • Production companies
      • Golden Harvest Company
      • Good Times Films S.A.
      • Paragon Films Ltd.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 2h 5m(125 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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