Popular Culture Review Vol. 8, No. 2, August 1997 | Page 61

Bom on the Fourth of July

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attention to the dark, brutal side of the war in Vietnam. Stone has
been described as "adept at embodying significant issues in the form
of slick, briskly paced narratives."^® Platoon and Born on the Fourth
of July serve as grim reminders of Vietnam.
As a director. Stone has been successful in drawing attention
to the atrocities of Vietnam, perhaps because of his first-hand
experience. Stone served in Vietnam and, like thousands of veterans,
he returned home only to face rejection by the American people. Stone
also experienced the reluctance of Hollywood studios to support
production of Vietnam War films, as he sought financial support for
Born on the Fourth of July. Three days before production was
originally scheduled to begin, financing for the project fell apart.
Stone was forced to postpone the project until he completed several
other films.^^ Finally, Stone convinced Universal Studios to produce
Born on the Fourth of July, which was released in late 1989. Thus,
even as the Vietnam War became a part of American history rather
than a daily event witnessed on the television screen, the film
industry hesitated over the mixture of controversy and ticket sales.
The story told in Born on the Fourth of July was first
published in 1976. Authored by Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic, the
novel chronicles the saga of his tour of duty, beginning with the
exchange of gunfire which left Kovic permanently paralyzed. In
contrast to the film version, which uses a chronological order of
events, the novel interweaves the events of his recovery and return to
America with flashbacks of his childhood.
The film version of Born on the Fourth of July was a
collaborative effort between Stone and Kovic, telling Kovic's story
through a collage of American pop culture experiences/® Growing up
in the Long Island area of New York, Kovic watches the movie The
Sands of Iwo Jima, and is surrounded by the music of "Soldier Boy,"
"Moon River," and "The Times They Are A-Changing." A child of
the 1960s, Kovic watches John Kennedy's inaugural address on
television, while his mother dreams of the day that her son will be
famous. Strong religious values and patriotism guide Kovic's family
life. His belief in duty to one's country leads him to join the Marines.
Tragedy strikes during Kovic's second tour of duty when he is
involved in a raid on a village of innocent women and children. In the
confusion of this battle, Kovic kills a fellow U.S. soldier. Later,
Kovic falls victim to enemy fire, a scene which is shown in a powerful