June 7, 01 - Hal Moore thanks Randy for effort on the movie (click
here)
February 7, 2001:
Letter from Randy Wallace, the Screenwriter and
Director, about the film:
The Wheelhouse
15464 Ventura Boulevard
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403-3002
Randall Wallace
7 February 2001
To all men who fought in the Ia Drang Valley, November 1965, and their
families.
Gentlemen,
As many of you have already heard, we are preparing to make a film version of
Hal Moore and Joe Galloway's book WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE...AND YOUNG.
I am the writer of the screenplay for the film, and also the director. Mel
Gibson is set to play the lead role as Lt. Col. Moore, and Mel's company,
Icon, and mine, The Wheelhouse, are producing the film, in association with
Paramount Pictures.
As you can imagine, this is an enormously ambitious undertaking. As the
prologue of Hal and Joe's landmark book states, "Hollywood has gotten the
story of the Vietnam veteran wrong every damn time, whetting the knives of
twisted politics on the bones of our dead brothers."
Well this time we mean to get it right.
Whether we achieve that goal will be judged by many people: a worldwide
audience; a collection of film critics; our families and friends; but most of
all we will be judged by you whose lives were so personally intertwined with
the events of the Ia Drang Valley.
For whatever success we achieve, there will be many people to thank; but blame
for however we fall short will rest on my shoulders since I'm the director of
the film and the one who first asked Hal and Joe to let me make this movie. I
accept this responsibility; I welcome it; I'm deeply proud of their trust, and
I hope to earn yours.
Therefore, I want to be up front with all of you. This film is not a
documentary. The story of what happened in the Ia Drang Valley in 1965 has
been documented in many ways already. What we are making now is a
dramatization that sets out to do what those other ways of telling your story
could not: to capture the subjective experience of that war. It is not meant
to tell the story of each individual, or to capture the same kind of truth a
documentary would.
This is not to say that any of us making the film are unconcerned with
accuracy. Some of the finest film making talents in the world are involved
with this production, and we are going to great length to capture the real
experiences of you and your buddies and loved ones. The main difference in our
approach and that of other media is that in making feature films, we are out
to communicate on an emotional level, to communicate emotional truth. Most
stories of Vietnam emphasize tragic dimensions, dimensions which are true. But
there is more truth than just the tragedy, and this story celebrates the truth
of love, loyalty, and heroism.
To tell the story of all, I must leave out the details of some. The book
documents the heroism of many; the movie will focus on a few particular
characters, and even those characters will be combinations of traits and
actions that existed among many characters.
An example of this is the fact that the movie will focus on LZ X-Ray. The
events of LZ Albany, its heroism and its tragedy, are alluded to, but are not
the focus of the narrative of this movie. And even within the telling of the
events of LZ X-Ray, the heroic acts of so many of you cannot be specifically
detailed.
This is not because any of us lack reverence for your courage, or have any
desire whatsoever to celebrate some and ignore others. It is simply the only
effective way, in my judgment, to make a film that will communicate clearly
and most powerfully the greater message that those who fought in Vietnam, and
those who fought the emotional wars at home by loving and longing and grieving
for those who fought, were heroes.
So that is our goal. From you who have already given so much, I ask more: I
ask for your understanding, your faith, and your prayers.
And if you feel over-looked or slighted because your name or your particular
acts of heroism are not specifically portrayed in this film, I ask your
forgiveness.
But I will take what comes. I am inspired by your example, by you who gave
your fullest measure of courage and commitment and have lived by the light of
your own example.
I salute you.
Best regards,
Randall Wallace
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