Bat*21

Quality 0.50 · 2 views · Updated 2 months ago

1988 film directed by Peter Markle

title: "Bat21" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1988-american-films", "1980s-english-language-films", "1980s-war-adventure-films", "1988-films", "american-aviation-films", "american-war-adventure-films", "english-language-war-adventure-films", "films-about-shot-down-aviators", "films-about-the-united-states-air-force", "films-directed-by-peter-markle", "films-scored-by-christopher-young", "tristar-pictures-films", "vietnam-war-aviation-films", "vietnam-war-films-based-on-actual-events"] description: "1988 film directed by Peter Markle" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat21" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 1988 film directed by Peter Markle ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox film"]

FieldValue
nameBat*21
imageBat twenty one ver1.jpg
captionTheatrical release poster
directorPeter Markle
producerDavid Fisher
Gary A. Neill
Michael Balson
Jerry Reed (executive producer)
based_on
screenplayWilliam C. Anderson
George Gordon
starring{{plainlist
musicChristopher Young
cinematographyMark Irwin
studioVision PDG
editingStephen E. Rivkin
distributorTri-Star Pictures
released
runtime105 minutes
countryUnited States
languageEnglish
gross$3.1 million
::

::callout[type=note] a film ::

| name = Bat*21 | image = Bat twenty one ver1.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = Peter Markle | producer = David Fisher Gary A. Neill Michael Balson Jerry Reed (executive producer) | based_on = | screenplay = William C. Anderson George Gordon | starring = {{plainlist|

Plot

During the last days of the Vietnam War, USAF Lieutenant Colonel Iceal E. "Gene" Hambleton (Gene Hackman), call sign BAT-21 Bravo, is flying aboard an EB-66C electronic warfare aircraft, engaged in electronic countermeasures preparatory to a major bombing strike. Without warning, a number of SA-2 Guideline SAMs are launched from North Vietnam, targeting their aircraft. A massive SAM explosion tears off the tail and Hambleton, in the navigator's position, ejects as the sole survivor of the six-man crew.

While still coming down by parachute, Hambleton makes radio contact with Captain Bartholomew "Birddog" Clark (Danny Glover), the pilot of a Cessna O-2 Skymaster, flying a forward air control mission near where the EB-66 was destroyed. Birddog becomes Hambleton's link to rescue.

Hambleton, an expert on electronic weapons systems and who holds valuable information, is known to the North Vietnamese, who begin an all-out search, attempting to capture him. An effort to steal supplies from Vietnamese villagers is not successful, as Hambleton is discovered and kills an aggressive peasant farmer, apologizing to his grieving family as he escapes.

Knowing that his current location is too dangerous for rescue aircraft, Hambleton devises a plan to reach safer territory. He plots a course to the river which is the boundary of the target area, then communicates his intended path to Clark in a code composed of various golf courses he knows well. This will allow the rescuers to keep track of his progress, making it easier for them to pick him up.

Several attempts are made to recover Hambleton. Two helicopters are lost and members of its crews are killed or captured. Clark ultimately flies a "Huey" helicopter rescue mission, but as he retrieves Hambleton, the pair are shot down by ground fire, with Clark being wounded. An F-100 bombing raid both assists and hinders their progress through the jungle, as North Vietnamese irregulars are trailing them. In the end, Hambleton and Clark are rescued by a USN PCF patrolling nearby on the Cam Lo River.

Historical accuracy

Main article: Rescue of Bat 21 Bravo

Portions of Bat21* were highly dramatized, including the climactic battle. Some characters were composites of real people, while others were created for the film. However, some other details were accurate, including that rescuer Captain Larry Potts was African American.

The actual rescue took over eleven days, during which a major attack was delayed, resulting in numerous South Vietnamese soldiers being killed and wounded. A Forward Air Observer aircraft was shot down and USAF 1Lt Bruce Walker and USMC 1Lt Larry Potts parachuted to the ground safely, eluding capture. In an ensuing attack, six more Americans lost their lives attempting to rescue him.

The North Vietnamese, alerted by the intense efforts to find the flyer, increased their efforts to find Hambleton. Walker was discovered and killed by the Vietnamese forces. During a covert nighttime operation more than 2 mi behind enemy lines, Hambleton was rescued in a land operation by U.S. Navy SEAL Lt. j.g. Thomas R. Norris and VNN Petty Officer Third Class Nguyen Van Kiet.

Cast

  • Gene Hackman as Lieutenant Colonel Iceal Hambleton
  • Danny Glover as Captain Bartholomew Clark (Call sign: "Birddog")
  • Jerry Reed as Colonel George Walker
  • David Marshall Grant as WO1 Ross Carver ('Jolly Green' Pilot)
  • Clayton Rohner as Sergeant Harley Rumbaugh
  • Erich Anderson as Major Jake Scott
  • Joe Dorsey as Colonel Douglass
  • Reverend Michael Ng as Vietnamese Man
  • Theodore Chan Woei-Shyong as Boy on Bridge
  • Don Ruffin as Helicopter Crew Member
  • Scott A. Howell as Helicopter Crew Member
  • Michael Raden as Helicopter Crew Member
  • Timothy Fitzgerald as EB-66 Officer
  • Stuart Hagen as EB-66 Officer
  • Jeff Baxter as Helicopter Gunner
  • Alan King as Helicopter Gunner
  • Bonnie Yong as NVA/VC Officer
  • Willie Lai as NVA/VC Officer
  • Martin Yong as NVA/VC Soldier
  • Jim Aman as NVA/VC Soldier
  • Freddie Chin as NVA/VC Soldier
  • Dennis Chong as NVA/VC Soldier
  • Liow Hui Chun as NVA/VC Soldier
  • Fung Yun Khiong as NVA/VC Soldier
  • Henry Lee as NVA/VC Soldier
  • Michael Lee as NVA/VC Soldier
  • Jeffrey Liew as NVA/VC Soldier
  • Fredolin Leong as NVA/VC Soldier
  • Benedict Lojingkau as NVA/VC Soldier
  • Johnny Michael as NVA/VC Soldier
  • Clarence Mojikon as NVA/VC Soldier
  • Wilod Nuin as NVA/VC Soldier
  • Harold Sinpang as NVA/VC Soldier
  • Paul Yong as NVA/VC Soldier
  • Conidon Wong as NVA VC Soldier

Production

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/O-2A_over_Laos_1970.jpg" caption="A [[Cessna O-2 Skymaster]] featured prominently in ''Bat*21''."] ::

Bat21* was filmed entirely on location in Sabah, Malaysia, with the assistance of the Malaysian government. Resources, locations and other assistance were supplied by the Malaysian Army and the Royal Malaysian Air Force, which supplied aircraft and pilots, including the services of Captain V. Thiagarajah, who flew both on- and off-camera.

Helicopters used for the filming included Bell UH-1N ‘Hueys’, and Sea King helicopters of the Royal Malaysian Air Force.

The fighter jets used were F-5 Freedom Fighters.

Release

The film premiered in the Philippines on September 8, 1988. It premiered in the United States on October 21.

Reception

Film historian Alun Evans in Brassey's Guide to War Films, considered the production an unusual look at "... the perspective of a service non-combatant." In a contemporary review, Roger Ebert noted: "'BAT21' is the kind of lean, no-nonsense war film Hollywood used to make back before the subject became burdened with metaphysical insights." Listed in the "best" category of "The Best (and Worst) War Movies of All Time", Popular Mechanics, characterized Bat21 as the "Best Vietnam War Movie."

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

  • Anderson, William C. BAT-21: Based on the true story of Lieutenant Colonel Iceal E. Hambleton, USAF. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1980. .
  • Evans, Alun. Brassey's Guide to War Films. Dulles, Virginia: Potomac Books, 2000. .

References

  1. [https://web.archive.org/web/20141224023427/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/68173/Bat-21/money.html "Money: Bat 21."] ''Turner Classic Movies''. Retrieved: December 23, 2014.
  2. Anderson 1980, Cover.
  3. [http://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=81801 "Walker, Bruce Charles (FAC-POW/MIA), Capt."] ''TogetherWeServe.com''. Retrieved: October 31, 2011.
  4. Cutler, Thomas J. [http://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2004-09/lest-we-forget-larry-fletcher-potts-vf-126 "Lest We Forget: Larry Fletcher Potts; VF-126."] ''Proceedings Magazine'' (usni.org), September 2004. Retrieved: December 23, 2014.
  5. Cutler, Thomas J. [http://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2004-09/lest-we-forget-larry-fletcher-potts-vf-126 "Lest We Forget: Larry Fletcher Potts; VF-126."] ''Proceedings Magazine'' (usni.org), September 2004. Retrieved: December 23, 2014.
  6. [https://web.archive.org/web/20141224043228/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/68173/Bat-21/#film-details "Original print information: Bat 21."] ''Turner Classic Movies''. Retrieved: December 23, 2014.
  7. (September 8, 1988). "Grand Opening Today". Standard Publishing, Inc..
  8. Evans 2000, p. 18.
  9. Ebert, Roger. [http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/bat-21-1988 "BAT*21."] ''rogerebert.com'', October 21, 1988. Retrieved: December 23, 2014.
  10. Pappalardo, Joe. [http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/digital/fact-vs-fiction/the-best-and-worst-war-movies-of-all-time-18#slide-18 "Best Vietnam War Movie: Bat 21 (1988)"] ''Popular Mechanics'', January 2014. Retrieved: December 23, 2104.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

1988-american-films1980s-english-language-films1980s-war-adventure-films1988-filmsamerican-aviation-filmsamerican-war-adventure-filmsenglish-language-war-adventure-filmsfilms-about-shot-down-aviatorsfilms-about-the-united-states-air-forcefilms-directed-by-peter-marklefilms-scored-by-christopher-youngtristar-pictures-filmsvietnam-war-aviation-filmsvietnam-war-films-based-on-actual-events