A Bright Shining Lie
6.4
“In war as in life, the difference between truth and deception is what a man allows himself to believe.”
Something in his past keeps career Army man John Paul Vann from advancing past colonel. He views being sent to Vietnam as part of the US military advisory force a stepping stone to promotion. However, he disagrees vocally (and on the record) with the way the war is being run and is forced to leave the military. Returning to Vietnam as a civilian working with the Army, he comes to despise some South Vietnamese officers while he takes charge of some of the U.S. forces and continues his liaisons with Vietnamese women.
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Cast
12 people
Bill Paxton
John Paul Vann
Known for
Edge of Tomorrow
Apollo 13
Amy Madigan
Mary Jane Vann
Known for
Field of Dreams
Carnivàle
Donal Logue
Steven Burnett
Known for
Gotham
Blade
Robert John Burke
Frank Drummond
Known for
The Last of Us
RoboCop 3
Vivian Wu
Lee
Known for
Away
The Afterparty
Ed Lauter
General Weyand
Known for
The Number 23
The Artist
Kurtwood Smith
General Westmoreland
Known for
That '70s Show
Marvel's Agent Carter
Eric Bogosian
Doug Elders
Known for
Interview with the Vampire
Uncut Gems
James Rebhorn
Ambassador
Known for
The Game
Scent of a Woman
Les Mau
Colonel Dinh
Also in
Martin & Orloff
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Todd Sible
Jesse Vann (19 years old)
Known for
Kazaam
Mad Love
Harve Presnell
MACV General
Known for
Fargo
Face/Off
Terry George Director · Neil Sheehan Author Gary Chang Composer
United States release May 30, 1998 · Produced in United States · Languages English, Vietnamese
Production
HBO
Production
Labrador Films
Production
United States
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English · Vietnamese
Release dates
United States · May 30, 1998
TV · HBO
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Some details come from TheTVDB.