A Bright Shining Lie

May 30, 1998

1h 58m

★ 5.5

In war as in life, the difference between truth and deception is what a man allows himself to believe.

Overview

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.

Genres

Drama

War

TV Movie

Production Companies

HBO

Labrador Films

A Bright Shining Lie Trailers

No Trailers found.

Cast

John Paul Vann

Bill Paxton

Mary Jane Vann

Amy Madigan

Steven Burnett

Donal Logue

Frank Drummond

Robert John Burke

Lee

Vivian Wu

General Weyand

Ed Lauter

General Westmoreland

Kurtwood Smith

Doug Elders

Eric Bogosian

Ambassador

James Rebhorn

Colonel Dinh

Les Mau

Jesse Vann (19 years old)

Todd Sible

MACV General

Harve Presnell

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