Retro Movie: Flynn's "Rolling Thunder"

There have been many films which examine the experiences of the returning Vietnam veteran, from introspective stories such as Coming Home and Born on the Fourth of July, to dark and surreal tales like Platoon and Apocalypse Now. On the other end of the spectrum are movies like Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo films, and Chuck Norris’ Missing in Action series, which tend to be straightforward action stories, though First Blood, the initial entry in the Rambo series, tried to be a little something more than just another shoot ‘em up flick. Somewhere in between these types of movies is Rolling Thunder (1977), directed by John Flynn. The film stars William Devane as Major Charles Rane, who returns home to San Antonio after several years as a POW in Vietnam. He learns that his wife has taken up with another man, and also finds that his young son barely remembers him. Rane is haunted by memories of the torture he suffered during the war, but he tries to adjust to civilian life in a world that feels much different than the one he left behind. 

Rane’s hometown hosts a celebration honoring his return. They award him a brand new Cadillac, as well a set of silver dollars, one for every day he was a captive. Linda Forchet, a local woman who wore his ID bracelet in his honor while he was held prisoner, presents him with the car and the money. She offers to buy him a drink at the bar where she works as a waitress. She makes a pass at him, but he initially rejects her advances. He also has a tense meeting with Cliff, the man who’s taken up with his wife. Cliff is a local deputy, and has become something of a surrogate father to Rane's son. While Rane becomes resigned to the fact that his marriage is over, he makes a real effort to build a relationship with his son.

One day, after returning home from having a drink with Linda, a group of men are waiting for Rane. They’re bandits who want the silver dollars that were given to him. Rane attempts to fight them off, but they brutally beat him, and kill his wife and son. He survives, but his hand is mangled as a result of it being pushed into a garbage disposal by the thieves. While Rane is recuperating in the hospital, he’s visited by both Linda and Johnny Vohden, a fellow soldier who is also having trouble adjusting to life as a civilian. Johnny tells him he’s signed up again, and will be leaving soon. After Rane is released, he picks up Linda, telling her he wants to take a trip to Mexico. However, this is no romantic getaway. He plans to exact revenge on the men who wounded him and killed his family, and enlists Johnny's help.

 

Rolling Thunder is part drama, part revenge thriller and part action film. The movie has a more thoughtful vibe than most B movies or exploitation movies. Devane is excellent in the lead role. He does a fine job conveying the character’s emotional struggle. Rane can’t shake the memories of what he went through in Vietnam, and feels uncomfortable in his “normal” life. When his family is killed, he uses the skills he learned in the war to punish the men responsible. The fine supporting cast features a lot of familiar faces, including Dabney Coleman, James Best, Cassie Yates and Luke Askew. Linda Haynes, a veteran of several 1970s B movies, gives an excellent performance as Linda, turning what could have been a standard female role of the period into a full-bodied character. Her scenes with Devane are touching and well-acted. Director John Flynn really gives Devane and Haynes room to build their characters throughout the film. We get a real sense of these two lost souls slowly opening up to one another.

 

The script for the film is by Paul Schrader and Heywood Gould, from Schrader's original story. Schrader, who also wrote Taxi Driver, has noted in interviews that his original draft was significantly altered by the time it reached the screen. But his trademark mix of well-drawn characters and violent action is very much in evidence. Director John Flynn does a nice job of balancing the character oriented aspects of the film with its action scenes. Flynn had a solid career as a director, helming tough-minded action films like The Outfit and Best Seller. Rolling Thunder is a favorite of Quentin Tarantino, who named a company he founded, which specialized in re-releasing noteworthy B movies of the 1970s, after the film. Rolling Thunder is a solid thriller with strong performances. It's an interesting and offbeat entry in the cycle of Vietnam films. Heres a link to the trailer for the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwAcWb5K3HM.