Some Kind of Hero

Some Kind of Hero

The movie poster for Some Kind of Hero.
Directed by Michael Pressman
Produced by Howard W. Koch
Written by Robert Boris
James Kirkwood Jr.
Starring
Music by Patrick Williams
Cinematography King Baggot
Edited by Christopher Greenbury
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release dates
  • April 2, 1982 (1982-04-02)
Running time
 97 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $8 million
Box office $23,671,186

Some Kind of Hero is a 1982 film starring Richard Pryor as a returning Vietnam War veteran having trouble adjusting to civilian life. Soon he is involved in an organized crime heist. It co-stars Margot Kidder and was directed by Michael Pressman.

Although James Kirkwood and Robert Boris are jointly credited with the screenplay, in fact the script was Boris’ rewrite of Kirkwood’s adaptation of his novel. Originally intended to be a straight drama, the studio insisted that Pryor perform comedic scenes as well.

Plot

Eddie Keller is a U.S. Army conscript private who was captured while defecating. He was held in a POW Camp for years. Due to his resistance in signing a confession admitting to committing war crimes he ends up being one of the last POWs to be brought home from Vietnam. Keller endures several years of torture and deprivation at the hands of the Vietnamese Army. He finally relents to signing a "confession" admitting to war crimes to save the life of his cell mate.

Having returned home, Eddie finds the world has moved on without him. His wife has fallen in love with someone new, and had a daughter, just after he became a POW. His mother has suffered a stroke, and requires constant (and expensive) medical attention. Eddie is initially called a hero when he is finally released, but when his signed confession is discovered (and no one can track down the other prisoner he tried to save), his veteran's benefits are suspended by the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs pending further investigation.

Eddie tries to integrate back into society, but finds himself stopped at every turn. The Army refuses to help, he cannot find a job, and he is running out of options. The only bright spot in his life is Toni, a high-priced prostitute who picks Eddie up at a bar. Despite Toni's profession, the two begin a romance.

While trying to secure a loan, Eddie is witness to a bank robbery. He begins to plot a way to gain the funds he needs to provide for his mother, and also to avenge himself on a system that abandoned him in Vietnam, then turned him into a traitor.

Eddie plans to hold up a bank, but fails repeatedly in his efforts to embark on a life of crime. Eventually, he succeeds in stealing a briefcase full of bonds, which he arranges to sell to a mobster for a large sum of cash. The mobsters plan to kill Eddie and take the bonds. Eddie turns the tables on the mobsters, escaping with the cash and the bonds with Toni.

Cast

Reception

The movie gained mixed reviews.[1][2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Canby, Vincent (1982-04-02). "Movie Review - Some Kind of Hero - PRYOR IN 'SOME KIND OF HERO' - NYTimes.com". Movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
  2. ↑ "Some Kind of Hero (1982); Richard Pryor Vs. Existentialism - Yahoo! Voices". voices.yahoo.com. 2012-06-05. Retrieved 2012-07-09.

Further reading

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