Courage Under Fire (1996)

Director:

Edward Zwick

Writer (WGA):

Patrick Sheane Duncan (written by)

Release Date:

12 July 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Mystery | War

Tagline:

In wartime, the first casualty is always truth.

Plot:

A US Army officer, despondent about a deadly mistake he made, investigates a female chopper commander's worthiness for the Medal of Honor.

Plot Keywords:

Honor | Medal Of Honor | Helicopter | Captain | Desert Storm

Awards:

9 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Denzel Washington	...	Nat Serling
Meg Ryan	...	Karen Walden
Lou Diamond Phillips	...	Monfriez
Michael Moriarty	...	General Hershberg
Matt Damon	...	Ilario
Bronson Pinchot	...	Bruno
Seth Gilliam	...	Altameyer
Regina Taylor	...	Meredith Serling
Zeljko Ivanek	...	Banacek
Scott Glenn	...	Gartner
Tim Guinee	...	Rady
Tim Ransom	...	Boylar
Sean Astin	...	Patella
Armand Darrius	...	Robins
Mark Adair-Rios	...	Bobcat 5 (as Mark Adair-Riós)
Ned Vaughn	...	Chelli
Manny Perez	...	Jenkins
David McSwain	...	Egan
Sean Patrick Thomas	...	Thompson
Ken Jenkins	...	Joel Walden
Kathleen Widdoes	...	Geraldine Walden
Christina Stojanovich	...	Anne Marie Walden
Lucky Luciano	...	Nathan Serling Jr.
Erica C. Newman	...	Joleen Serling
Jamal A. Mays	...	Brian Serling
Ashlee Jordan Pryor	...	Josie Serling
Michole White	...	Maria
Jeffrey Waid	...	Hillerman
Patrick Young	...	Drill Team Commander
Jimmy Ray Pickens	...	Soldier
Jack Watkins	...	Coffee Sergeant
Matt Sigloch	...	Cadre
Jim Morse	...	Cadre (as James Paul Morse)
Bruce McGill	...	McQuillan
Rory J. Aylward	...	Teegarden's Crew Chief
Kyle Mickaelian	...	Refueler
Michael Dolan	...	Orderly
John Roarke	...	The President
Tom Schanley	...	Questioner
Robert Apisa	...	Iraqi Tank Commander (as Bob Apisa)
Daniel Gonzalez	...	Laughing Gunner
Albert Hall	...	Speaker
Richard Venture	...	Don Boylar
Diane Baker	...	Louise Boylar
Amy Hathaway	...	Annie
Reed Frerichs	...	Delinquent Soldier
Julius Carter	...	Rowtero
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peter Arnett	...	CNN Reporter (voice) (uncredited)
George Bush	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Steven Derek	...	Graduating Cadet (uncredited)
Saddam Hussein	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Larry King	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
James LaMarr	...	Base Soldier (uncredited)
Colin Powell	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Norman Schwarzkopf	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Jenni Tooley	...	Hotel receptionist (uncredited)

Directed by
Edward Zwick

Writing credits (WGA)
Patrick Sheane Duncan		(written by)

Produced by
Joseph M. Caracciolo	....	executive producer
Debra Martin Chase	....	executive producer
John Davis	....	producer
David T. Friendly	....	producer
Paul Neesan	....	co-producer
Joseph Singer	....	producer (as Joseph M. Singer)

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Roger Deakins

Film Editing by
Steven Rosenblum

Casting by
Mary Colquhoun

Production Design by
John Graysmark

Art Direction by
Steve Cooper

Set Decoration by
Rick Gentz

Costume Design by
Francine Jamison-Tanchuck

Makeup Department
Lange Burnett	....	additional makeup artist
Larry M. Cherry	....	hair stylist: Mr. Washington
Dino Ganziano	....	key hair stylist
Sally Hershberger	....	hair stylist: Ms. Ryan
Tammy Lema	....	additional hair stylist
Michael Mills	....	prosthetic makeup
Barbara Olvera	....	key hair stylist
Edna Sheen	....	key makeup artist
Lutz Wesemann	....	makeup artist: Ms. Ryan
Craig Reardon	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Jeffrey Downer	....	unit production manager
Jay Sedrish	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Burt Burnam	....	first assistant director: second unit
Karen Estelle Collins	....	second assistant director
Skip Cosper	....	first assistant director
Walter T. Falls III	....	second second assistant director: Austin (as Tres Falls)
David J. Grant	....	additional second assistant director
Jeff Kay	....	second second assistant director: El Paso
Nancy King	....	second assistant director: second unit
Dan Lerner	....	second unit director
Laura Sylvester	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Terry Atchison	....	weapons prop technician
Richard J. Bayard	....	construction coordinator (as Dick Bayard)
Cliff Bergman	....	general foreman
Cliff Bernay	....	on-set dresser
Mike Carroll	....	plaster foreman
Gary Clark	....	paint foreman
Gary Clause	....	propmaker foreman
Jack Colmenero	....	swing gang
Archie Hankins	....	carpenter
Chuck Herrmann	....	assistant property master
Leonard Lucas	....	art department assistant
Barbara Mesney	....	set designer
James Mize	....	metal fabricator
Jacque Morgan	....	art department assistant
Andrew Neskoromny	....	set designer
Michael Papac	....	property master: second unit (as Mike Papac)
Mari Phillips	....	on-set dresser
Robert R. Richardson	....	property assistant: second unit
Mike Riley	....	toolman
John Rozman	....	swing gang
Dominic Sandfrey	....	labor foreman
Robert Sica	....	lead man
Ron Sica	....	swing gang
Jacqueline Stears	....	lead scenic artist (as Jacquie Stears)
George Stuart Jr.	....	stand-by painter
David Tully	....	greensman
Randall D. Wilkins	....	set designer
Jim Zemansky	....	property master
Kelley A. Hankins	....	plasterer (uncredited)
Daniel R. Jennings	....	set designer (uncredited)
Joe McCusker	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Darren Patnode	....	carpenter (uncredited)
David Phillip	....	on-set greensman (uncredited)
Randy Severs	....	plasterer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Christopher Assells	....	sound effects editor (as Chris Assells)
Karen M. Baker	....	first assistant sound editor
Anna Behlmer	....	sound re-recording mixer
Lon Bender	....	sound designer (as Lon E. Bender)
Bob Bowman	....	assistant sound editor
Willie D. Burton	....	production sound mixer
Valerie Davidson	....	foley editor
Ann Fisher	....	dialogue editor
Scott Martin Gershin	....	sound effects editor
Don Givens	....	foley recordist
Mark Gordon	....	sound effects editor
Tim Groseclose	....	assistant sound editor
Per Hallberg	....	supervising sound editor
Mark Harris	....	sound recordist
Robert W. Harris	....	cable person (as Robert Harris)
Dan Hegeman	....	dialogue editor
Philip A. Hess	....	sound effects editor (as Philip Hess)
Ellen Heuer	....	foley artist
Craig S. Jaeger	....	foley supervisor (as Craig Jaeger)
David Jobe	....	foley mixer
Lou Kleinman	....	adr editor
Marvin E. Lewis	....	boom operator
Diane Linn	....	adr recordist
Jennifer L. Mann	....	additional sound (as Jennifer Mann)
Joseph A. Mayer	....	adr supervisor (as Joe Mayer)
Christopher Moriana	....	foley artist (as Chris Moriana)
Philip D. Morrill	....	assistant sound editor
Andy Nelson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Ormandy	....	additional sound
Brian Pierson	....	additional sound
Rudy Pi	....	sound recordist
Alan Rankin	....	sound effects editor
Charleen Richards	....	adr mixer
Jay B. Richardson	....	sound effects editor (as Jay Richardson)
Lauren Stephens	....	dialogue editor
Peter Michael Sullivan	....	digital sound effects supervisor
Kim Waugh	....	additional sound
Jessica A. Dickson	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
V.B. Paravati	....	dailies transfer operator (uncredited)
John Soukup	....	sound transfer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Scott Blackwell	....	special effects crew
Stan Blackwell	....	special effects crew (as Stanley Blackwell)
Kim Derry	....	special effects crew
Bruce Allan Donnellan	....	special effects crew (as Bruce Donnellan)
John Fagan	....	special effects crew
Scott Garcia	....	special effects crew
Michael Gaspar	....	special effects crew
Grande Gonzalez	....	special effects crew
Kelley A. Hankins	....	mold maker
Bill Kennedy	....	special effects crew
Kelly Kerby	....	special effects foreman
Joe Lombardi	....	special effects crew
Paul J. Lombardi	....	special effects coordinator (as Paul Lombardi)
John D. Milinac	....	special effects crew (as John Milinac)
Jeff Miller	....	special effects crew
Robert L. Olmstead	....	special effects crew (as Bob Olmstead)
David Peterson	....	special effects crew
Charles Schmitz	....	special effects crew (as Chuck Schmitz)
Chuck E. Stewart	....	special effects crew
Frank Toro	....	special effects crew
Parry Willard	....	special effects crew
Dick Wood	....	special effects foreman (as Richard S. Wood)
Robert Brown	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Terry Erickson	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Kimball Willard	....	special effects (uncredited)
Robert G. Willard	....	special effects foreman (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Erik Anderson	....	digital artist: VCE
Richard Berman	....	visual effects coordinator
William S. Conner	....	optical effects: VCE (as William Conner)
Joseph Conti	....	computer generated effects
Bryan Cooke	....	digital artist: VCE
Syd Dutton	....	matte painting effects: Illusion Arts
Tom Eckelberry	....	optical effects: VCE
Brian Griffin	....	digital supervisor: VCE
Robin Griffin	....	visual effects producer
Todd Hall	....	optical effects: VCE
Brian Jochum	....	visual effects producer
Peter Kuran	....	digital effects: VCE
Peter Kuran	....	optical effects: VCE
Fumi Mashimo	....	digital animator: Illusion Arts (as Fumi Mashimo)
Alan Munro	....	visual effects supervisor
Richard Patterson	....	digital supervisor: Illusion Arts
Mark Sawicki	....	matte photography: Illusion Arts
Robert Stromberg	....	matte artist: Illusion Arts
Bill Taylor	....	matte painting effects: Illusion Arts
Pam Vick	....	digital artist: VCE
Mike Wassel	....	matte artist: Illusion Arts
David S. Williams Jr.	....	digital compositor: Illusion Arts
Jacqueline Zietlow	....	administrator: VCE
Paul Conti	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Daren Dochterman	....	visual effects storyboard artist (uncredited)
Patrick Zentis	....	digital artist: Open Films (uncredited)

Stunts
Pete Antico	....	stunts
Ben Bray	....	stunts
John Cenatiempo	....	stunts (as Johnny Cenatiempo)
James M. Halty	....	stunts (as Jimmy Halty)
Steve Kelso	....	stunts
Alan Oliney	....	stunts
Steve Picerni	....	stunts
Denise Lynne Roberts	....	stunts
Robby Robinson	....	stunts
Danny Rogers	....	stunts
Ron Stein	....	stunt coordinator
David Zellitti	....	stunts (as Dave Zellitti)

Camera and Electrical Department
Robin Brown	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Buzzy Burwell	....	electrician
Dwight Cary	....	electrician (as Dwight 'Curly' Cary)
Peter Clemence	....	grip
Gerrit Dangremond	....	camera operator: "c" camera
Rob Doumitt	....	gaffer: second unit
Marty W. Eichmann	....	key grip: second unit
James Etheridge	....	camera operator: "b" camera, second unit
Richie Ford	....	grip
Richie Ford	....	rigging gaffer
Linda Gacsko	....	second assistant camera: "c" camera
Bruce Hamme	....	dolly grip
William Hankins	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera, second unit
Andy Harris	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Curtis Herbert	....	grip
Steven Hiller	....	first assistant camera: "c" camera (as Steve Hiller)
Stephen V. Isbell	....	best boy grip: second unit (as Steve Isbell)
Edison Jackson	....	electrician
Guy Jackson	....	best boy electric: second unit
Jeremy Knaster	....	electrician
Key Kolb	....	grip
Steve Ligorio	....	grip: second unit
Mitchell Andrew Lillian	....	key grip (as Mitch Lillian)
Marcos O. Lopez	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
James 'Buz' Maloy	....	grip (as James Maloy)
Charlie Marroquin	....	grip
Fred L. McLane	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera, second unit (as Fred McLane)
Rexford L. Metz	....	aerial camera operator (as Rexford Metz)
Monique Mitchell	....	best boy grip
Alex Montez	....	grip: second unit
William Moore	....	electrical best boy (as Bill Moore)
Andrea Moraz	....	aerial assistant camera
Mary C. Nelson	....	grip (as Mary Nelson)
Bill O'Leary	....	gaffer
Juan Priego	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera, second unit
Donis Rhoden	....	grip
Randy Stone	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera, second unit
Nick Taylor	....	director of photography: second unit
Merie Weismiller Wallace	....	still photographer
Christopher Wiggins	....	camera loader
Susan Zwilling	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Jeff Andrus	....	rigger (uncredited)
Rolf Eberlein	....	electrician (uncredited)
John Johns	....	video playback operator (uncredited)
John Lacy	....	electrician (uncredited)
Max Neal	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)
Walter 'Bud' Scott	....	grip (uncredited)
Alan Swain	....	electrician: tank battle scenes (uncredited)
Thom Willey	....	additional second assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Billy Dowd	....	extras casting
Liz Keigley	....	casting: Austin
Elizabeth Marx	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marcia Evers	....	seamstress
Jorge J. González	....	costumer
Michael Jamison	....	assistant costume designer
Gail Just	....	costumer: Ms. Ryan
Hector Morales	....	key costumer
Frank Perry Rose	....	costume supervisor
Robert Stewart	....	set costumer
Robin Wright-Nazarians	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Joseph M. Caracciolo	....	assistant editor
Kurt Courtland	....	apprentice editor
Penny Lee Hallin	....	second assistant editor
Robert Leighton	....	additional editor
Mike Milliken	....	color timer
Nicole Schubert	....	second assistant editor
Cynthia E. Thornton	....	first assistant editor
William Yeh	....	assistant editor: lightworks
Melissa Carter	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Cecilia Hyoun	....	lightworks assistant (uncredited)

Music Department
Bob Bornstein	....	music copyist
Sandy DeCrescent	....	music contractor
Jim Henrikson	....	music editor
James Horner	....	orchestrator
David Marquette	....	music recordist
Shawn Murphy	....	score mixer
Joe E. Rand	....	assistant music editor
Don Davis	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Lee Scott	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Wayne Roberts	....	transportation captain
Tim Roslan	....	picture car coordinator
Phil Schriber	....	transportation captain
Eddie Lee Voelker	....	transportation coordinator
Stanley R. Webber	....	transportation captain
Billy L. 'Butch' Frank	....	tank driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Rory J. Aylward	....	technical advisor: military
Maxine Bergen	....	script supervisor: second unit
Mike Billow	....	helicopter pilot
Caroline Brock	....	location assistant
Brooke Brooks	....	assistant: Mr. Davis
Robin Budd	....	assistant: Mr. Zwick
Jaime L. Cabrera	....	production assistant
Lisa D. Carey	....	accounting assistant
Michael R. Casey	....	location manager: El Paso
Barbara Crow	....	first assistant accountant
James Crowley	....	production assistant
John P. Davis	....	helicopter pilot
Ismael 'Rocket' De Anda	....	production assistant
Jessica Drake	....	dialect coach: Ms. Ryan
Cliff Fleming	....	helicopter pilot
Cathy Mickel Gibson	....	production accountant
Jane Goldsmith	....	script supervisor
Robbie Goldstein	....	location manager: Austin
Karla Ingebretsen	....	assistant to aerial coordinator
Al Itzkoff	....	craft service
M. Evan Jensen	....	helicopter pilot
Dean E. Johnsen	....	production assistant
J. David Jones	....	aerial coordinator
Christopher Kahn	....	production assistant
Cathy Kanavy	....	location assistant
Peter Karp	....	assistant: Mr. Friendly
Josh Kesselman	....	production assistant
Valerie Mickaelian Kucera	....	production coordinator
Wendi Laski	....	unit publicist
Jesse G. Martin	....	helicopter pilot
Mimi N. McGreal	....	production secretary (as Mimi McGreal)
Dylan McKenna	....	second assistant accountant
Peter McKernan	....	helicopter pilot (as Peter J. McKernan)
Arthur J. Miller Jr.	....	railroad coordinator
Kellie Parks	....	production assistant
Ann Hollingsworth Patrie	....	helicopter pilot
Liz Probst	....	payroll accountant
Sonny Robinson	....	aerial support
Stephanie Sain	....	production assistant: second unit
Eddie Sanchez	....	first aid
Nick Sanders	....	craft service
Michelle Schluter-Ford	....	assistant production coordinator (as Michelle Schluter)
Daniel J. Shaw	....	production assistant (as Dan Shaw)
Rick Shuster	....	helicopter pilot
Robin Simpson	....	helicopter pilot
Vicky Speidacci	....	helicopter pilot
Raigen Thornton	....	first aid
Fred Toye	....	main title video sequence
Dirk Vahle	....	helicopter pilot
Martha Waters	....	production assistant
Neil Weinberger	....	assistant: Mr. Singer
Gina White	....	assistant: Mr. Washington
Matthew Woody	....	location assistant
Anne Carr	....	additional construction medic (uncredited)
Darryl Chan	....	on-set trainer: Lou Diamond Phillips (uncredited)
Bill McLellan	....	assistant location manager: re-shoots (uncredited)
Marvin Schroeder	....	assistant technical advisor: military (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Fox 2000 Pictures

Distributors

• Columbia TriStar Films (1997) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1999) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Cine Company S.A. (Spain)
• Filmes Castello Lopes (Portugal)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (video)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (1997) (Netherlands) (video)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)

Special Effects

• Illusion Arts (matte paintings)
• Visual Concept Engineering (VCE) (optical and digital effects)

Other Companies

• ARRI  Arriflex cameras
• Angel Records  soundtrack
• Boone's Animals for Hollywood  animal training
• Broyles/Okun  main titles
• CBS News Archives  news footage courtesy of
• Cable News Network (CNN)  pre-recorded videotape (as CNN)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes (as Chapman)
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color
• Deluxe Motion Picture Catering  catering
• EMI Records  soundtrack
• Evergreen Ventures Inc.  iraqi tanks providor
• Greg Taylor Restorations  Iraqi tanks provider (as Taylor Restoration & Rentals)
• L.A. Mad Dogs  voice casting
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• NBC News Archives  news footage courtesy of
• Open Films  main title sequence
• Pacific Title  titles
• Redman Movies and Stories  camera crane
• Soundelux  sound editing
• Todd-AO Studios (West)  Sound re-recorded at

MPAA:

Rated R for war violence and language.

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #34505) | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | New Zealand:M | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Germany:12 (w) | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Fox 2000 Pictures

Trivia:

In order to lose the required amount of weight for the present day scenes, Matt Damon went on a strict regimen of food deprivation and physical training. This caused his health to become so frail that he was put on medical supervision for several months after the shoot. However, his efforts didn't go unnoticed: director Francis Ford Coppola was so impressed by Damon's display of method acting, that he offered him the leading role in The Rainmaker (1997). While making Good Will Hunting (1997), after regaining his healthy weight, Damon met Steven Spielberg (who was then casting Saving Private Ryan (1998)). Spielberg told Damon that he had loved his performance in "Courage Under Fire" and had wanted to hire him to play Pvt. Ryan, but was afraid that Damon was too skinny. Once Spielberg saw Damon at his normal weight, he hired him for Ryan.

Goofs:

Continuity: The LtCol and his gunner don't have their eyes against the Tank's sites. No wonder they couldn't identify a target.

Quotes:

Monfriez: Sir, if you get a hangfire on your weapon, what do you do? You wait, with your weapon pointed in a safe direction, 'cause sometimes the primer bursts, and if you open the chamber it blows up in your face. Leave this round in the chamber, sir.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Oprah Winfrey Show: Summer Movie Reviews" (1996)

Soundtrack:

Angel from Montgomery

Denzel Washington At His Best

"Courage Under Fire" is perhaps the best illustration of how flexible and adaptive actors like Denzel Washington are. What makes "Courage Under Fire" impressive is not so much its plot or storyline (which is somewhat inconsistent), but its portrayal of a lone officer torn between personal conscience and duty. Denzel's overweight build and alcoholic demeanor create the highly credible image of a man barely attached to his life. Basically the story of a budding Army officer re-assigned to administrative duties following a Desert Storm friendly fire incident, "Courage Under Fire" submerges the viewer into pure emotional hell as it progresses. The stunning emotional catharisis portrayed at the film's end is incredibly dramatic and almost entirely unmatched. Anyone who has ever been under the extreme pressures of stress or suffered cognitive dissonance following a bad judgement will definitely connect with this film. A great psychological thriller and a tour-de-force drama. Definitely one of the best films...if only it would be released on DVD!!