What i find disturbing is this is based on the real true to life development of the bradley fighting vehicle. A great memorable quote from the Pentagon Wars movie on Quotes.net - Lt. "The Pentagon Wars" is a made-for-HBO movie, that was originally broadcast in 1998. I would recommend this movie. However, General Partridge played beautifully by Kelsey Grammar has other plans, to send Burton packing. FAQ Kelsey Grammer and Cary Elwes are both great comedic actors. I'm not going to watch the whole movie right now, but based on a synopsis, I'll say this much: the Bradley was hardly the useless crap that they made it out to be. in the 2 years from when it took power until the Iraq war started. thankfully we did not have any conflicts requiring the use of the vehicle until most of the defects were fixed. It is the ultimate cautionary tale about a bureaucracy gone out of control. Bock: You can't afford a door like that; do you see what it stood up to?Lt. . What makes this so relevant today is the attitude of "we'll fix the problems in the field" and the casual disregard for life and limb of the troops who face death of injury due to the decisions of those at the highest levels of power. !Other than that it 's fun and it about 1 and 45 minutes!!! I thoroughly enjoyed this film, especially Kelsey Grammar as the unflappable general - always ready with a quick answer and so sincere you want to believe him, despite the utter absurdity of what he is saying. And the eventual outcome which should have all involved hang their heads in shame. Be that as it may I thought Kelsey Grammar ("General Partridge") and Cary Elwes ("LTC James Burton) performed in an excellent manner. In the film, as well as in real life — the design, development and testing of the BFV cost The Pentagon over $14 billion (taxpayer) dollars … Richard Benjamin Directed an Entertaining FILM! There's only one problem. The ending scenes are Bill Murray hokey, but the movie is surprisingly compelling. Unfortunately, when not fighting, the Officers and senior staff are anything but. Our current leadership had an agenda to go to war in Iraq from it's outset, but neglected to ramp up military production of armored Hummvees, body armor, etc. It's based on events the miltary due with the taxpayers money! It was a comedy of errors that only two people wanted to correct and were fought tooth and nail, all the way. The Pentagon Wars exposes an incredible military event. ... the door from the ammunition shed. Web. The M2 Bradley, or Bradley IFV, is an American infantry fighting vehicle that is a member of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle family. And to think that this movie was so low profile when it was delivered, it makes me sad. Colonel James Burton: Exactly! Some SPITBALL from Romania! ... “The revolving door is a story of money, information, influence and access—access that ensures that phone calls get through to policymakers and meetings get scheduled. As a former member of the military I find it all too easy to believe. Nobody moves up without getting things done! The story in the movie about the M-16 rifle was a perfect example. I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes. It some how makes it funny at he same time! I also enjoyed the performance of Viola Davis as the loyal sergeant, "SFC Fanning". There are a few laughs during the movie during the many screwed up tests !Eventually it all snowballs till Congress calls for hearing with both Grammer and Elwes there!If you like to see ways America's misspends it money check out this movie! However, Congress puts Lt. Col. James Burton (Cary Elwes) in charge of making the vehicle safe. Again, it's closer to the truth than many people realize. Col. J.D. Bock: You can't afford a door like that; do you see what it stood up to? The war for a good quality troopers-transport vehicle. " Not only does it portray the stress between the pentagon and congress as the troop carrier gets turns in to an amphibious, tank, antiaircraft, scoot (read slow moving target with troops in it). Viola Davis, plays Sgt. First I want to stress how wonderful Kelsy Grammar is as a pompous, self important, dilettante pentagon bureaucrat general, and how a lesser actor would probably been unable to portray a character sharing so many character traits with a character he is best known for (Frazier Crane), while creating a totally distinct individual character without a scene that the other character creeps in a little. Cary Elwes back on the side of truth and justice, for which i'm glad, as he has hero quality. There are lots of laughs and good entertainment. Lt. | Best Horror Movies. And so on. A very witting and scathing parody of costly and potentially deadly bureacratic incompetence and bumbling. User Ratings Quotes.net. It is manufactured by BAE Systems Land & Armaments, which was formerly United Defense.. Failure to play the game results in no promotion, recognition or cushy job after military discharge. The worse kinds of wounds I can inflict are Paper Cuts ", Life in any large organisation -- taken to the extremes that only the military can manage. You can't afford a door like that; do you see what it stood up to? Top 200 of all time 150 Essential Comedies. “The revolving door is a story of money, information, influence, and access—access that ensures that phone calls get through to policymakers and meetings get scheduled. 15 May 2021. Air Force colonel Jim Burton, of Pentagon Wars fame, is the most famous example of what happens to an officer who violates the code of silence. The two big stars here are Kelsey Grammer(TV's Frasier) and Cary Elwes(Twister,Liar,Liar, Robin Hood:Men in Tights). Both sides of this issue can find source for outrage. Fanning Burton's secretary and together they seek to carry out their orders. [Burton just destroryed a door in a test]. Cary Elwes turns in a creditable performance as the reluctant colonel out to expose the truth. As the movie progress, we get flashbacks of the vechicles early days in the late 1960's to the present. Col. J.D. . The weapons they choose are hardly ever chosen for their effectiveness or safety. What he discovers is the ultimate in white elephants—the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, an armored troop transport project that cost the taxpayers $14 billion over 17 years. The Pentagon Wars Quotes. I'm not American so any sense of disbelief and anger can be tempered by the fact that this is just a movie. Fighting a losing battle Col. Burton nevertheless tries to built a safe vehicle and one sympathies with him, but while no one on the hill cares, it is the fighting man in combat who will ultimately pay the price. This movie shows the taxpayers ways their money was wasted on defense messes as this shows the viewer. | The Web's Largest Resource for Famous Quotes & Sayings. Kelsey Grammer is brilliant as the unflappable and stubborn General forced to protect the interests of the Pentagon. The senatorial commission cannot understand that the development costs of the vehicle lasted for 17 years and costed 14 billion dollars. It is pretty amazing. Right, but this door is property of the United States government. this black comedy especially relevant under the Bush II administration. ****. Meanwhile, Richard Benjamin's concise little drama mit schlag shows range of Kelsey Grammer, who is as terrifying a monster here in General's role as you will ever wish to see. It's hard to watch a Senate or House committee hearing after seeing this without laughing and/or grimacing. Which makes it funnier. 306 pp. The humor is good, the dialogues are fine and the actors never overact. Over 17 years and almost as many billion dollars have gone into devising the B.F.V. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV) is a tracked fighting vehicle platform of the United States manufactured by BAE Systems Land & Armaments, formerly United Defense.It was named after U.S. General Omar Bradley.. Richard Benjamin is Secretary of Defense who is ambivalent about the entire project. ]]> John C. McGinley and Tom Wright are there to insure that they fail. Kelsey Grammar plays Maj. Gen. Partridge a man who couldn't care less what a vehicle costs, so long as it promotes jobs and his career. Half-Truth: Technically, the Romanian anti-tank rocket was an enemy munition. Lt. Colonel James Burton: Exactly! The American military is perhaps the most bloated organization in the United States. ... is that the left hook units failed to reach their objective of "closing the door" behind the Iraqi retreat, as Schwarzkopf said they would. The Pentagon Wars (TV Movie 1998) Cary Elwes as Colonel James Burton. There is great music behind titles and credits. having now been 3 years in, i can very much appreciate the humor of this fantastic satire. Some of the posters couldn't seem to grasp that the comedy was not in the way the movie was scripted but in the acts of many of those responsible for the design of the Bradley. Grammer's portrayal fit my perception of a Pentagon general, but his aides come out as just caricatures. What is amazing is the light-handed skill with which the story is told--it is funny when it should be, yet sucks you in sufficiently to get you really mad at what is going on. The movie is a running commentary about how things really go on behind doors. I am not sure whether to treat this movie as comedy or horror - it would be quite amusing as fiction , but I find it rather terrifying to think that it is based on a true story. A must see film for anyone who does give a dam. Cary Elwes, Kelsey Grammar, John McGinley, Richard Benjamin all seemed to have played off one another and it worked well. granted, there is a fair amount of hyperbole, and no, not everyone in the military is so very inept... but simply put, a few years working with military intellegence elevates my view of this film quite a bit. Meanwhile, withdrawing troops from Afghanistan and other war fronts should result in significant Pentagon budget reductions, as has happened historically after wars — but don’t count on it. At any rate, this film is so funny because this scenario is so close to the truth when it comes to the military industrial complex. Add a Quote. Good but could have been better. They call it the Bradley Fighting unit. Is that how the top brass in the US military operates? Makes you think if all the militaries around the world are spending taxpayers' money for the right reasons. Is this really how our tax dollars are wasted? From the movie Pentagon Wars You can't afford the door like that, did you see what it stood up to? The Pentagon has negatively impacted the policing of America through its 1033 program, which in recent years has transferred staggering amounts of excess military equipment, sometimes directly off the battlefields of this country's "forever wars," to police departments across the country. I realize that it deals with serious subject matter but there was definitely comedy there. The American taxpayer is left with a system that sometimes compromises the way the government buys goods and … Illustrated. Though Kelsey Grammer carries the movie. Annapolis, Md. The main objective was a vehicle that could get combat troops into the battle as quickly and safely as possible. Richard Benjamin retells "The Pentagon Wars" story with an HBO budget and a mockumentary style in this examination of one of the Pentagon's more embarrassing faux pas; oversight of the R&D of what's come to be known as the Bradley Troop Carrier and Fighting Vehicle. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, it's quite clever and amusing and keeps a good pace. This film is a case in point. Movie & TV guides. 2:47 - 2:50 What else do you need an army for? It is called a "black comedy", I am really not sure why, the movie was comedic and upbeat to me with only a few serious moments. Truth is stranger than fiction in this satiric comedy about an honest Air Force officer's attempt to expose a case of government spending gone mad. The Pentagon is trying to field a new armored personnel carrier into production to replace the aging M113. Lt. Metacritic Reviews. External Reviews Nonetheless, it does name names and recounts a true story without too much compromise. Colonel James Burton: Exactly! It does however make for a funny story line. Movies. Sworn to Secrecy: Secrets of War (TV Series 1998– ) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. ... Don't let people miss on a great quote from the "Pentagon Wars" movie - add it here! also disturbing is the fact that every officer involved in the development of the bradley was promoted and went on to lucrative defense contracting positions while Col. Burton was forced to leave the Air Force. Worth a look especially if the viewer knows this flick is not 100% fiction. it doesn't work. Pentagon Wars - Bradley Fighting Vehicle Evolution - YouTube i first saw this movie well before coming into the military, and while i found it very entertaining, didn't fully appreciate it. Now reviewing it : I'm Brazilian and knowing how politics works down here it's very believable whats happening on screen. Colonel James Burton: I'll buy the army a new goddamn door. The willful cover-ups of a … Awards This movie is about a war machine that the U.S government wants to somday send troops out into combat. So it's not an in depth analysis, and I'd love to see a documentary on the same subject, but it's quite enjoyable. The names are changed but it's based on actual events that happened during the late 1960's to the late 1980's. It was the biggest East-West swap since the Cold War: four CIA and MI6 agents traded for ten deep cover Russian agents caught posing as Americans across the country. It's a must see, if not for the funny parts(not everyone has a sense of humor), at least for the message: watch your government very, very close, they usually screw up. no star! Cary Elwes stars as Col. James Burton, a man sent to help finish the Bradley project at the Pentagon. 12:23 - 12:26 He was at the Air Force lab when Congress called. Richard Schiff plays Gen. Smith who bends over backwards to please Partridge and the brass hats. In short, this is a really good film that I highly recommend for anyone who has ever served or cares to see what goes on behind closed doors. In this film Director Richard Benjamin takes a realistic look at the brainless system by which the Military waste's taxpayer's money. Gen. Partridge is a classic privileged twit of the first order, and I never confused him with Frasier for a second. Theos Historical/ real event films & episodes. Just go with this one. no cushy job with a contract when you retire!" Menu. The military decides to create a new troop carrier. I find it interesting that this movie is classified as a comedy, granted some of the procedures that Col. Burton is forced to go through are comical. Not only was it produced at great cost (over 13 billion taxpayer dollars) but after spending that much money it was an unsafe deathtrap for anyone riding in it, unfortunately it was a troop carrier. Yet rather than admit these design flaws the decision was made to hurry up production as if getting the project approved was the ultimate symbol of success. Lt. A great memorable quote from the The Pentagon Wars movie on Quotes.net - [Burton just destroryed a door in a test]Lt. An okay bit of entertainment, this film could have had more bite, a harder edge, and more drama. Since it was larger it became more of a target so additional armor was added. But I still find it incredulous that the US military brass can be so short-sighted and inept. 2:50 - 2:55 ... - First tour with the Pentagon? Everyone "gets it," even the hero. The film made fun of all the "Red Tape" that is involved in the Military and how some high ranking officers got carried away with their TOP SECRET PROJECTS. . General Partridge (Kelsey Grammer) forgets that the business of war begins with providing good material to the troops. The hearings and questions of that commission provides one of the most humoristic scenes of the movie and are unsurpassed by other political movies. So glad I did. Stop the revolving door between the Pentagon and the defense industry. The lengths that military brass go to in order to get approval for production is unreal. The story itself--the crazy process whereby a simple request for an improved armored personnel carrier resulted in the ridiculous initial design for the Bradley transport--is one that should be well-known. Meanwhile, withdrawing troops from Afghanistan and other war fronts should result in significant Pentagon budget reductions, as has happened historically after wars — but don’t count on it. We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly. Lees „The Pentagon Wars Reformers Challenge the Old Guard“ door James G. Burton verkrijgbaar bij Rakuten Kobo. No one wants to be that person to throw a monkey wrench into the process and all too often, we see our leaders putting their own interest ahead of those whose lives depend on their equipment. The Film of the Book: Of The Pentagon Wars by USAF Colonel James G. Burton. He watches his simple, common sense defense department project spiral out of control into one of the most publicized and outrageous examples of the military industrial complex run amok in recent history. | The tests and the hearing are hysterical, I coudn't stop laughing, the general explaining himself to the senator it's worth the movie. The part of Burton's assistant seemed to me to be well played. It's a sarcastic and ironical humor, and if you only like Three Stooges only( people may like it and also like other type of comedy) type of jokes, don''t watch it, you'll miss the funny parts. Some SPITBALL from Romania! The importance of the Defense Department’s work demands that their decision-making be beyond reproach and free from even the perception of corruption. First of all, I've read some comments saying it's not funny and even one comparing it with a Steve Martin movie. I found it to be hilarious. Pentagon outside Washington, DC ... ‘You’ve got a President who says global warming is a hoax, and across the Potomac river you’ve got a Pentagon preparing for climate wars. And the women in this film keep it down to earth. And the casting is superb. Very well written, acted, and direct. Colonel James Burton (Cary Elwes) knows this and he delivers a speech to the test-company that must make a demonstration of the Bradley troop transporter. Typical Benjamin. Eventually, rather than having a vehicle that could get soldiers into the field quickly and safely, it became a monstrosity that was actually unsafe for the soldiers. General Smith put it the most accurately when Lt. 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