About The Pentagon Wars (HBO)

The Pentagon Wars is a dark comedy film produced by HBO in 1998. It is based on a book of the same name by Colonel James G. Burton, United States Air Force. The movie centers on the development of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle and highlights the mismanagement and corruption present within the Pentagon. A civilian military engineer, Colonel Burton, attempts to expose the defects and deficiencies in the Bradley project, leading to comical and often alarming situations.

Making / Production

The film was directed by Richard Benjamin and produced by Howard Meltzer and Gary Daigler, with executive producers John W. Hyde and Robert Cooper. The screenplay was crafted by Jamie Malanowski and Martyn Burke, engagingly adapting Colonel James G. Burton's real-life experiences within the Pentagon. The narrative takes on an offbeat humorous tone to impart a rather serious message to its viewers.

Actors

• Kelsey Grammer as Major General Partridge: Played the role of an over-ambitious officer determined to push through the flawed vehicle project.
• Cary Elwes as Lieutenant Colonel James Burton: Brilliantly depicted the civilian whistleblower trying to bring the truth to light.
• Viola Davis as SPC Mary Johnson: Brought a knack for reliability and humor to her performance as a soldier.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The movie is based on actual events highlighted in the book of the same name.
• Colonel Burton's real-life trials spanned over a decade from the '70s to the '80s.
• The movie links the infamous Sergeant York project to the Bradley fiasco with some characters involved in both.

Awards

No awards were recorded for the movie.

Quotes

• "Colonel, with all due respect, you cannot blow a whistle on a war."
• "You must remember, you can’t make a difference unless you are in the room."
• "I can deal with it. I am just not going to ignore it!"

Music, Soundtrack

• Original music for the film was composed by Joseph Vitarelli.
• The movie largely employs a military-inspired score, befitting its themes and settings.