1967's "Some May Live" (aka "In Saigon, Some May Live") was one of the very few movies about the Vietnam War that was actually filmed in Saigon, during the Vietnam War! It's a dandy espionage thriller about U.S. efforts to find who's leaking vital war information to the Commies from MACV (Military Assistance Command -- Vietnam) Headquarters. Nothing overblown and pretentious like "Platoon" or "Full Metal Jacket", just typically great 1960's filmmaking.
Martha Hyer plays a clerk named Kate Meredith at MACV HQ, who seems to have a normal life, married to a distinguished British journalist (Peter Cushing) who's covering the war, caring for her young son... or does it just seem that way? Joseph Cotton is the U.S. Army colonel Hyer works for, who brings in Capt. Elliott Thomas (played by John Ronane) to investigate. Only problem, Capt. Thomas starts falling in love with Kate, and complications ensue. Though Cushing and Cotton got top-billing, Ronane is the real male lead of this movie. He reminds me something of a John Gavin or Tom Tryon, and plays his role well, an American officer torn between his duty and his heart.
The filmmakers do a good job of conveying the spirit of 1967 Saigon, a city trying to go about everyday business, but always with a sinister, dangerous undercurrent. Hyer and Cushing, in a particularly effective scene, are shown conversing nonchalantly, sipping cocktails in their well appointed apartment, while in the background there's the constant flashes of gunfire and muffled explosions of the War taking place on the outskirts of the city. The opening credits feature many travelogue-type scenes of Saigon circa '67, accompanied by a great (and much overlooked) theme song called "Some May Live", effectively sung by Vince Hill. Don't know if this obscure film will ever make it to DVD, but if you can find it, be sure and watch it. A real "time travel" back to the Vietnam War era.
Martha Hyer plays a clerk named Kate Meredith at MACV HQ, who seems to have a normal life, married to a distinguished British journalist (Peter Cushing) who's covering the war, caring for her young son... or does it just seem that way? Joseph Cotton is the U.S. Army colonel Hyer works for, who brings in Capt. Elliott Thomas (played by John Ronane) to investigate. Only problem, Capt. Thomas starts falling in love with Kate, and complications ensue. Though Cushing and Cotton got top-billing, Ronane is the real male lead of this movie. He reminds me something of a John Gavin or Tom Tryon, and plays his role well, an American officer torn between his duty and his heart.
The filmmakers do a good job of conveying the spirit of 1967 Saigon, a city trying to go about everyday business, but always with a sinister, dangerous undercurrent. Hyer and Cushing, in a particularly effective scene, are shown conversing nonchalantly, sipping cocktails in their well appointed apartment, while in the background there's the constant flashes of gunfire and muffled explosions of the War taking place on the outskirts of the city. The opening credits feature many travelogue-type scenes of Saigon circa '67, accompanied by a great (and much overlooked) theme song called "Some May Live", effectively sung by Vince Hill. Don't know if this obscure film will ever make it to DVD, but if you can find it, be sure and watch it. A real "time travel" back to the Vietnam War era.