History Film / GoodMorningVietnam

* GilliganCut: Tuan arranges a date between his sister, Trinh, and Adrian, but warns Adrian that he won't like it when he gets there; he'll say it's ridiculous. "Why? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." Cue [[spoiler: Trinh in front of a dozen of her family members greeting Adrian, and his looking less than pleased.]]

* BarBrawl: Instigated when Adrian takes very justifiable offense at two soldiers using racist slurs about Tuan, then pushing him to the floor. Adrian gets in a headbutt which is a NoSell, goes out like a light, but fortunately his fellow radio personnel back him up. Earns him a dressing down at the hands of Dickerson.

* BarBrawl: Instigated when Adrian takes very justifiable offense at two soldiers using racist slurs about Tuan.

** Implied in poor Garlick's tone when hopelessly telling Cronauer he needs '''very specific family-sanctioned introductions''' to talk to his love interest, before posing as a teacher in her English class.

* [[CaptainObvious ChaplainObvious]]: Noel, the army chaplain.

--> '''Dickerson:''' Cronauer, you better stay cool. You better not get involved in anything. You better not even come in range of anything that happens. Or your ass is grass and I'm a lawnmower. Am I being fairly clear?

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: The real Adrian Cronauer says the movie is inaccurate. In truth, pretty much everything except the basic details was fabricated. For example, instead of being the staunch liberal, antiwar, anti-military Creator/RobinWilliams ([[CriticalResearchFailure despite being in a volunteer-only branch]]), he describes himself as a "lifelong card-carrying Republican" and was a vice-chairman of the 2004 Bush/Cheney campaign, was sent home when his tour ended, and states that much of what Williams did would have gotten him court-martialled in a heartbeat.

Cronauer's irreverence contrasts sharply with the rest of the staff and soon rouses the ire of two of his superiors, Lieutenant Steven Hauk (Bruno Kirby) and Sergeant Major Dickerson (J. T. Walsh). Hauk adheres to strict Army guidelines in terms of humor and music programming, while Dickerson is annoyed by Cronauer's behavior in general. However, General Taylor (Noble Willingham) and the other [=DJs=] quickly grow to like the new man and his brand of comedy, which begins as soon as he first goes on the air with a yell of "Go-o-o-o-o-o-o-d morning, Vietnam!"

-->'''Adrian Cronauer:''' Excuse me, sir. Seeing as how the V.P. is such a V.I.P., shouldn't we keep the P.C. on the Q.T.? 'Cause if it leaks to the V.C. he could end up M.I.A., and then we'd all be put out in K.P.[[hottip:*:Translation: Seeing as the Vice President is a Very Important Person, shouldn't we keep the Press Conference on the Quiet? Cause if it leaks to the Viet Cong he could end up Missing In Action, and then we'd all be put on Kitchen Patrol.]]

-->'''Adrian Cronauer:''' Okay, if someone is not telling the truth, you say that they are full of... \\
'''Vietnamese Class:''' Shit! \\
'''Adrian Cronauer:''' If someone has made you angry or angrier, they have... \\

* CatchPhrase: "GOOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING VIETNAM!" Best wakeup call ever.

** [[spoiler: Cronauer was firsthand witness to the destruction of Jimmy Wah's and the death of at least one serviceman, so we can understand his need to report on it.]]
--> [[spoiler: '''Cronauer (off the blood on his shirt): Where do you think THIS came from, shaving?! It's the truth, I'd like to report the truth; it'd be a nice change of pace!]]

--> '''Dickerson''': Cronauer, you better stay cool. You better not get involved in anything. You better not even come in range of anything that happens. Or your ass is grass and I'm a lawnmower. Am I being fairly clear?
--> '''Cronauer''': Yes, sir.
--> '''Dickerson''': Sir! I ''work'' for a living, airman. You will address me as Sergeant Major Dickerson.
--> '''Cronauer''': Yes, Sergeant Major Dickerson.

--> '''Dickerson''': Do you see anything on this uniform indicating an officer? ''[Pointing to his rank insignia]'' What does three up and three down mean to you, airman?
--> '''Cronauer''': End of an inning?

* MoodWhiplash: the movie starts off very funny and irreverent, as Cronauer adjusts (or doesn't) to life in South Vietnam with characteristic hilarity. Then [[spoiler:he's almost blown up by a VC bomb, and finds out that the Vietnamese kid he'd become friendly with is actually a North Vietnamese spy trying to kill as many Americans as he can, and Cronauer eventually becomes horribly disillusioned with the whole situation.]] [[TheVietnamWar Needless to say]], the movie ends on a bit of a [[DownerEnding downer]].

-->'''Cronauer''' (faking like he's taking a phone call): Who's this?
-->'''Cronauer''' (faking like he's calling in): BOB!
-->'''Cronauer''': Hey Bob, what do you do?
-->'''Cronauer''': ARTILLERY!
-->'''Cronauer''': What can we play for you?
-->'''Cronauer''': ANYTHING MAN, JUST PLAY IT LOUD!

-->'''[[ReasonableAuthorityFigure General Taylor]]''': ''Dick, I've covered for you a lot of times 'cause I thought you were a little crazy. But you're not crazy, you're mean. [[SeriousBusiness And this is just radio.]]''

* SoundtrackDissonance: "What a Wonderful World", played over a montage of troops fighting in the field, officers at base looking reflective, and a village being carpet bombed.

* TitleDrop: Cronauer's signature sign-on.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: The real Adrian Cronauer says the movie is inaccurate. In truth, pretty much everything except the basic details was fabricated. For example, instead of being the staunch liberal, antiwar, anti-military Creator/RobinWilliams ([[CriticalResearchFailure despite being in a volunteer-only branch]]), he describes himself as a "lifelong card-carrying Republican" and was a vice-chairman of the 2004 Bush/Cheney campaign, was sent home when his tour ended, and states that much of what Williams did would have gotten him court martialed in a heartbeat.

''Good Morning Vietnam'' is a 1987 comedy-drama film set in Saigon during TheVietnamWar, based on the career of Adrian Cronauer (RobinWilliams), a disc jockey on Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS), who proves hugely popular with the troops serving in South Vietnam, but infuriates his superiors with what they call his "irreverent tendency." The film was written by Mitch Markowitz and directed by Barry Levinson.

* UriahGambit: Dickerson issues Cronauer a pass through a road which (unbeknown to Cronauer) is held by the enemy and dotted with landmines. He's hoping it'll [[MakeItLookLikeAnAccident look like an accident.]]

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: The real Adrian Cronauer says the movie is inaccurate. In truth, pretty much everything except the basic details was fabricated. For example, instead of being the staunch liberal, anti-war, anti-military RobinWilliams ([[CriticalResearchFailure despite being in a volunteer-only branch]]), he describes himself as a "lifelong card carrying Republican" and was a vice-chairman of the 2004 Bush/Cheney campaign, was sent home when his tour ended, and states that much of what Williams did would have gotten him court martialed in a heartbeat.

* MeLoveYouLongTime: Almost averted. She warms to him, but the relationship remains platonic.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: The real Adrian Cronauer says the movie is inaccurate. In truth, pretty much everything except the basic details was fabricated. For example, instead of being the staunch liberal, anti-war, anti-military RobinWilliams ([[CriticalResearchFailure despite being in a volunteer-only branch]]), he describes himself as a "card carrying Republican" and was a vice-chairman of the 2004 Bush/Cheney campaign, was sent home when his tour ended, and states the much of what Williams did would have gotten him court martialed in a heartbeat.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: The real Adrian Cronauer says the movie is inaccurate. In truth, pretty much everything except the basic details was fabricated. For example, instead of being the staunch liberal, anti-war, anti-military RobinWilliams([[CriticalResearchFailure despite being in a volunteer-only branch]]), he describes himself as a "card carrying Republican" and was a vice-chairman of the 2004 Bush/Cheney campaign, was sent home when his tour ended, and states the much of what Williams did would have gotten him court martialed in a heartbeat.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: The real Adrian Cronauer says the movie is inaccurate. In truth, pretty much everything except the basic details was fabricated. For example, instead of being the liberal anti-military ([[CriticalResearchFailure despite being in a volunteer-only branch]]) Robin Williams, he describes himself as a "card carrying Republican" and was a vice-chairman of the 2004 Bush/Cheney campaign, was sent home when his tour ended, and states the much of what Williams did would have gotten him court martialed in a heartbeat.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: The real Adrian Cronauer says the movie is about 30% accurate. For example, instead of being the liberal anti-military ([[CriticalResearchFailure despite being in a volunteer-only branch]]) Robin Williams, he describes himself as a "card carrying Republican", and was the chairman of the 2004 Bush/Cheney campaign, was sent home when his tour ended, and states the much of what Williams did would have gotten him court martialed in a heartbeat.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrue: The real Adrian Cronauer says the movie is about 30% accurate. For example, instead of being the liberal anti-military ([[CriticalResearchFailure despite being in a volunteer-only branch]]) Robin Williams, he describes himself as a "card carrying Republican", and was the chairman of the 2004 Bush/Cheney campaign, was sent home when his tour ended, and states the much of what Williams did would have gotten him court martialed in a heartbeat.

* HollywoodHistory: The real Adrian Cronauer readily admits he was nowhere near as funny or outrageous as Williams.

-->"That is humor. I recognize that. I also recognize your brand of soldier."

--> '''Dickerson''': Sir! Do you see anything on this uniform indicating an officer? ''[Pointing to his rank insignia]'' What does three up and three down mean to you, airman?

* DontCallMeSir: Sgt. Dickerson is particularly insistent on this point, taking excessive pride in his non-commissioned status.

In 1965, United States Air Force Airman Adrian Cronauer arrives in Saigon from Crete to work as a DJ for the Armed Forces Radio Service. His first contact is with Private First Class Edward Garlick (ForestWhitaker), whom he persuades to help chase down a couple of pretty local girls before taking him to the radio station.