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Operation Dumbo Drop

Operation Dumbo Drop

Movie · 1995 · 8 people

Simon Wincer directed Operation Dumbo Drop, a comedy set in wartime and released in the United States in 1995. Along the way it deals with war, politics and the welfare of animals. Interscope Communications and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment produced it, and Walt Disney Pictures distributed it in cinemas. Principal photography took place in Thailand, though the story is set in Vietnam. It opened in the United States on 28 July 1995 and took about 24.7 million dollars domestically. Regarded as a moderate financial success, it drew mixed to negative reviews and earned no nominations from the major film organisations.

The story unfolds in 1968, in the middle of the Vietnam War. Two Green Berets, Sam Cahill (Danny Glover) and T.C. Doyle (Ray Liotta), try to take an elephant through jungle terrain to a South Vietnamese village. The task matters because the village helps American forces monitor Viet Cong activity. The elephant is called Bo-Tat. The logistical hardships of the journey push them toward an audacious plan, dropping the animal from the air. Denis Leary, Doug E. Doug and Corin Nemec play leading parts, with Tchéky Karyo, Marshall Bell and James Hong also in the cast.

Gene Quintano and Jim Kouf wrote the screenplay, drawing on a true story told by US Army Major Jim Morris. David Newman composed the music and David Madden and Diane Nabatoff produced.

DirectorSimon Wincer
Production companyInterscope Communications

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Danny Glover Danny Glover Actor · 80 years old Capt. Sam Cahill Tchéky Karyo Tchéky Karyo Actor · died at 72 Goddard Ray Liotta Denis Leary Doug E. Doug Corin Nemec Marshall Bell James Hong

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Through different eyes

Family Viewer Asks whether the whole household can watch it; cares about humour and heart.

Two soldiers trying to get an elephant to a village sounds, on paper, like a story children will love. Danny Glover is a warm presence, and Bo-Tat the elephant seems to be the real star. Just keep in mind that it all happens in the middle of the Vietnam War. Comedy or not, the war backdrop may need some explaining to small children. It works better with animal-loving kids past their early primary years.

Action & Thriller Fan Puts pace, tension and set pieces first; little patience for slow drama.

Hauling an elephant through the jungle is a mission movie in itself, and the idea of finally dropping the animal from the air promises a proper set piece. The Ray Liotta and Danny Glover pairing brings energy too. But this is a war comedy that plays for charm rather than tension. The mixed, even negative reviews suggest the pace doesn't hold everywhere. Anyone hoping for real war action may come away disappointed.

History & Society Lens Asks about the period, the social background and what the work reflects.

The film starts from a true story told by US Army Major Jim Morris and puts at its centre a village in 1968 Vietnam that helps American forces monitor Viet Cong activity. Bringing war, politics and animal welfare into one frame is an interesting choice. But the warm tone of a Disney release softens much of that war's weight and the danger the villagers face, and the Vietnamese perspective seems to stay in the background. It is still instructive as a look at how Hollywood of the time could view the war from a lighter distance.

These are not reader reviews: they are short editorial takes written from different viewer perspectives with AI assistance. Reader reviews are below.

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