Review of Coming Home (1978) by Lou E — 11 Jun 2007

'Coming Home' is a very powerful and meaningful film, but it was released the same year as 'The Deer Hunter' and that absolutely annihilated it when it came Oscar season. 'Coming Home' is a great film, but it is no where near as brilliant as Michael Cimino's one-hit wonder 'Deer Hunter'.

Despite this competition, 'Coming Home' managed to win two Academy Awards for the lead actors -- Jon Voight and Jane Fonda. 'Coming Home' is the story of a beautiful, bright yet very understanding military wife, Sally Hyde (Fonda), who is married to the marine poster boy, Captain Bob Hyde (Bruce Dern - Black Sunday).

Bob goes off to fight in Vietnam, leaving Sally with nothing to do but worry. Instead of sitting at home and eating bon-bons, Sally and her best friend Vi (Penelope Milford) volunteer at a Veternan's hospital where Sally is re-united with an old high school acquaintance, Luke Martin (Voight), who was a sergeant in Vietnam but know can't walk.

The two become great friends but eventually lovers which comes to a boil when Captain Bob returns home after a couple years of fighting. The film also stars Robert Carradine and Charlie Cyphers. Hal Ashby does a fine job directing this picture, and Robert C.

Jones and Waldo Salt provide a powerful screenplay. Jon Voight steals the picture which his heart-wrenching portrayal of a physically and emotionally scarred war veteran who reflects on his time spent in 'Nam and just wishes the war would end.

Voight was great and won an Oscar, but I felt DeNiro deserved it more for his similar role in 'The Deer Hunter'. Jane Fonda rightfully won her Oscar for Leading Actress as the caring, king and understanding Sally who always wants to help someone and Bruce Dern is powerful in the role of Captain Hyde especially in the last fifteen minutes of the film.

Besides winning two Oscars for the leading actors, 'Coming Home' was nominated for six other Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor - Bruce Dern, Best Supporting Actress - Penelope Milford, Best Original Screenplay (which it ended up actually winning) and Best Film Editing.

It is a wonderful motion picture, but not quite on the level with the 'The Deer Hunter'. I recommend it for anyone who appreciates incredible acting and film-making. Grade: B+.