Gardens of Stone

Infobox_Film
name = Gardens of Stone


caption = movie poster for "Gardens of Stone"
writer = Ronald Bass (screenplay)
Nicholas Proffitt (novel)
starring = James Caan
Anjelica Huston
James Earl Jones
D. B. Sweeney
Dean Stockwell
Mary Stuart Masterson
director = Francis Ford Coppola
producer = Francis Ford Coppola
Michael I. Levy
music = Carmine Coppola
editing = Barry Malkin
distributor = Tri-Star Pictures
released = May 8, 1987
runtime = 112 min.
language = English
country = USA
gross = $5,262,050 (USA)
amg_id = A19240
imdb_id = 0093073

"Gardens of Stone" is a 1987 film by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the novel of the same title by Nicholas Proffitt. It tells the story of a hardened Korean and Vietnam War veteran Sgt. Clell Hazard (James Caan); he longs to train soldiers for Vietnam but is instead put in the 1st battalion 3d Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) at Fort Myer, Virginia. The Old Guard conducts the funeral ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery. Hazard calls them the "toy soldiers" and hates his job until Jackie Willow (D. B. Sweeney), the son of an old friend and fellow veteran, turns up in his company and he sees an opportunity to make sure at least one man comes home alive. He tries to warn Willow about Vietnam but the young man sees it as his duty as a soldier to fight for his country, no matter what kind of war.

James Earl Jones plays Hazard's longtime friend, Sergeant Major "Goody" Nelson. Anjelica Huston portrays Hazard's girlfriend, Samantha Davis, a writer for the "Washington Post" who is against the Vietnam War for different reasons than Hazard. Later in the film, Jackie marries a Colonel's daughter named Rachel Feld (Mary Stuart Masterson).

Main cast

Box Office

The movie had a limited release (612 theaters) and end up grossing $5,262,047. According to Box Office Mojo the movie also made $1,645,588 on its opening weekend.

Replacement of Griffin O'Neal

Griffin O'Neal was initially cast in "Gardens of Stone", but was replaced after his involvement in the accidental speedboating death of Coppola's eldest son, Gian-Carlo Coppola, in May 1986. [Tatum O'Neal, "A Paper Life", 0-060-75102-9 p. 158]

External links

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* [http://film.virtual-history.com/film.php?filmid=300 Movie stills]

References