When Steven is made to play, he nervously shifts the angle of the gun as he pulls the trigger, and the bullet that is fired only grazes his scalp. The prisoners of war (POWs) are held in bamboo cages partially submerged in rat-infested waters, and their captors pull them up to force them to play Russian roulette. The Americans are outnumbered, however, and all three are taken prisoner. American helicopters arrive with reinforcements, which include Nick and Steven. Michael is among the small group of Americans defending the village from North Vietnamese attackers. The movie’s next act begins in the midst of a brutal battle in a small village in Vietnam. Michael, who follows his own strict code of honour regarding hunting, kills a buck with a single shot, and the men return to John’s bar with their trophy.Īre you a princess of Pop? The king of Culture? See if you’re an entertainment expert by answering these questions. Early the next morning, all the men except Steven go on a deer-hunting trip organized by Michael and Nick. Linda catches the bridal bouquet, and Nick proposes to her but seems surprised when she accepts the proposal. The wedding takes place in a Russian Orthodox church, and the reception is held in an American Legion hall. She later secures permission to stay in the home that Michael and Nick share during their deployment.

Nick’s girlfriend, Linda ( Meryl Streep), one of the bridesmaids, takes breakfast to her drunken father before leaving for the wedding, and he knocks her down. Steven is about to marry his pregnant girlfriend, Angela (Rutanya Alda), and Michael, Nick, and Steven are then going to ship out to Vietnam. A group of workers-Michael ( Robert De Niro), Nick ( Christopher Walken), and Steven (John Savage)-join with their friends Stan ( John Cazale) and Axel ( Chuck Aspegren) and go to the bar owned by John (George Dzundza). The film opens at the end of a shift in a steel mill in Clairton, Pennsylvania.

The emotionally shattering movie, cowritten and directed by Michael Cimino, won five Academy Awards, including those for best picture and best editor. The Deer Hunter, American dramatic film, released in 1978, that focused on the devastating effects of the Vietnam War on the young American men sent to fight in it.

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