Johnny Got His Gun (1971)

Director:

Dalton Trumbo

Writers:

Dalton Trumbo (novel)
Dalton Trumbo (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

14 August 1972 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

The most shattering experience you'll ever live.

Plot:

Joe, a young American soldier, is hit by a mortar shell on the last day of World War I. He lies in a hospital bed in a fate worse than death...

Plot Keywords:

Hospital | Memory | Soldier | Eyes | Dream

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Don 'Red' Barry	...	Jody Simmons (as Donald Barry)
Timothy Bottoms	...	Joe Bonham
Craig Bovia	...	Little Guy
Peter Brocco	...	Ancient Prelate
Judy Howard Chaikin	...	Bakery Girl
Kendell Clarke	...	Hospital Offical
Eric Christmas	...	Corporal Timlon
Dalton Trumbo	...	Orator (as Robert Cole)
Maurice Dallimore	...	British Colonel
Robert Easton	...	Third Doctor
Kathy Fields	...	Kareen
Larry Fleischman	...	Russ
Eduard Franz	...	Col. / Gen. Tillery
Anthony Geary	...	Redhead (as Tony Geary)
Ed Gilbert	...	Priest (as Edmund Gilbert)
Ben Hammer	...	Second Doctor
Milton Barnes	...	First Reader
Lynn Hanratty	...	Elisabeth Age 6
Wayne Heffley	...	Captain
Marsha Hunt	...	Joe's Mother
Ernestine Johnston	...	Farm Woman
Joseph Kaufmann	...	Rudy (as Joseph Kaufman)
Mike Lee	...	Bill Harper
Kerry MacLane	...	Joe Age 10
Charles McGraw	...	Mike Burkeman
William Mims	...	Gentleman
Byron Morrow	...	Brigadier General
Alice Nunn	...	Third Nurse
Marge Redmond	...	First Nurse
Jason Robards	...	Joe's Father
Jodean Lawrence	...	Second Nurse (as Jodean Russo)
David Soul	...	Swede
Donald Sutherland	...	Christ
Diane Varsi	...	Fourth Nurse
Peter Virgo Jr.	...	Attendant
Gigi Vorgan	...	Catherine Age 13
Jeffrey Walker	...	Fifth Guy (as Jeff Walker)
Bruce Watson	...	Technician
Sandy Brown Wyeth	...	Lucky
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Xus Estruch	...	(uncredited)
Ken Globus	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Margaret Pellegrini	...	(uncredited)
Pepe Serna	...	Jose (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey	...	Churchgoer (uncredited)
Tom Tryon	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Dalton Trumbo

Writing credits
Dalton Trumbo		(novel)
Dalton Trumbo		(screenplay)
Luis Buñuel		uncredited

Produced by
Bruce Campbell	....	producer
Tony Monaco	....	associate producer
Christopher Trumbo	....	associate producer
Tom Tryon	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Jerry Fielding

Cinematography by
Jules Brenner

Film Editing by
Millie Moore

Casting by
Tony Monaco

Production Design by
Harold Michelson

Art Direction by
Jeremy Kay
Harold Michelson

Set Decoration by
George R. Nelson
Bob Signorelli		(as Robert Signorelli)

Costume Design by
Theadora Van Runkle

Makeup Department
Phil Rhodes	....	makeup artist (as Phillip Rhodes)
Lorraine Roberson	....	hair stylist

Production Management
James F. Sommers	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christopher Trumbo	....	assistant director

Art Department
James Martin Bachman	....	assistant art director (as James Bachman)
Stephen R. Ferry	....	property master (as Stephen Ferry)

Sound Department
Samuel M. Annis	....	looping editor
Harold M. Etherington	....	sound mixer (as Hal Etherington)
Bob Minkler	....	sound effects mixer (as Robert Minkler)
James Nelson	....	sound effects editor (as Jim Nelson)
Howard S. Wollman	....	dialogue mixer (as Howard Wollman)

Special Effects by
Dick Williams	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Melissa Campbell	....	still photographer
Dick Colean	....	first assistant camera
George Rumanes	....	lighting director
Bud Schindler	....	key grip (as Bud Shindler)
Robert Touyarot	....	camera operator

Casting Department
Marsha Kleinman	....	assistant to casting director

Costume and Wardrobe Department
James Kessler	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Elizabeth H. Buxton	....	assistant editor (as Elizabeth Buxton)
William Paul Dornisch	....	supervising editor (as William P. Dornisch)
June Gilham	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Jerry Fielding	....	conductor
Erma E. Levin	....	music editor (as Erma Levin)
Don Minkler	....	music mixer (as Donald Minkler)

Transportation Department
Elmore Adams	....	transportation director

Other crew
Deanna Beeler	....	secretary to the director
Milton Birnbaum	....	medical advisor (as Dr. Milton Birnbaum)
John Bright	....	production associate
Dorothea Campbell	....	production associate
Madeline Colie	....	production secretary (as Madeline Oolie)
Aubrey Finn	....	attorney
Eugene Frenke	....	production associate (as Gene Frenke)
Robert Haggiag	....	production associate
Simon Lazarus	....	production associate
Clarke Lindsley	....	assistant to producer
John Lott	....	production coordinator
Bob Milford	....	production consultant
Carolyn Newman	....	production secretary
Roy Silver	....	production associate
Dale Strange	....	set operator
Pamela H. Vanneck	....	assistant to producer
Marvin Weldon	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• World Entertainment

Distributors

• Cinemation Industries (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1983) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• KinoVista (2007) (Russia) (TV)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Media Home Entertainment (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• New Cinema Enterprises (Canada)
• Orovídeo (Brazil) (video)
• Rosebud (Greece)
• Shout! Factory (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2003) (Australia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Normand Houle's Design Arts  set construction
• Glen Glenn Sound  sound recording (as Glen Glenn Sound Company)
• Producers' Sound Services  sound recording (as Producers' Sound Service, Inc.)
• Kaleidoscope Productions Inc.  post-production coordinating
• Pacific Title  main titles
• International Producers Services  production managment
• International Producers Services  consultation

Also Known As:

Dalton Trumbo's Johnny Got His Gun (USA) (complete title)
Johnny s'en va-t-en guerre (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
E Deram-lhe Uma Espingarda... (Portugal) [pt]
E Johnny prese il fucile (Italy) [it]
Johnny Vai à Guerra (Brazil) [pt]
Johnny cogió su fusil (Spain) [es]
Johnny poszedl na wojne (Poland) [pl]
Johnny zieht in den Krieg (West Germany) [de]
O Johnny pire t' oplo tou (Greece) (reissue title) [el]
O Johnny pire to oplo tou (Greece) [el]
Sotilaspoika (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:16 (f) | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | USA:R (original rating) | Norway:18

Company:

World Entertainment

Trivia:

Only a minor success at the time of its release, this long-forgotten film became well known in 1989 when it was incorporated in the Metallica video Metallica: 2 of One (1989) (V), which turned it into a cult item.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Joe: S.O.S. Help me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Last Picture Show: A Look Back (1999) (V)

Turned Me Into a Pacifist

I became an instant pacifist when I saw this movie at the age of 16. Prior to this, I had been a supporter of the war in Vietnam, and had fully intended to enlist when I was old enough. My father, a veteran of WW2 and Korea, took me to see this movie when it was first released, to help cure me of my delusion about the glory of war. He was very successful in that undertaking. While I haven't seen the movie in 34 years, I cannot deny it had a major influence on my life. I'll never forget the horror I felt in seeing that poor soldier trapped in his mind. I would strongly recommend telling anyone who is pro-war to see this movie. You may help turn on others to the horrors of war.