This is much more a man's movie with all the flashbacks of an episode in the Vietnam War. Don Johnson does an excellent job in the lead role and his son the same as a younger version of him. This should get his son many more offers of roles. I enjoyed it perhaps because of a chance to see once more the talent of Don Johnson in a good role. He has aged well since Nash Bridges. Good war remembrance movie, reminding us again how this war affected those involved, so many of them very young at the time.
17 Reviews
The strength of honor is put to the test.
michaelRokeefe20 December 2003
A very good TNT original movie made for TV. A former Army Lieutenant(Don Johnson) sees his world falling apart when allegations that his platoon slaughtered innocent civilians thirty years ago in a hospital massacre. Jeanne Tripplehorn plays the Army Major prosecutor. The defending attorney is played flawlessly by Arlin Howard. Also in the cast is Sharon Lawrence as the Lieutenant's lovely wife; John Heard as the platoon member "blowing the whistle" and Johnson's son Jesse plays the young Lieutenant in Vietnam. Good courtroom drama. Well worth watching. It's also nice seeing Johnson letting go of some of the ego. He is aging nicely and still can command a scene.
Frastrative attitude from the army , law and administration
emanuel4229 November 2008
The film as well as the book by Nelson De-Mile really causes frustration and un-easiness.We have here a civilian with a successful career and an unblemished record as a combat officer , faulty accused by a 'rightuous civilian ' of being a war criminal. I'm an israeli , and we also experience here motions provoked by 'snow white'civilians from all sorts of 'human rights' organizations to put soldiers and commanding officers to trial, describing any military action taken by those accused to be a criminal act, while on the other hand outrageously ignore enemy's criminal activities like bombing buses , civic centers , schools etc.FOOD FOR THINKING!!!! let's condemn these organizations !!! Betzelem, Shalom achshav, women in black, machsom watch etc.
It really makes you wonder...
badabingbubba196531 December 2003
'Word of Honor' was a fabulous and very touching movie. It's a movie that really makes you think about the world and why things are done the way they are. Don Johnson's outstanding performance as Lieutenant Benjamin Tyson, a Vietnam Vet who has carried the horrible secret of a brutal massacre committed 30 years earlier, was superb! The passion was real...the love was real...the intensity was real...the tears were real. This movie really shows how the media can take one person's life and completely tear it apart and turn it upside down...and how one man's struggle to save his family, his marriage, and his life, goes through the ultimate test of all. Can he protect his family, his men and himself? Was Lt. Tyson made an example of by the Army, for events that happened years before? Now, I'm a huge fan of Don Johnson, but even if you're not a fan of Don Johnson, this is a movie that's definitely worth watching...you won't be disappointed! Word of Honor is one of THE BEST tv movies of 2003!
Don Johnson blew me away!
mermath4 June 2004
I don't usually add to this "comments" aspect of IMDb. But let me tell you, Don Johnson was AMAZING and blew me away, and if I didn't sit down and write about it, I was going to explode.
Truthfully, although Sharon Lawrence did an extremely competent job (sometimes really good) as his wife, the rest of the supporting cast was OK at best. Some really bad performances, in fact, that just make you cringe, but that you will often get on TV movies. The guys in the flashback sections did alright, especially Don Johnson's son. But other than that, you are just waiting for Don Johnson to come back on screen. And he does, so it's worth waiting for those moments:) And let me emphasize that I am NOT some teeny-bopper Don Johnson fan. I've never even liked his work that much before. But if you get a chance to see this (I got an Academy viewer; I'm not sure if they come out on DVD or not) you MUST check this out. I'm so impressed with what Mr.Johnson is capable of, and I'm really looking forward to his next movie.
If this had been a feature film, I would say that it was Oscar worthy.
Truthfully, although Sharon Lawrence did an extremely competent job (sometimes really good) as his wife, the rest of the supporting cast was OK at best. Some really bad performances, in fact, that just make you cringe, but that you will often get on TV movies. The guys in the flashback sections did alright, especially Don Johnson's son. But other than that, you are just waiting for Don Johnson to come back on screen. And he does, so it's worth waiting for those moments:) And let me emphasize that I am NOT some teeny-bopper Don Johnson fan. I've never even liked his work that much before. But if you get a chance to see this (I got an Academy viewer; I'm not sure if they come out on DVD or not) you MUST check this out. I'm so impressed with what Mr.Johnson is capable of, and I'm really looking forward to his next movie.
If this had been a feature film, I would say that it was Oscar worthy.
Barely Watchable
dansview8 March 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Don Johnson has a certain presence that makes him watchable in most of his projects. It's a sort of a gravitas combined with the cool alpha southern guy. He does not possess a huge range, as evidenced by this performance and most others, but in the final courtroom scene, he gives a fine emotional yet understated performance.
I was convinced that this was going to be another movie depicting American soldiers as sadistic, maniacal murderers and rapists. It basically was, but Johnson's speech at the end balances things out with an interesting and original use of logic.
He admits that his fellow soldiers did something terrible, but suggests that their acts were crimes of passion during an otherwise honorable period of service and subsequent honorable lifetimes.
The only way the movie can exist is if we don't get to hear Johnson's account of the key event in Vietnam until the end of the movie. Everything hinged on this suspense. Therefore he awkwardly refuses to tell his own wife and kid what happened, and we don't hear him tell his own lawyer.
One reviewer already mentioned that the key witness, a French nun, became black over the 30 year period since the war. She was a missionary, but perhaps we are supposed to assume that she went through a skin pigmentation darkening process. Michael Jackson was a missionary too.
I usually love Jeanne Tripplehorn, but she was wooden in this one. I usually love John Heard too. I guess he was OK, but I really didn't get a feel for who the hell he was.
More importantly, I still don't understand why the soldiers massacred everyone. I guess Johnson's speech about temporary insanity explains it. They were distraught over the deaths of their fellow soldiers and suspicious of everyone, they were fatigued, and they just lost it.
There is one born again Christian in the adult version of the platoon whom we see when they reunite in D.C. But it would have been nice to see Don Johnson's character consult with a clergyman.
Also, as one other reviewer cleverly mentioned, I saw no evidence that the Johnson character's marriage was so sacred. He tells his lawyer that his wife and kid are everything to him, but it seems like his wife is just a sexy blonde with whom he has a lukewarm relationship.
This picture is slow, has low budget production values, is filled with clichés, and makes little sense. The Vietnam sequences are totally unrealistic and clichéd too. One soldier even says, "Don't die on me man," while he holds his bloodied friend. I've never heard that one before.
Stay away from this stinker, unless you are a Johnson fan, or just have a penchant for anything to do with Vietnam. It includes Arliss Howard, a pleasing actor from the 80s as well.
I was convinced that this was going to be another movie depicting American soldiers as sadistic, maniacal murderers and rapists. It basically was, but Johnson's speech at the end balances things out with an interesting and original use of logic.
He admits that his fellow soldiers did something terrible, but suggests that their acts were crimes of passion during an otherwise honorable period of service and subsequent honorable lifetimes.
The only way the movie can exist is if we don't get to hear Johnson's account of the key event in Vietnam until the end of the movie. Everything hinged on this suspense. Therefore he awkwardly refuses to tell his own wife and kid what happened, and we don't hear him tell his own lawyer.
One reviewer already mentioned that the key witness, a French nun, became black over the 30 year period since the war. She was a missionary, but perhaps we are supposed to assume that she went through a skin pigmentation darkening process. Michael Jackson was a missionary too.
I usually love Jeanne Tripplehorn, but she was wooden in this one. I usually love John Heard too. I guess he was OK, but I really didn't get a feel for who the hell he was.
More importantly, I still don't understand why the soldiers massacred everyone. I guess Johnson's speech about temporary insanity explains it. They were distraught over the deaths of their fellow soldiers and suspicious of everyone, they were fatigued, and they just lost it.
There is one born again Christian in the adult version of the platoon whom we see when they reunite in D.C. But it would have been nice to see Don Johnson's character consult with a clergyman.
Also, as one other reviewer cleverly mentioned, I saw no evidence that the Johnson character's marriage was so sacred. He tells his lawyer that his wife and kid are everything to him, but it seems like his wife is just a sexy blonde with whom he has a lukewarm relationship.
This picture is slow, has low budget production values, is filled with clichés, and makes little sense. The Vietnam sequences are totally unrealistic and clichéd too. One soldier even says, "Don't die on me man," while he holds his bloodied friend. I've never heard that one before.
Stay away from this stinker, unless you are a Johnson fan, or just have a penchant for anything to do with Vietnam. It includes Arliss Howard, a pleasing actor from the 80s as well.
Amazing Don Johnson performance
ali-377 August 2005
I had never heard of this movie but I'm a great fan of DeMille. I was totally blown away by Johnson's performance. He's way more believable than Sean Penn who always overacts. Johnson's performance is subtle even when he breaks down at the end. Great Great great. There's a great line in the film about the media being a giant conglomerate only interested in exploiting human tragedy for big bucks but calling it a search for truth.(Funny how apt this is with the NY Times looking into the adoption of Judge Roberts' kids) If this had been a feature film, I'm sure Johnson would have been nominated for an Oscar.The rest of the cast was so so but it doesn't make any difference. When Johnson is on the screen, the film is riveting. I also thought it was great that his son played him in the flashback scenes.
Sad interpretation of stunning book
MAC-1629 October 2005
I loved the book , hounded my friends to read it and looked forward to a movie being made from the story. After the poor job that was made with The General's Daughter (another DeMille novel) my enthusiasm waned a little and when I saw that Don Johnson was in the movie my enthusiasm waned even further.
But the ratings given on IMDb and the comments left made me hopeful, after now seeing the film I have to wonder if it is members of the Johnson family who have voted here.
The film has made a number of major changes to the story line and the casting of Don Johnson son to play the young Tyson is laughable, though not as laughable as the casting of the young and middle aged nun who not only grew old in the film but also changed ethnicity ! I was hugely let down with this movie and can only hope that it someone else will attempt to film it with a decent budget, a credible cast, a recognized director and a screen writer who doesn't move far from the original story.
But the ratings given on IMDb and the comments left made me hopeful, after now seeing the film I have to wonder if it is members of the Johnson family who have voted here.
The film has made a number of major changes to the story line and the casting of Don Johnson son to play the young Tyson is laughable, though not as laughable as the casting of the young and middle aged nun who not only grew old in the film but also changed ethnicity ! I was hugely let down with this movie and can only hope that it someone else will attempt to film it with a decent budget, a credible cast, a recognized director and a screen writer who doesn't move far from the original story.
Literally compelling viewing!
Carycomic8 December 2003
Warning: Spoilers
At least, as far as I'm concerned. *Some spoilers ahead.* Jesse Johnson was nicely cast as flashback-Tyson. Not only for his resemblance to Daddy Don! But, also, the sincerely promising potential he showed, as an actor, in general. What's more, I just loved the way they maintained the mystery behind older Tyson's silence, right up until the end. Whether they deserved it or not, he thought of his ex-platoon mates before himself. A feeling they obviously didn't think had to be mutual (the b******s)! In short, this is a five-star movie that does NOT make me regret missing certain portions of "Picking Up & Dropping Off," against which this was counter-programmed.
Wonderful performance!
teejay-48 December 2003
This Don Johnson performance should show everyone who has been guilty of characterizing this man as more style than substance how wrong they have been!
The underrated Johnson gives a moving performance as Tyson, a man tortured by this horrendous incident from his past who tries to come to grips with it without hurting anyone around him. Breathtaking!
The underrated Johnson gives a moving performance as Tyson, a man tortured by this horrendous incident from his past who tries to come to grips with it without hurting anyone around him. Breathtaking!
Did he just say "Honor" ?
oliverdearlove20 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
If you are not American you should give this film a miss. It has nothing to say to anyone who has not got Vietnam in his country's history
It is a flash back film of a court martial and the events which precipitated it. Caine Mutiny it isn't and even that had its defects. A French Nun is trotted out as an end of film dea ex machina to give an true account of what really happened
Bad behaviour and scape goating is the name of the game and anyone who is not American will gape with disbelief at the indiscipline of conscripts in the seventies. A viewer will ask "they didn't do that, did they?" and then wonder why it is portrayed in fiction
The main character's soliloquy at the end is said to make up or sum up the ethos of the film - but to foreign ears it just sounds like an apology for war crimes, on the level of 'oops my finger slipped so that's OK'
Any European should give this film a miss
It is a flash back film of a court martial and the events which precipitated it. Caine Mutiny it isn't and even that had its defects. A French Nun is trotted out as an end of film dea ex machina to give an true account of what really happened
Bad behaviour and scape goating is the name of the game and anyone who is not American will gape with disbelief at the indiscipline of conscripts in the seventies. A viewer will ask "they didn't do that, did they?" and then wonder why it is portrayed in fiction
The main character's soliloquy at the end is said to make up or sum up the ethos of the film - but to foreign ears it just sounds like an apology for war crimes, on the level of 'oops my finger slipped so that's OK'
Any European should give this film a miss
excellent
susannahbsmith30 March 2006
I put off watching this movie for several years because it just didn't sound like something I'd like, and there have been so many badly-done Vietnam-remembrance movies. I didn't want to see one of my favorite actors (Don Johnson) in one. When the movie began I had no idea that Don's son Jesse plays him as a young soldier, and couldn't figure out where they'd found someone who looks EXACTLY like he did in his 20's to play his younger self!! Then the words "Jesse Johnson" flashed across the screen and I about dropped my glass of iced tea --Jesse's grown up! How time flies. So I settled in to watch with a critical eye. The younger Johnson played his part flawlessly, never over-acting, but very believable in very difficult circumstances. The movie shields the viewer from the truth quite well, I couldn't figure out what actually happened at all until it is revealed.
Don is characteristically excellent, but then I am admittedly biased. To me Mr. Johnson gets into the heart of his characters like few other American actors today. Through his soulful handling of the difficult character he plays the movie's message comes through loud and clear.
It would have been a stronger movie if the character playing Marcy had been stronger. Although many of us may have skeletons in the closet, she comes across as a bit of a screaming mimi and "why me?" character. If these characters had a good marriage before (reportedly, we don't see enough to judge IMHO), then her first reaction shouldn't have been to be defensive and and offensive by turns to her husband. It would have been better if we had seen a Marcy worth fighting for, as Ben Tyson claims that "his family is everything," and he struggles to put them first all the while he is fighting what is happening. There is a scene where you finally understand why & how important his family is to him, but to me it comes waaaaaay too late in the movie. A few more close-family scenes in the first hour, and a wife less shallow & selfish, would have gone further to me to establish what Ben Tyson actually had, and would have upped my rating by at least one point. This guy is fighting the battle of his life and trying to save his marriage at the same time, and you want to ask him why he doesn't just tell her off at some point. His son's character has more depth and is very believable.
All in all, an excellent movie worth a few repeat watches. It definitely leaves you with a few deep thoughts at the end, not the least of which is, "Who is Thucydides, anyway? Must check him out...."
Don is characteristically excellent, but then I am admittedly biased. To me Mr. Johnson gets into the heart of his characters like few other American actors today. Through his soulful handling of the difficult character he plays the movie's message comes through loud and clear.
It would have been a stronger movie if the character playing Marcy had been stronger. Although many of us may have skeletons in the closet, she comes across as a bit of a screaming mimi and "why me?" character. If these characters had a good marriage before (reportedly, we don't see enough to judge IMHO), then her first reaction shouldn't have been to be defensive and and offensive by turns to her husband. It would have been better if we had seen a Marcy worth fighting for, as Ben Tyson claims that "his family is everything," and he struggles to put them first all the while he is fighting what is happening. There is a scene where you finally understand why & how important his family is to him, but to me it comes waaaaaay too late in the movie. A few more close-family scenes in the first hour, and a wife less shallow & selfish, would have gone further to me to establish what Ben Tyson actually had, and would have upped my rating by at least one point. This guy is fighting the battle of his life and trying to save his marriage at the same time, and you want to ask him why he doesn't just tell her off at some point. His son's character has more depth and is very believable.
All in all, an excellent movie worth a few repeat watches. It definitely leaves you with a few deep thoughts at the end, not the least of which is, "Who is Thucydides, anyway? Must check him out...."
Word of Honor:. It's in the Details
d_carlotaj11 August 2020
"Word of Honor," (2003). Directed by Robert Markowitz. Starring Don Johnson and Jeanne Triplehorn. Also starring Jesse Johnson, son of Don Johnson, who plays Lt. Benjamin Tyson as the younger version of Benjamin Tyson in a flashback. This film pays attention to details. In this story Tyson witnesses a war crime. He wrestles with his duty, his conscience, and his decision which involves his word. This part calls on Johnson to draw on deep emotions, something I have never seen him have to do in a film. But he pulls it from some deep well inside him. And I think he accomplished what the part required of him and gave a brilliant performance. Word of Honor proved that Don Johnson is not just a pretty boy with a lot of charm. I give this film 5 of 5 stars. It is on YouTube. Enjoy!
Read the book.
scsuntan31 December 2020
I read this book by Nelson DeMille in 1986. I just re-read this month. During my second read, I could not put the book down. Over 500 pages and I wished there were more.
Unfortunately, the movie did not do the book justice. Don Johnson has great appeal but the other characters in the movie did not develop.
A solid movie theater remake with someone like Mathew McConaughey or Ben Afleck would work well. It needs to be more than a 90 minute movie
to be a hit
Must-see
siddshenoy7 December 2003
This film is great. It starts off with you thinking one thing and then at the end when you are almost sure you know what happened, they sock you with a jaw-dropper. The whole film is very touching, very moving, has lots of new ideas and views on the affects of the war in Vietnam. All the actors do a very good job and Don Johnson is impeccable as a Lieutenant/Executive.
A must-see. Good job TNT!!!
A must-see. Good job TNT!!!
Better than your usual TV movie, it takes us back 30 years to Viet Nam.
TxMike12 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Before I saw the movie I had read several comments that Don Johnson does a superb job here as the main character, Benjamin Tyson, a former Army Lt who now is a well-off oil business man in Dallas. In fact Johnson does deliver a very fine, convincing performance. But that came as no surprise to me, having seen his excellent performance in "The Hot Spot" in a totally different type of role.
Here he has a pretty good life, a loving wife, a teen son, a high-paying job, and an upper class home. But something hits the news that comes back to haunt him, and as it develops might send him to prison. A former medic in his squad, John Heard as medical Dr. Steven Brandt, has a terminal illness and decides to tell all about an incident where many died and a hospital was burned down. In it he implicates Tyson, claiming it was he who ordered that everyone be shot and killed.
Jeanne Tripplehorn is good as Maj. Karen Harper of the Judge Advocate office, and ends up being the one to prosecute the case.
Sharon Lawrence is fine as Tyson's wife, Marcy McClure Tyson. The young Tyson in Viet Nam is played by Don Johnson's real-life son, Jesse Johnson. And Arliss Howard is very effective as J.D. Runnells, the attorney defending Tyson.
SPOILERS: The movie's title is actually the central theme. The whole group of survivors has given their word to each other, what happened in Viet Nam was never to be discussed. Tyson planned to stick to that word of honor, even though what was being said was not true. In a flashback we learn that Tyson did not order everyone killed, in fact it was one of his men who stared shooting everyone, and to stop him Tyson killed that man, one of his own men. But Brandt had misbehaved in Viet Nam, and had actually raped a 12-year-old girl. That Tyson way back then had called him on it, Brandt was making these false accusations to get back at Tyson. The Army used a never-before invoked rule that allowed Tyson to be re-activated, since he was getting disability medical pay. So they were able to have a court marshal. In the end he was found guilty of murdering his own man, but his punishment was being discharged from the Army. No jail time.
Here he has a pretty good life, a loving wife, a teen son, a high-paying job, and an upper class home. But something hits the news that comes back to haunt him, and as it develops might send him to prison. A former medic in his squad, John Heard as medical Dr. Steven Brandt, has a terminal illness and decides to tell all about an incident where many died and a hospital was burned down. In it he implicates Tyson, claiming it was he who ordered that everyone be shot and killed.
Jeanne Tripplehorn is good as Maj. Karen Harper of the Judge Advocate office, and ends up being the one to prosecute the case.
Sharon Lawrence is fine as Tyson's wife, Marcy McClure Tyson. The young Tyson in Viet Nam is played by Don Johnson's real-life son, Jesse Johnson. And Arliss Howard is very effective as J.D. Runnells, the attorney defending Tyson.
SPOILERS: The movie's title is actually the central theme. The whole group of survivors has given their word to each other, what happened in Viet Nam was never to be discussed. Tyson planned to stick to that word of honor, even though what was being said was not true. In a flashback we learn that Tyson did not order everyone killed, in fact it was one of his men who stared shooting everyone, and to stop him Tyson killed that man, one of his own men. But Brandt had misbehaved in Viet Nam, and had actually raped a 12-year-old girl. That Tyson way back then had called him on it, Brandt was making these false accusations to get back at Tyson. The Army used a never-before invoked rule that allowed Tyson to be re-activated, since he was getting disability medical pay. So they were able to have a court marshal. In the end he was found guilty of murdering his own man, but his punishment was being discharged from the Army. No jail time.
Terrific Must-See
factshome20 June 2011
Excellent movie . Don Johnson's outstanding performance is to be seen. The ending is a real surprise and demonstrates the depth of Don Johnson's character. His eloquent words in his defense about the men that served under him were tear inducing. It is a must-see. The weakest role appeared to me to be John Heard. The terror in young Don Johnson's eyes when in Vietnam was amazing. The scenes of the soldiers in Vietnam were so real I felt like I was there with them in the water etc.The dialog of Johnson's lawyer interrogating the witnesses was superb! I do not see the necessity of giving Sharon Lawrence such a "scandalous" past but it did demonstrate that for some people the past is is th past on not to be dwelled on because what counts is the present. See it now.
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