In Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July, the paraplegic Vietnam vet Ron Kovic, played by Tom Cruise, agonizingly comes to terms with the physical and psychic wounds inflicted by the war. His transformation from all-American boy to political activist is depicted as a personal triumph over a serious physical disability, a sentimental journey to self-fulfillment. “It’s a one-dimensional portrayal,” says Loretta Smith matter-of-factly. “A lot of crucial details of Ron’s life are missing. There’s no sense of the context of his redefined patriotism. And his sense of humor, his idiosyncrasies are lacking. For dramatic and commercial reasons, Stone focused on Ron’s disability and trauma, not on his politics. The truth is, Ron was and still is a much more complicated man than that.”
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This Sunday at 3 there’s a fund-raiser for the film at Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont (281-4444). Clips will be shown at 3:30 and 5:30, introduced by longtime supporters Studs Terkel, Aaron Freeman, and Larry Heinemann. Music will be provided by Fred Holstein and the bluegrass band Brushfire. Admission is $15 (suggested); discounts are available to “casualties of the New World Order.” Anyone wishing to make a tax-deductible donation can send a check to Film Arts Foundation/Kovic, The Community Film Workshop, 1130 S. Wabash suite 400, Chicago, IL 60605. For any other info call Smith at 327-8592.
