April 14 - Charlie Wilson's War

Today's movie is a biographical comedy-drama with a scene that happens on April 14. Watch it tonight and enjoy. 

 CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR     

In 1980, Charlie Wilson is a partying Congressman who narrowly avoids being indicted by US Attorney Rudy Giuliani for cocaine possession.  A friend Joanne Hering asks Charlie to get more help for Soviet –occupied Afghanistan. Charlie visits the region and is moved by the people’s suffering and annoyed when Pakistani leaders tell him they get no help from the US to oppose the Soviets. Charlie works with CIA officers Gust Avrakotos and Michael Vickers to develop a way for the mujahideen to fight back against the Soviets. The suggest supplying them with stinger anti-aircraft missilies. This turns the Red Army from merely an occupying force into one that is fighting and losing a guerilla war. Using covert assistance to fight the Soviets evolves into a major US strategy in other parts of the world. Charlie’s effort in Afghanistan pay off as on April 14, 1988 [1:27:10 to 1:27:26] Afghans celebrating the signing of the Afghan peace accord which requires the Soviets to leave the country. However, Charlie now worries about the law of unintended consequences in funneling arms into Afghanistan.

New York Times, Friday, April 15, 1988, page 1 and in film at 1:27:13

Producers - Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman

Director - Mike Nichols

Screenwriter - Aaron Sorkin

Awards – Philip Seymour Hoffman was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 80^th     

                 Academy Awards

Runtime – 1 hour 40 minutes

Released – December 21, 2007

Starring –

Tom Hanks as Charlie Wilson

Julia Roberts as Joanne Herring

Philip Seymour Hoffman as Gust Avrakotos

Amy Adams as Bonnie Bach

Ned Beatty as Congressman Clarence Long

Christopher Denham as Michael G. Vickers

Emily Blunt as Jane Liddle

Om Puri as Pakistani President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq

Ken Stott as Israeli arms merchant Zvi Rafiah

John Slattery as CIA director of European operations Henry Cravely

Michael Spellman as CIA Agent Patrick

Denis O'Hare as CIA station chief Harold Holt

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015