“He was the best of his generation to play this role”: 35 years ago, Tom Cruise was unusual in this masterpiece of Oliver Stone, but he was ignored by the Oscars

In the late 80’s, Tom Cruise was the best paid American boy in Hollywood. After returning to the general public in a risky business in 1986, he put his career in orbit. The actor could quietly continue to carry this huge success, with substantially capitalization, on the blockbusters of Tony Scott’s vessels.

Instead of taking Cruise for a few years, the opposite trajectory: an actor who wants to take risks and to play with solid filmmakers, such as Martin Scorsese with the color of money, or Barry Levinson, with a rainy man. In 1989, he further forced this desire to agree that he would return to the Oliver Stone’s camera, born July 4; The second part – after a trilogy dedicated to the Vietnam War.

Cruise collaboration with Stone on this film is the highest point of this trajectory. And to offer the actor’s opportunity to perform an extraordinary and brilliant performance. Winner Bet for him: Cruise received his first quote from an Oscar as the best actor for his composition, Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovich, who was half -broke in the honorable fields and returned to the country in a wheelchair.

“I was desperate. It was as I was still injured”

It was in the late 1970s that Ron Kovich and Oliver Stone had the first exchange of his book adaptation Born on the fourth July. In 1978, after a year and a half, the project fell on financial problems, which ended a week before the shots.

“I was desperate” Ron Kovich said in an interview with Brian Gombes in December 1989, which shows the NBC channel today. “It was still injured, just as in Vietnam in 1968. I will never forget Oliver Stone who will come to see me. A few days after the film was canceled, he told me.

In addition to the painful story of Ron Kovick, it is clearly and deeply resonable in stone consciousness; It is very marked in Vietnam’s own experience. “There was another war after the platoon. When I went home, I had real problems, just like many veterans. I did in prison.

“I thought

Stone had a hollow nose, and was given the cruise of his film’s core role. “I thought he was the best of his generation to play this role. It is the ideal child of all Americans.” He said. “The trip he made in the film is even stronger when he is performing the highest weapon star. This is not just Ron, who crosses this terrible test, it’s Tom Cruise – our perception of Tom Cruise. “

The actress was so convinced in the film that she had no trouble with Kachet, which was largely increased after the Top Gun. “I felt it was a very strong scenario and a wonderful character” He will tell you.

“For me, the key to consider Ron Kovich should never give up and seek the truth.

The obligation for the role of cruise will be amazing, flawless. “My first meeting was surprised” I’ll tell you Kovick. “He came to me with me at home with Oliver. I was surprised to see how much I could hear.

Kovich regularly went to the film team. Tom Cruise joined him in a wheelchair. “At the beginning, it was very scared to look at me. He looked very much like me. “

“Everything I want is that I act as human!”

And the author – the author of the script to show this terrible sequence, the scene of the veterans hospital. “It was a complete silence set. Everyone was watching. Everyone realized that something special was.”

On this scene, which breaks the heart, cruise, swims in its dirt, its fecal material and urine, the right to dignity, in the midst of indifferent aid or in its suffering. First of all, it does not really have the proper treatment due to the lack of budget. “Everything I want is that I act as human!”.. The emotional power of this scene is not far from devastating.

Cruise was so invested in his role that he never left, or almost. He even told the sad anecdote about the subject that he lived with Ron Kovich.

“We went to the store. There was a rubber and carpet. I was walking out of the rubber carpet. Cruise calls his anger and explained that he has the right to be there in his chair. “Ron told me,” Listen, he was nervous. He doesn’t know what to do, it’s nothing. Don’t worry. “

Without irony, it was not in June last year that Tom Cruise would receive an Oscar in the next November, which will be the first in his career. A precious statue that he deserved more in the masterpiece of Oliver Stone.

But, on this film, the most valuable award, undoubtedly the most moving and intimate, will eventually come out of Ron Kovich himself. After 65 days of filming, he gave his stellar bronze cruise; The scenery returned to Vietnam from his experience.

“He gave it to Tom for his courage, because he overcame so much faith as all the other person who actually passed.” We could not pay a good tribute to the talent and self -dependence of this very great actor.