Born on the Fourth of July (film)
Updated: 12/20/2025, 11:30:20 AM Wikipedia source
Born on the Fourth of July is a 1989 American biographical anti-war drama film that is based on the 1976 autobiography of Ron Kovic. Directed by Oliver Stone, and written by Stone and Kovic, it stars Tom Cruise, Kyra Sedgwick, Raymond J. Barry, Jerry Levine, Frank Whaley, and Willem Dafoe. The film depicts the life of Kovic (Cruise) over a 20-year period, detailing his childhood, his military service and paralysis during the Vietnam War, and his transition to anti-war activism. It is the second installment in Stone's trilogy of films about the Vietnam War, following Platoon (1986) and preceding Heaven & Earth (1993). Producer Martin Bregman acquired the film rights to the book in 1976 and hired Stone, also a Vietnam veteran, to co-write the screenplay with Kovic, who would be played by Al Pacino. When Stone optioned the book in 1978, the film adaptation became mired in development hell after Pacino and Bregman left, which resulted in him and Kovic putting the film on hold. After the release of Platoon, the project was revived at Universal Pictures, with Stone attached to direct. Shot on locations in the Philippines, Texas and Inglewood, California, principal photography took place from October to December 1988, lasting 65 days of filming. The film went over its initial $14 million production budget and ended up costing $17.8 million after reshoots. Upon release, Born on the Fourth of July was praised by critics for its story, Cruise's performance and Stone's direction. The film was successful at the box office as it grossed over $162 million worldwide, becoming the tenth highest-grossing film of 1989. At the 62nd Academy Awards, it received eight nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Cruise, his first nomination, and the film won for Best Director, Stone's second in that category, and Best Film Editing. The film also won four Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama, Best Director and Best Screenplay.
Infobox
Directed by
Oliver Stone
Screenplay by
mw- Oliver Stone Ron Kovic
Based on
Born on the Fourth of Julyby Ron Kovic
Produced by
A. Kitman Ho Oliver Stone
Starring
Tom Cruise Willem Dafoe Kyra Sedgwick Raymond J. Barry Jerry Levine Frank Whaley
Cinematography
Robert Richardson
Edited by
Joe Hutshing David Brenner
Music by
John Williams
Productioncompany
Ixtlan Productions
Distributed by
Universal Pictures
Release date
December 20, 1989 (1989-12-20)
Running time
145 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$17.8 million
Box office
$162 million
Tables
· Reception › Accolades
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Date or year of ceremony
March 26, 1990
Category
Best Picture
Recipient(s)
A. Kitman Ho and Oliver Stone
Result
Nominated
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Date or year of ceremony
Oliver Stone
Category
Won
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Date or year of ceremony
Tom Cruise
Category
Nominated
Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
Award
Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
Date or year of ceremony
Oliver Stone and Ron Kovic
Category
Nominated
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
Award
Best Cinematography
Date or year of ceremony
Robert Richardson
Category
Nominated
Best Film Editing
Best Film Editing
Award
Best Film Editing
Date or year of ceremony
David Brenner and Joe Hutshing
Category
Won
Best Original Score
Best Original Score
Award
Best Original Score
Date or year of ceremony
John Williams
Category
Nominated
Best Sound
Best Sound
Award
Best Sound
Date or year of ceremony
Michael Minkler, Gregory H. Watkins, Michael Hoskinson, Wylie Stateman and Tod A. Maitland
Category
Nominated
American Society of Cinematographers Awards
American Society of Cinematographers Awards
Award
American Society of Cinematographers Awards
Date or year of ceremony
1989
Category
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases
Recipient(s)
Robert Richardson
Result
Nominated
Artios Awards
Artios Awards
Award
Artios Awards
Date or year of ceremony
1990
Category
Best Casting for Feature Film, Drama
Recipient(s)
Risa Bramon Garcia, Billy Hopkins
Result
Nominated
Berlin International Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
Award
Berlin International Film Festival
Date or year of ceremony
February 1990
Category
Golden Bear
Recipient(s)
Oliver Stone
Result
Nominated
British Academy Film Awards
British Academy Film Awards
Award
British Academy Film Awards
Date or year of ceremony
1991
Category
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Recipient(s)
Tom Cruise
Result
Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Award
Best Adapted Screenplay
Date or year of ceremony
Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic
Category
Nominated
Directors Guild of America Awards
Directors Guild of America Awards
Award
Directors Guild of America Awards
Date or year of ceremony
1989
Category
Outstanding Directing – Feature Film
Recipient(s)
Oliver Stone
Result
Won
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Date or year of ceremony
January 21, 1990
Category
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Recipient(s)
————
Result
Won
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Date or year of ceremony
Oliver Stone
Category
Won
Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Award
Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Date or year of ceremony
Tom Cruise
Category
Won (returned)
Best Screenplay
Best Screenplay
Award
Best Screenplay
Date or year of ceremony
Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic
Category
Won
Best Original Score
Best Original Score
Award
Best Original Score
Date or year of ceremony
John Williams
Category
Nominated
Los Angeles Film Critics Awards
Los Angeles Film Critics Awards
Award
Los Angeles Film Critics Awards
Date or year of ceremony
1989
Category
Best Director
Recipient(s)
Oliver Stone (Runner-up)
Result
Nominated
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
Award
Best Cinematography
Date or year of ceremony
Robert Richardson (Runner-up)
Category
Nominated
National Board of Review
National Board of Review
Award
National Board of Review
Date or year of ceremony
1989
Category
Top 10 Films
Recipient(s)
————
Result
Won
National Society of Film Critics Awards
National Society of Film Critics Awards
Award
National Society of Film Critics Awards
Date or year of ceremony
1989
Category
Best Actor
Recipient(s)
Tom Cruise (Third place)
Result
Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards
Writers Guild of America Awards
Award
Writers Guild of America Awards
Date or year of ceremony
1989
Category
Best Adapted Screenplay
Recipient(s)
Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic
Result
Nominated
| Award | Date or year of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
| Academy Awards | March 26, 1990 | Best Picture | A. Kitman Ho and Oliver Stone | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Oliver Stone | Won | |||
| Best Actor | Tom Cruise | Nominated | |||
| Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium | Oliver Stone and Ron Kovic | Nominated | |||
| Best Cinematography | Robert Richardson | Nominated | |||
| Best Film Editing | David Brenner and Joe Hutshing | Won | |||
| Best Original Score | John Williams | Nominated | |||
| Best Sound | Michael Minkler, Gregory H. Watkins, Michael Hoskinson, Wylie Stateman and Tod A. Maitland | Nominated | |||
| American Society of Cinematographers Awards | 1989 | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases | Robert Richardson | Nominated | |
| Artios Awards | 1990 | Best Casting for Feature Film, Drama | Risa Bramon Garcia, Billy Hopkins | Nominated | |
| Berlin International Film Festival | February 1990 | Golden Bear | Oliver Stone | Nominated | |
| British Academy Film Awards | 1991 | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Tom Cruise | Nominated | |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic | Nominated | |||
| Directors Guild of America Awards | 1989 | Outstanding Directing – Feature Film | Oliver Stone | Won | |
| Golden Globe Awards | January 21, 1990 | Best Motion Picture – Drama | ———— | Won | |
| Best Director | Oliver Stone | Won | |||
| Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama | Tom Cruise | Won (returned) | |||
| Best Screenplay | Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic | Won | |||
| Best Original Score | John Williams | Nominated | |||
| Los Angeles Film Critics Awards | 1989 | Best Director | Oliver Stone (Runner-up) | Nominated | |
| Best Cinematography | Robert Richardson (Runner-up) | Nominated | |||
| National Board of Review | 1989 | Top 10 Films | ———— | Won | |
| National Society of Film Critics Awards | 1989 | Best Actor | Tom Cruise (Third place) | Nominated | |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 1989 | Best Adapted Screenplay | Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic | Nominated |
References
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