The Deer Hunter

Synopsis

Away from the red carpet, bright lights and tearful speeches, what do the decisions made by the Academy each year tell us about the state of America at the time?

Vietnam War film The Deer Hunter, starring Robert DeNiro, Meryl Streep and Christopher Walken, won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1978, at the 51st Academy Awards ceremony.

When it emerged as a potential Oscar winner, it was only three years since the end of the Vietnam War. The film became the subject of huge controversy, not least for its portrayal of the Vietnamese as sadistic torturers, and for the unforgettable scenes featuring a game of Russian roulette.

Paul Gambaccini explores how the original shocking screenplay came about, the battles between the producers, and director Michael Cimino's approach to acting that almost brought the cast to the edge of a nervous breakdown. He also ponders whether The Deer Hunter was actually even a war film at all.