Hearts and Minds

Play trailer

Hearts and Minds

R

1975

1h 52m

Documentary

History

Drama

War

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

42 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Many times during his presidency, Lyndon B. Johnson said that ultimate victory in the Vietnam War depended upon the U.S. military winning the "hearts and minds" of the Vietnamese people. Filmmaker Peter Davis uses Johnson's phrase in an ironic context in this anti-war documentary, filmed and released while the Vietnam War was still under way, juxtaposing interviews with military figures like U.S. Army Chief of Staff William C. Westmoreland with shocking scenes of violence and brutality.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

A powerful, unflinching exploration of the Vietnam War, with first-person stories from both sides of the conflict, Hearts and Minds still hits the mark decades after its release.

Read Critics Reviews

Matthew Leyland

BBC.com

06/11/2020

4/5

Though you could accuse the film of being heavy-handed... it's impossible not to feel its punch to the gut.

Go to Full Review

Stefan Kanfer

TIME Magazine

02/08/2018

Throughout, Hearts and Minds displays more than enough heart. It is mind that is missing.

Go to Full Review

Mike D'Angelo

AV Club

07/02/2014

B+

A cry of despair made by a person whose viewpoint hadn't yet been soundly vindicated.

Go to Full Review

Christopher Campbell

Nonfics (Substack)

01/09/2025

Filmmaking-wise, it should be forever celebrated for its inspired and highly influential editorial structure.

Go to Full Review

Rob Aldam

Backseat Mafia

09/26/2022

Hearts and Minds is a difficult and powerful anti-war documentary which depicts horrific events as well as cataloguing equally disgusting attitudes.

Go to Full Review

Jordan M. Smith

IONCINEMA.com

11/04/2020

Hearts and Minds remains a brutal, eye opening piece that mixes 60s style direct cinema with honest and balanced interviews columnating in a work of activist non-fiction that falls unapologetically in the anti-war camp.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Peter Davis

Director

Tin Chan

Actor

Chau Diem

Actor

Kay Dvorshock

Actor

David Emerson

Actor

Mui Duc Giang

Actor

The Bridge at Remagen

20%

59%

The Bridge at Remagen

Watchlist

Full Metal Jacket

90%

94%

Full Metal Jacket

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Full Metal Jacket

Glory

95%

93%

Glory

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Glory

Go Tell the Spartans

67%

56%

Go Tell the Spartans

Watchlist

They Shall Not Grow Old

99%

91%

They Shall Not Grow Old

Watchlist

TRAILER

for They Shall Not Grow Old

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

New on DVD & Blu-Ray: The LEGO Movie and The Grand Budapest Hotel

"Transformers" Revealed!

View more photos

Synopsis

Many times during his presidency, Lyndon B. Johnson said that ultimate victory in the Vietnam War depended upon the U.S. military winning the "hearts and minds" of the Vietnamese people. Filmmaker Peter Davis uses Johnson's phrase in an ironic context in this anti-war documentary, filmed and released while the Vietnam War was still under way, juxtaposing interviews with military figures like U.S. Army Chief of Staff William C. Westmoreland with shocking scenes of violence and brutality.

Director: Peter Davis
Producer: Peter Davis, Bert Schneider
Distributor: Rialto Pictures
Production Co: BBS Productions, Rainbow Releasing
Rating: R
Genre: Documentary, History, Drama, War
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 17, 1975, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 15, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $28.3K
Runtime: 1h 52m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)