Word of Honor (2003 film)

Word of Honor is a 2003 American drama television film directed by Robert Markowitz, based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Nelson DeMille. The film stars Don Johnson, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Sharon Lawrence, John Heard and Arliss Howard.^[1] It aired on TNT on December 6, 2003.

Word of Honor
DVD cover
Genre	Drama
Based on	Word of Honor by Nelson DeMille
Written by	Jacob Epstein Leslie Greif Jean-Yves Pitoun Tom Topor
Directed by	Robert Markowitz
Starring	Don Johnson Jeanne Tripplehorn Sharon Lawrence John Heard Arliss Howard Peter MacNeill Peter Stebbings Jesse Johnson
Music by	Gary Chang
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producers	Michael Jaffe Howard Braunstein Wendy Hill-Tout Lance Robbins Leslie Greif
Producer	Clara George
Production location	Calgary
Cinematography	Guy Dufaux
Editor	David Beatty
Running time	91 minutes
Production companies	Voice Pictures Jaffe Braunstein Films Greif Co. Robbins Entertainment Group
Original release
Network	TNT
Release	December 6, 2003 (2003-12-06)

Premise

30 years after serving in Vietnam, ex-Army First Lieutenant Ben Tyson is brought forward for war crimes. Now a business executive, Tyson witnessed a massacre during the war. While he kept silent about it for decades, another veteran speaks out in a magazine article that mentions Tyson's involvement. A military attorney gets involved in the case, and a media frenzy ensues, as Tyson's family and military bonds begin to fray.

Cast

• Don Johnson as Lieutenant Benjamin Tyson
• Jeanne Tripplehorn as Major Karen Harper
• Sharon Lawrence as Marcy McClure Tyson
• John Heard as Dr. Steven Brandt
• Arliss Howard as J.D. Runnells
• Peter MacNeill as General Norm Van Arken
• Peter Stebbings as Major Michael Taix
• Jesse Johnson as a Young Lieutenant Benjamin Tyson

Production

Executive producer and co-writer Leslie Greif said of Don Johnson, "He can be the bad guy, he can be the good guy. He can walk that line."^[2] Johnson called his role a throwback to classic Henry Fonda and James Stewart characters.^[1] Filming took place in Calgary.^[3]

While the film came out at the start of the Iraq War amid conflicted opinions, and some writers drew those parallels,^[1] Greif said that they did not want the film to get "too political." The filmmakers, he said, instead wanted to explore broader questions of morality and the "murkiness of war."^[2]

Critical reception

The film received several negative reviews. Ron Wertheimer of The New York Times wrote that it wasted its potential on "platitudes and plot contrivances."^[4] Brian Lowry of Variety called the film a disappointment, while praising the "top-notch cast".^[3]

Nominations

• Nominated for a Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing in Television Long Form - Sound Effects & Foley - 2004