Path to War

TV Movie
2002
15
2h 45m

IMDb RATING

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In the mid 1960s, President Lyndon B. Johnson (Sir Michael Gambon) and his foreign-policy team debate the decision to withdraw from or escalate the war in Vietnam.In the mid 1960s, President Lyndon B. Johnson (Sir Michael Gambon) and his foreign-policy team debate the decision to withdraw from or escalate the war in Vietnam.In the mid 1960s, President Lyndon B. Johnson (Sir Michael Gambon) and his foreign-policy team debate the decision to withdraw from or escalate the war in Vietnam.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

4.3K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 8 Primetime Emmys
- 1 win & 27 nominations total

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The extensive historical research for this movie resulted in a script with a five-page, single-spaced bibliography.

Goofs
At one point Robert McNamara tells President Johnson that there are 13 US battalions in Vietnam, and goes on to say this is 51,000 troops. This would mean approximately 4,000 troops per battalion. Given that a US battalion would only have 500-800 troops he is actually talking about 13 brigades (each containing several battalions) and not 13 battalions.

Quotes
Lyndon Baines Johnson: [Looking at the fighter jet escort next to Air Force One] Dean!
Dean Rusk, Secretary of State: Are they ours?
Lyndon Baines Johnson: I fuckin' hope so.

Connections
Featured in The 54th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2002)

Soundtracks
Artist's Life
Written by Johann Strauss (as Johann Strauss)
Performed by The Rick Fleishman Orchestra

User reviews48

Review

Featured review

8/10

Good historical docu-drama

It is hard to watch 'Path to War' and avoid remarking the similarity between historic and present circumstances. Although dedicated to the presidency of Lyndon Johnson, the film brings to mind the situations the current US President had to face - after being elected on an internal social agenda, he has to face an external conflict and runs down on a spiral towards an external war costly in American and other peoples human lives. The film is interesting by itself, although there may be many comments to be made on the accuracy of the historical details. 'Path to War' also succeeds better than other films in bringing to screen historical characters and giving them a life of their own - Johnson, Clark Clifford, Bob McNamara are well built film characters in the film. I recommend this film, and not only to the history fans - 8 out of 10 on my personal scale.