RULES OF ENGAGEMENT -- Directives issued by competent military
authority which delineate the circumstances and limitations under
which United States forces will initiate and/or continue combat
engagement with other forces encountered. -- Department of Defense
Dictionary of Military and Associated Term
Col. Terry Childers (Samuel L. Jackson) is a 30-year Marine
veteran: a decorated officer with combat experience in Vietnam,
Beirut and Desert Storm-- a patriot, a hero. But now, the country
he served so well has put him on trial for a rescue mission that
went terribly wrong. For his attorney, he has chosen Marine Col.
Hays Hodges (Tommy Lee Jones), a comrade-in-arms who owes his life
to Childers. Hodges is not the best lawyer in the service, but
Childers trusts him as a brother Marine who knows what it's like to
risk death under fire. Bound by duty and friendship, Hodges
reluctantly takes the case, even as he begins to doubt the man who
saved his life in Vietnam three decades ago.
"Rules of Engagement" stars Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson
and is directed by William Friedkin. A Paramount Pictures
presentation in association with Seven Arts Pictures, the film also
stars Guy Pearce, Bruce Greenwood, Blair Underwood, Philip Baker
Hall, Anne Archer and Ben Kingsley. The producers are Richard D.
Zanuck and Scott Rudin, and the executive producers are Adam
Schroeder and James Webb. Arne Schmidt serves as co-producer.
Stephen Gaghan wrote the screenplay based on a story by James Webb,
former U.S. Secretary of the Navy. Paramount Pictures is releasing
the film in the U.S. and Canada. Paramount Pictures is part of the
entertainment operations of Viacom Inc.
Other behind-the-camera talents include directors of photography
William A. Fraker and Nicola Pecorini, production designer Robert
Laing, editor Augie Hess, costume designer Gloria Gresham and stunt
coordinator Buddy Joe Hooker. Dale Dye is the film's military
technical adviser and also appears on screen as a general who gives
Childers his support.
When the U.S. Embassy in Yemen is surrounded by a large crowd of
demonstrators, Col. Terry Childers, USMC, is ordered to lead a
squadron of Marines to bolster security at the embassy. He has
orders to evacuate the ambassador and his family if the situation
turns violent. A few short hours after Childers launches his
mission, the ambassador's safety is secured, but three of Childers'
men are dead, along with more than the 80 Yemeni men, women and
children killed by Marine gunfire.
Childers now faces a court-martial for violating the rules of
engagement by killing unarmed civilians. He denies the charge,
contending the protesters were armed and had opened fire on the
Embassy. But it appears that the government has made the colonel
the fall guy for an ugly diplomatic crisis: the men who could have
testified on his behalf have been killed in action, one of the
witnesses seems to be lying, and the President's National Security
Adviser destroys evidence that might help Childers' case. Childers
refuses to go down quietly and turns to his longtime friend, Hays
Hodges, to defend him.
[This message has been edited by maestro (edited 12 July
2000).]
