Movie Review: Between the Lines (2008): G.I. Surfers in the Vietnam War

Between the Lines:  The true story of G.I. Surfers during the Vietnam War

Movie Review:   3 out 4 Stars

By Jannette Angelle

The sun beats down on the beaches of South Vietnam. It’s 1971, and the surfers are out at Cam Ranh Bay ready to break out the boards and hit the waves. You’ll see lieutenants, captains, privates all sporting their swimming trunks soaking up the sunshine. This isn’t your average image of the war in Vietnam, but it’s true. The men fought, the men surfed, and some just stayed home. This is the story of Between the Lines.

A refreshing account of an unconventional Vietnam, Between the Lines offers a new perspective at the veteran experience. Throughout the documentary, the stories of surfers in Vietnam are told directly from the veterans themselves. They tell stories of combat as well as deep sea diving. It’s an interesting take on the Vietnam stories, seeming as though it would be a tale directly from a movie script. However, it’s a true documentary showing how the Vietnam veteran includes men from all facets of life, including surfers.

A highly intriguing documentary, it centers on the stories of men whose lives were of beaches and surf boards. These men were lovers of nature and peace, but with selective service came different realities. They went to war, leaving the beaches behind. 

On one side you hear the stories of men like Pat Farley who faced the war head on and adapted to the soldier’s way of life. His story is that of a mental metamorphosis; changing from peaceful surfer to vigilante warrior. The conflict in Vietnam made Pat a fighter, willing to lay down the law on the Viet Cong.

On the flip side there is the story of the draft dodger, Brant Page, who runs to Hawaii. His dedication to the surfer way of life meant having to constantly change addresses and disconnect from society in order to escape service. His fight was against the war, finding any reason not to serve the country in a conflict he believed was wrong. It was his revolution, his choice, to fight against forced service.

The documentary fragments between the stories of the many men, keeping to a timeline in order to show how all their stories intertwined as they served in the same war, just in different waves. The viewer will enjoy the story of Page’s escape and Farley’s service. There are a couple fun side stories involving soldier’s experiences on the beaches of South Vietnam as well. You see the veterans of yesterday show support for the new veterans of Iraq.

In the end there is a true appreciation of the sacrifices made by the soldiers. You may even feel a little jealous that you didn’t get to surf those waves yourself. Well maybe not, but Between the Lines sure makes me wish I knew how to surf in the first place…

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About the Author:  Jannette Angelle is a syndicated columnist specializing Military and War themed movie reviews.  Her movies reviews can be found at TheFilmJudge.com.  She can be reached via email at [email protected]