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Action war film

Flight of the Intruder (1991): Cast, Box Office & Plot

Flight of the Intruder (1991) movie poster

Flight of the Intruder is a 1991 action war film directed by John Milius, starring Brad Johnson as Lt. Jake 'Cool Hand' Grafton, J. Kenneth Campbell and Willem Dafoe. It runs 1 hour 55 minutes and earned $14.6 million worldwide on a $35 million budget.

worldwide gross
$14.6M
budget
$35M
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Flight of the Intruder (1991) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 55m (115 min)
Director
John Milius
Genres
Action , War
Original language
English
Budget
$35M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Flight of the Intruder About?

The premise of Flight of the Intruder without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

U.S. Navy pilot Lt. Jake Grafton and his bombardier, Lt. Cmdr. Virgil Cole, grow frustrated by the limits placed on their Vietnam‑War missions. When their commanding officer, Cmdr. Frank Camparelli, tries to pull them back into the fold, the disillusioned pair devise a risky, unauthorized attack plan that could land them in a court‑martial.

Flight of the Intruder Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • vietnam war
  • hanoi vietnam
  • air strike
  • bombing run
  • fighter pilot
  • 1970s
  • military aircraft
  • warplane
  • reference to charles manson
  • reference to wyatt earp
  • u.s. navy
  • based on the novel of the same name
+38 more
  • vietnam war era
  • director's last feature film
  • u. s. navy pilot
  • aerial bombing
  • navy lieutenant
  • year 1972
  • naval aviation
  • best seller novel
  • renegade soldier
  • war widow
  • barroom brawl
  • naval squadron
  • bomber jet
  • mig 15 soviet fighter jet
  • shore leave
  • commanding officer
  • war drama
  • fistfight
  • action hero
  • budding romance
  • explosion
  • jet plane
  • insubordination
  • unauthorized mission
  • implied sex
  • military officer
  • exploding fighter jet
  • crocodile
  • inquest
  • war death
  • interracial relationships
  • heroism
  • court martial board
  • missile launch
  • beach
  • library
  • letter of condolence
  • widowed mother
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Cast & crew

Flight of the Intruder Cast & Characters

Brad Johnson leads the cast as Lt. Jake 'Cool Hand' Grafton, with J. Kenneth Campbell as Lt. Cmdr. 'Cowboy' Parker and Willem Dafoe as Lt. Cmdr. Virgil 'Tiger' Cole. Directed by John Milius; 22 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Flight of the Intruder

· 18 more
Show all 22 cast members
From the director

More from John Milius

More films directed by John Milius, best-rated first: The Wind and the Lion, Big Wednesday, Conan the Barbarian and Red Dawn.

Full filmography
Plot

Flight of the Intruder Plot Summary

What happens in Flight of the Intruder from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In the Vietnam War-era naval drama, Lt. Cmdr. Virgil ‘Tiger’ Cole, Willem Dafoe, and his bombardier/navigator Lt. Morgan ‘Morg’ McPherson pilot a Grumman A-6 Intruder over the Gulf of Tonkin. They descend on a target they’re told is a ‘suspected truck park,’ only to crash through the reconnaissance and realize it’s just trees. As they make their return to the carrier, Morg is shot in the neck by an armed Vietnamese ground force. Jake lands the plane on the USS Independence with Morg dead beside him, the cockpit smeared with blood, and the weight of the mission pressing down on him.

Full summary

The whole story of Flight of the Intruder, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Flight of the Intruder Box Office & Budget

Flight of the Intruder grossed $14.6 million worldwide on a $35 million budget, 42% of what it cost.

1991 box office

Worldwide gross

$14.6M

42% of its budget back

US & Canada
$14.6M
Budget
$35M
Videos

Flight of the Intruder Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Flight of the Intruder.

Flight of the Intruder - Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Flight of the Intruder?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Which actor portrays Lieutenant Commander Virgil "Tiger" Cole?

Cars

Cars in Flight of the Intruder

2 cars on screen: the Allis-Chalmers M8 High-Speed Tractor and the Custom Made 'Jeepney'.

  • Allis-Chalmers M8 High-Speed Tractor in Flight of the Intruder Allis-Chalmers M8 High-Speed Tractor Minor role
  • Custom Made 'Jeepney' in Flight of the Intruder Custom Made 'Jeepney' Minor role
Details

Flight of the Intruder Also Known As

17 alternative titles, including “Le Vol de l'Intruder” and “สงคราม ความหวัง ความตาย”.

Also known as
  • Le Vol de l'Intruder
  • สงคราม ความหวัง ความตาย
  • Flug durch die Hölle
  • L'ultimo attacco
  • El vuelo del Intruder
  • Intruderek támadása
  • Intruder: Missão de Alto Risco
  • Παράτολμη Πτήση
  • Lot Intrudera
  • Полет Нарушителя
  • 최후의 출격
  • 捍卫入侵者
+5 more
  • Intruder A-6 - Um Vôo para o Inferno
  • Let vetřelce
  • Політ «Порушника»
  • El vol de l’Intruder
  • Intruder'in Uçuşu

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FAQ

Flight of the Intruder FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office and post-credit scenes of Flight of the Intruder, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Flight of the Intruder?

Flight of the Intruder runs 1 hour 55 minutes (115 minutes).

When was Flight of the Intruder released?

Flight of the Intruder was released on January 18, 1991.

Who directed Flight of the Intruder?

Flight of the Intruder was directed by John Milius.

More films by John Milius

Who is in the cast of Flight of the Intruder?

Flight of the Intruder stars Brad Johnson as Lt. Jake 'Cool Hand' Grafton, J. Kenneth Campbell as Lt. Cmdr. 'Cowboy' Parker and Willem Dafoe as Lt. Cmdr. Virgil 'Tiger' Cole, among 22 credited actors.

How much did Flight of the Intruder make at the box office?

Flight of the Intruder grossed $14.6 million worldwide on a budget of $35 million.

Does Flight of the Intruder have a post-credit scene?

No. Flight of the Intruder has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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