Go Tell the Spartans (1978): Cast & Plot
Go Tell the Spartans is a 1978 war film directed by Ted Post, starring Burt Lancaster as Maj. Asa Barker, Marc Singer and Joe Unger. It runs 1 hour 54 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 54m (114 min)
- Director
- Ted Post
- Genre
- War
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Mar Vista Productions
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Go Tell the Spartans About?
The premise of Go Tell the Spartans without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Caught in relentless strafing, shelling and bombing, a small team of American military advisors in Vietnam—still before the United States’ full‑scale commitment—find themselves fighting a hopeless battle against the Viet Cong. Their experience mirrors the tragic fate of a French unit that fought at the same outpost a decade earlier, highlighting the repeating cycle of foreign intervention.
Go Tell the Spartans Themes & Keywords
· 31 tags- begins with text
- scene during opening credits
- penang malaysia
- vietnam
- major
- american
- vietnam war
- 1960s
- vomiting
- death of protagonist
- outpost
- mission
+19 more Show fewer
- naivete
- rescue
- helicopter
- vietcong
- jungle
- abandoned outpost
- mercenary
- vietnamese
- military adviser
- year 1964
- lieutenant
- captain
- sergeant
- corporal
- u.s. soldier
- decapitation
- u.s. army
- based on novel
- independent film
Go Tell the Spartans Cast & Characters
Burt Lancaster leads the cast as Maj. Asa Barker, with Marc Singer as Capt. Alfred Olivetti and Joe Unger as Lt. Raymond Hamilton. Directed by Ted Post; 16 actors are credited in all.
- Director Ted Post
-
Burt Lancaster as Maj. Asa Barker - Marc Singer as Capt. Alfred Olivetti
- Joe Unger as Lt. Raymond Hamilton
-
Craig Wasson as Cpl. Courcey
Also Starring in Go Tell the Spartans
· 12 more- Dennis Howard Cpl. Abraham Lincoln
- John Megna Cpl. Ackley
- Evan C. Kim Cowboy
- Clyde Kusatsu Col. Minh
- James Hong The Old Man
- Dolph Sweet Gen. Harnitz
- Hilly Hicks Signalman Toffer
- Jonathan Goldsmith Sgt. Oleonowski
- Mark Carlton Capt. Schlitz
- David Clennon Lt. Finley Wattsberg
- Tad Horino One-eyed man
- Denice Kumagai Butterfly
More from Ted Post
More films directed by Ted Post, best-rated first: Magnum Force, Hang 'Em High, Beneath the Planet of the Apes and The Human Shield.
Go Tell the Spartans Plot Summary
What happens in Go Tell the Spartans from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In 1964, Major Asa Barker, a weary veteran of World War II and the Korean War, is given command of a poorly manned US Army advisory outpost that watches over three villages in South Vietnam. His mission is to reoccupy the nearby deserted hamlet of Muc Wa on the long Da Nang-to-Phnom Penh corridor, a site haunted by a massacre of French soldiers from a previous conflict. The assignment arrives with heavy tension: the outpost sits under-resourced, exposed to the weather, and vulnerable to a determined Viet Cong force.
Full summary
The whole story of Go Tell the Spartans, scene by scene
Go Tell the Spartans Videos
The featurette of Go Tell the Spartans.
How Well Do You Know Go Tell the Spartans?
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
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
In what year is the film "Go Tell the Spartans" primarily set?
Cars in Go Tell the Spartans
2 cars on screen: the 1941 GMC CCKW 353 and the Willys M38 A1.
-
1941 GMC CCKW 353 Minor role -
Willys M38 A1 Minor role
Go Tell the Spartans Also Known As
17 alternative titles, including “Le Merdier” and “La patrulla”.
- Also known as
-
- Le Merdier
- La patrulla
- Das tödliche Kommando
- Vittorie perdute
- Vidd hírül a Spártaiaknak!
- Die letzte Schlacht
- Til sidste mand
- Spartanie
- 越战突击队
- Расскажи спартанцам
- برو به اسپارت ها بگو
- Jdi, řekni Spartským
+5 more Show fewer
- 대전장
- Sista utposten
- Βρώμικες Νίκες
- Viimeinen viesti
- Vietnam Cehennemi
Seen Go Tell the Spartans?
Movies Like Go Tell the Spartans
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Green Berets, Platoon Leader and The 317th Platoon.
Go Tell the Spartans FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Go Tell the Spartans, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Go Tell the Spartans?
Go Tell the Spartans runs 1 hour 54 minutes (114 minutes).
When was Go Tell the Spartans released?
Go Tell the Spartans was released on July 12, 1978.
Who directed Go Tell the Spartans?
Go Tell the Spartans was directed by Ted Post.
More films by Ted Post Who is in the cast of Go Tell the Spartans?
Go Tell the Spartans stars Burt Lancaster as Maj. Asa Barker, Marc Singer as Capt. Alfred Olivetti and Joe Unger as Lt. Raymond Hamilton, among 16 credited actors.
Does Go Tell the Spartans have a post-credit scene?
No. Go Tell the Spartans has no extra scene during or after the credits.
Coming soon to your phone
The Plot Explained Movie Summary App
From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.
Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app
