Coming Home (1978)

Directed by Hal Ashby and released in 1978, Coming Home is a poignant and politically charged drama that addresses the psychological and emotional aftermath of the Vietnam War. Starring Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, and Bruce Dern, the film presents a deeply personal exploration of love, loss, and transformation against the backdrop of national disillusionment. It is both a tender love story and a powerful critique of war, reflecting the turbulent cultural climate of late-1970s America.

Nominated for eight Academy Awards and winner of three—including Best Actor for Voight, Best Actress for Fonda, and Best Original Screenplay—Coming Home remains a landmark of American cinema that fused the intimate with the political.

The story centres on Sally Hyde (Jane Fonda), the conservative and dutiful wife of Marine Captain Bob Hyde (Bruce Dern). When Bob is deployed to Vietnam, Sally volunteers at a local veterans’ hospital, initially as an act of service to support the war effort.

At the hospital, she meets Luke Martin (Jon Voight), a paraplegic veteran embittered by his experiences in Vietnam. Initially hostile and full of rage, Luke gradually opens up to Sally, and a deep friendship develops between them. Their bond blossoms into a romantic and sexual relationship, offering both of them healing and a new sense of purpose.

Meanwhile, Bob returns home physically unscathed but emotionally shattered, suffering from post-traumatic stress and struggling to reintegrate into civilian life. Confronted with Sally’s changed perspective and her relationship with Luke, Bob spirals into paranoia and despair. The film builds to a harrowing conclusion that underscores the devastating impact of war not only on soldiers but on the families and society that surround them.

Jane Fonda delivers a career-defining performance as Sally. At the beginning, she embodies the archetypal military wife—obedient, apolitical, and naïve. As the film progresses, Sally undergoes a profound transformation, embracing independence, compassion, and anti-war conviction. Fonda’s nuanced performance captures both vulnerability and strength, earning her the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Jon Voight is equally extraordinary as Luke. His performance combines searing anger with profound tenderness, charting Luke’s journey from bitterness and alienation to love and activism. His impassioned monologues—particularly his plea against the war to high school students—remain some of the most powerful moments in 1970s American cinema. Voight won the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Bruce Dern as Bob Hyde provides the film’s tragic counterpoint. Returning home from war, Bob embodies the suppressed trauma and disillusionment of countless veterans. His performance is raw, understated, and haunting, making Bob’s unraveling both inevitable and devastating.

Hal Ashby, one of the most sensitive directors of his generation, handles the material with restraint and empathy. His style is naturalistic, favouring quiet, intimate scenes over melodrama. The use of handheld camerawork and location shooting lends the film an authenticity that grounds its emotional weight.

The soundtrack, filled with music of the late 1960s (including songs by The Rolling Stones, Simon & Garfunkel, and Bob Dylan), anchors the film in its era and underscores its political resonance. Music becomes an emotional guide, reflecting the turbulence and yearning of its characters.

The film is less about combat and more about its ripple effects on those who return and those left behind. It portrays physical wounds, psychological scars, and the disintegration of traditional roles.

The relationship between Sally and Luke is both tender and revolutionary, representing the possibility of emotional recovery in the wake of devastation. Their intimacy, depicted with rare honesty for the time, challenges conventional portrayals of disabled sexuality.

Sally’s journey from dutiful housewife to independent, politically aware woman reflects broader cultural shifts of the 1970s, particularly in relation to feminism and anti-war sentiment.

Bob and Luke embody contrasting responses to the war: Bob’s silent implosion contrasts with Luke’s vocal activism. Together they reflect the collapse of traditional notions of military masculinity.

While deeply personal, the film never loses sight of its critique of the Vietnam War. It questions not only the morality of the conflict but also the systems that failed returning veterans.

Sally’s first encounters with wounded veterans starkly shift her perspective. The contrast between her initial discomfort and later compassion marks the start of her transformation.

A raw, impassioned monologue in which Luke denounces the war, laying bare both his physical injuries and emotional disillusionment. This scene epitomises the film’s anti-war message.

Groundbreaking for its honesty and tenderness, this sequence portrayed disabled sexuality with a sensitivity rarely seen in mainstream cinema at the time.

The unraveling of Bob Hyde is one of the film’s most tragic arcs. His inability to reconcile his experiences leads to the devastating climax, underscoring the human cost of war beyond the battlefield.

Coming Home was both a critical and commercial success, striking a chord with audiences still grappling with the Vietnam War’s legacy. It was nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning three, and further cemented Jane Fonda’s position not only as a leading actress but also as a politically engaged figure of the era.

The film has since been recognised as one of the most significant Vietnam War dramas, notable for focusing on the home front rather than combat. Its influence can be felt in later films such as Born on the Fourth of July (1989), which similarly tackled the challenges faced by returning veterans.

Coming Home is a film of rare emotional intelligence and political resonance. Through Ashby’s delicate direction, Towne and Ponicsan’s powerful script, and outstanding performances from Fonda, Voight, and Dern, it captures the personal and societal upheaval wrought by war.

It is at once a love story, a political statement, and a study of human resilience. By focusing on the intimate struggles of three characters, the film illuminates the broader tragedies of its time, making it one of the most moving and enduring anti-war films in American cinema.