The Deer Hunter

The Deer Hunter is a 1978 American epic war drama film cowritten and directed by Michael Cimino about a trio of Russian American steelworkers and their service in the Vietnam War. The film stars Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage, John Cazale in his final role, Meryl Streep, and George Dzundza. The story takes place in Clairton, a small working class town on the Monongahela River south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and then in Vietnam, somewhere in the woodland and in Saigon, during the Vietnam War.

In Clairton, a small workingclass town in western Pennsylvania, in late 1967, Russian American steel workers Michael Mike Vronsky Robert De Niro, Steven Pushkov John Savage, and Nikanor Nick Chebotarevich Christopher Walken, with the support of their friends and coworkers Stan John Cazale and Peter Axel Axelrod Chuck Aspegren and local bar owner and friend John Welsh George Dzundza, prepare for two rites of passage marriage and military service.The opening scenes set the character traits of the three main characters. Mike is the nononsense, serious but unassuming leader Steven the loving, neargroom, pecked at by his mother for not wearing a scarf with his tuxedo and Nick the quiet, introspective man who loves hunting because, he likes the treesthe way the trees are. The recurring theme of one shot, which is how Mike prefers to take down a deer, is introduced. Before the trio ships out, Steven and his girlfriend Angela Rutanya Alda, who is pregnant by another man but loved by Steven nonetheless, marry in an Orthodox wedding. In the meantime, Mike contains his feelings for Nicks girlfriend Linda Meryl Streep. At the wedding reception held at the local VFW bar, the guys get drunk, dance, sing, and have a good time, but then notice a soldier in a U.S. Army Special Forces uniform. Mike buys him a drink and tries starting a conversation with him to find out what Vietnam is like, but is ignored. After Mike explains that he, Steven, and Nick are going to Vietnam, the Green Beret raises his glass and says fuck it. ........

Source: Wikipedia