jacknife be a fine adaptation of stephen metcalfe play strange snow ( the screenplay be also write by metcalfe ) and sensitively direct by david hugh jones and that explore the too frequently forgotten effect of battle on veteran damage permanently by the heinous cruelty of war . it be especially poignant to return to this 1989 film now a we watch the soldier return from the war in iraq and the raw treatment they be receive in our veteran hospital . three friend go off to the vietnam war together and only two return alive represent the problem be that while both men suffer in battle the one david highschool flannigan ( ed harris ) be so severely damage by posttraumatic stress syndrome that he exist in a drunken vacuum with his very plain schoolteacher sister martha ( kathy baker ) . a david deteriorate his buddy joseph jacknife megessey ( robert de niro ) return to the town in an attempt to help his friend . in the course of event jacknife at first offer succor to martha and eventually the two date at a prom martha must attend and at that prom drunken david completely fall apart and destroy relic in the school and terrify the townspeople and student . jacknife make dave relive the moment in vietnam when they lose their buddy and in do so bring david to the point where he can begin his climb toward recovery . and the long suffering martha find her need tend by jacknife and too . all three actor give astonishingly fine performance represent ed harris offer one of his most fully realize role while de niro and baker maintain the high standard set by their career . more people should help resurrect this all but forgotten film a it be a brittle reminder of the damage our war bring to the men who fight them and to the family who receive them after battle end . highly recommended . grady harp .