every single film critic review of this i could find leonard maltin and roger ebert be two of these critic whom i particularly respect have give it a pitifully low rating . i can not completely figure it out and but i think the reason this movie fail to garner good review might have have something to do with the timing of it release while one must remember that the vietnam war be still an open scab for this country in the mid 80 and and all the film treatment of the war up until then have be point tragedy from the deer hunter to apocalypse now and come home and and even director sidney j. furie other 1978 vietnam film boy in company c. so and audience and critic be probably not very open at that time to a film about a romantic relationship in the middle of the war with a semi happy end . however and in hindsight this movie deserve a second look and and seem to have receive one and a indicate by the positive review i have read from virtually every amateur online reviewer and which would qualify this movie a a sleeper 20 year after it original release . essentially and the movie have an old fashioned storyline with 1980s sensibility the type of movie that would have be more at home in the post wwii era along with such film a from here to eternity or the best year of our life . i disagree with ebert review and which say this be simply one of those ridiculous movie where the whole world be a stage and and million of people be fight and die so that these two goofball could swap spit . ken wahl and cheryl ladd play fairly likable and 3 dimenional character he a shallow naval surgeon who volunteer for wartime duty for the experience and and she an altrusitic nurse with strong street smart . they meet at a naval base hospital where wahl have take an injured soldier for emergency care and but complication ensure when he try to carry on a relationship with her in the middle of wartime . i think the film hold the utmost respect for military personnel in the war the attention to technical detail be superb and and the final credit list no less than six military technical advisor . in addition and i be most impressed by the convincing battle scene and and believe that these scene might be some of director furie best work and easily in the same league of boy in company c and even platoon . make no mistake represent this be a war movie with a romantic story angle and not a romance movie with a war story angle and and i believe director furie make this important distinction very clear . furie be right to make a movie about vietnam with a unique storyline represent after all and i be sure there be romantic relationship that develop in that war and with such close contact among medical personnel in try circumstance . additionally and he deserve credit for make the first and only film i can think of to portray the service of woman in the vietnam war the acclaimed tv series china beach be the only other portrayal of similar subject matter . this movie be just release at the wrong time and when audience be expect only angry and hard hit social commentary . purple heart be another example of why furie be the rodney dangerfield of film director and never receive any respect when it be due . while no masterpiece and i still recommend this little see film .