The Deer Hunter
Three steelworkers enlist in the army and are sent to Vietnam, one leaving behind a rushed marriage, the others a shared love. What they encounter during the war changes their lives forever.
Critics Sentiment
The three friends are forced to play Russian roulette
Steven and Angela prepare for their Orthodox wedding ceremony
The dramatic leap from the peaceful hunting trip (9.1) to the brutal Vietnam capture and Russian roulette sequence (9.8-9.9) represents the film's most jarring tonal shift.
Critics consistently praised The Deer Hunter as a masterpiece despite significant pacing complaints about the extended wedding sequence. The film builds from a slow but authentic portrayal of working-class life to the universally acclaimed Russian roulette sequences, which reviewers called the most intense ever filmed. The final act's exploration of trauma and loss maintains high emotional impact, creating an overall arc that justifies its epic length.
Full cast
Showing 20 of 51
Robert De Niro
Michael Vronsky
Christopher Walken
Nikanor "Nick" Chevotarevich
John Cazale
Stan
John Savage
Steven Pushkov
Meryl Streep
Linda
George Dzundza
John
Rutanya Alda
Angela
Pierre Segui
Julien
Amy Wright
Bridesmaid
Richard Kuss
Linda's Father
Joe Grifasi
Bandleader
Dennis Watlington
Cab Driver
Shirley Stoler
Steven's Mother
Chuck Aspegren
Axel
Mary Ann Haenel
Stan's Girl
Mady Kaplan
Axel's Girl
Paul D'Amato
Sergeant
Christopher Colombi Jr.
Wedding Man
Victoria Karnafel
Sad Looking Girl
Jack Scardino
Cold Old Man
Crew
Write a Review
Rate each story beat:
