Good Morning Vietnam (1987)

In GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM, which is based on a true story, Cronauer (Robin Williams) is a nonconformist with a wicked sense of humor who is transferred from Crete to Saigon. Outrageous and over the top, Cronauer speaks in accents, creates characters, pokes fun at everyone--including the President--and spins banned rock and roll tunes. While his antics amuse the masses, they also put him in hot water with his superior officers, particularly Lt. Steven Hauk (Bruno Kirby), who would prefer that the radio show be censored, sanitized, and completely noncontroversial. Cronauer takes his show outside the radio station when he starts to teach Vietnamese locals English in an effort to meet pretty, demure Trinh (Chintara Sukapatana). He befriends Trinh's brother, Tuan (Tung Thanh Tran), who becomes an unlikely comrade in uncertain times. Directed by Barry Levinson (DINER, AVALON), the film features a tour-de-force performance from Williams, who improvised much of the comedy used in the radio shows, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.