Jon Voight and Jane Fonda as they appear in Coming Home (1978).

The 51st Academy Awards® embraced two films that dealt with the tragedies of the Vietnam War.  The Deer Hunter garnered nine Academy Award® nominations and Coming Home eight, competing directly in seven categories.  On the evening of April 9, 1979, The Deer Hunter took home five Oscars®, including the award for Best Picture.  Coming Home won awards for its screenplay and for the performances of its two stars, Jane Fonda and Jon Voight.  It marked only the fourth time in over half a century that the lead actor and actress winners emerged from the same film.

Coming Home takes a close look at a marine officer’s deployment to Vietnam, a wounded veteran’s readjustment to civilian life and a woman’s personal transformation from a dutiful military wife to a purpose-driven, independent and socially conscious individual.  Produced by Jerome Hellman and directed by Hal Ashby, the film incorporates some of the turbulent era’s most popular and defining songs, by such recording artists as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane, Buffalo Springfield and Janis Joplin.  Fonda and Hellman will be on hand to participate in an onstage discussion about the film (schedules permitting).  Jerome Hellman Enterprises.  United Artists.  1978.  35mm.  126 minutes.

Academy Award winner: Actor in a Leading Role (Jon Voight), Actress in a Leading Role (Jane Fonda), Writing – Screenplay written directly for the screen (Story by Nancy Dowd; Screenplay by Waldo Salt, Robert C. Jones)

Academy Award nominee: Actor in Supporting Role (Bruce Dern), Actress in a Supporting Role (Penelope Milford), Directing (Hal Ashby), Film Editing (Don Zimmerman), Best Picture (Jerome Hellman, producer)