Jane Fonda & Donald Sutherland in FTA

In 1971, at the height of the Vietnam War, Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland toured an anti-war comedy show across Southeast Asia. It was directly engaged with and inspired by veterans against the war and, naturally, it upset U.S. military higher-ups. The F.T.A. tour was highly controversial and was a huge success among stationed soldiers. In spite of enthusiastic reviews and box office buzz, the film version was quickly taken out of circulation due to political pressures and has been difficult to see for decades. (Officially, “FTA” stood for “Free the Army.” Unofficially . . . well, we think you can figure out what it stood for unofficially.

A present-day interview with Jane Fonda precedes the film.

“A genuine, powerful and even stirring expression of the antipathy engendered by war…and scarred the psyches of those who lived through it.” – J. Hoberman, The New York Times

“F.T.A. has enormous contemporary resonance.” – AV Club

“Sounding out a once-elusive call of defiance for all to hear…[Fonda] and her comrades loved the country that they devoted their energies and risked their reputations to better it, their criticisms the ultimate act of patriotism.” – Charles Bramesco, The Guardian

“Holds up as a terrifically funny movie. Nixon might be long dead, but if you want to sock it to him regardless, be sure to check this out.” – Dan Schindel, Hyperallergic

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