Hair

Directed by Milos Forman

Hair (1979) is based on the 1968 Broadway musical of the same name about a Vietnam War draftee who meets and befriends a tribe of long-haired hippies on his way to the army induction center. The hippies introduce him to their environment of marijuana, acid, messed up relationships and wedding songs.

Claude Bukowski arrives in New York from Oklahoma, to be drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. He encounters a tribe of hippies in Central Park led by George Berger, and they become friends. The tribe decides to crash a debutante ball to meet the beautiful and wealthy young debutante Sheila, whom they had encountered earlier in Central Park. The tribe are all arrested and jailed. Berger goes home to ask his father for bail money which he says he will give him if Berger cuts his hair. Berger refuses and his mother then gives him the money without his father's knowledge. Once out of jail, the tribe goes to Central Park with thousands of protesting hippies and Claude tries LSD. Claude is sent to a base in Nevada for his boot camp training, and he writes to Sheila. Berger suggests that they should all go visit him in Nevada. Once they arrive at the army base gate, the guard won't let them in, so Sheila seduces a soldier. Berger cuts his hair, puts on the soldier’s uniform and takes Claude's place in boot camp, so that Claude may go and meet the rest of The Tribe. While Claude is gone, his unit, including Berger, has been shipped out to Vietnam…

Director

Milos Forman

Writers

Gerome Ragni

James Rado

Cast

John Savage Claude Hooper Bukowski

Treat Williams George Berger

Beverly D'Angelo Sheila Franklin

Annie Golden Jeannie Ryan

Dorsey Wright Lafayette aka Hud

Donnie Dacus Woof

Cheryl Barnes Hud's Fiancee

Richard Bright Fenton

Trivia

• Madonna and Bruce Springsteen auditioned for parts in the film.
• Although the film is based on the theatrical stage musical as well as sharing some of the songs and character names, the two versions are drastically different in most respects including plot, which songs are sung, the order in which they are performed and which character performs them, and how the characters are portrayed.