the North Vietnamese invasion of Laos. The publicity for the film—advertised as a light-hearted buddy movie—implied a tone that differs greatly from that of the actual film, which includes such serious themes as an anti-war message, a focus on the opium trade, and a negative portrayal of Royal Laotian General Vang Pao (played by actor Burt Kwouk as "General Lu Soong"). The Legendary Brian Desmond Hurst (2005) References 1947 births 2012 deaths 20th-century British novelists 21st-century British novelists British male novelists British military writers 20th-century British male writers 21st-century British male writers