POP/ROCK - April 4, 1988

Although Bruce Springsteen has turned down untold amounts of money for commercial use of his song, “Born in the U.S.A.,” he gave it for free to the makers of the Home Box Office production, “Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam.” Film maker Bill Couturie edited thousands of feet of archival footage into a backdrop for the letters in the 90-minute documentary, which premiered last night on Home Box Office. Besides Springsteen, the sound track includes vintage ‘60s rock from the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Marvin Gaye. The letters are read off-camera by a star-studded cast of voices, including Robert De Niro, Kathleen Turner, Robin Williams and Michael J. Fox, who all donated their time.