Three Kings (1999 film)

Three Kings
Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	1999
Founder	David O. Russell (director and writer)
Products	Film

Three Kings is a 1999 black comedy war film written and directed by David O. Russell, inspired by a narrative from John Ridley. The movie features George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, and Spike Jonze portraying American soldiers who undertake a gold heist amid the 1991 Iraqi uprisings following the conclusion of the First Gulf War.

The film premiered in the United States on October 1, 1999, and was met with favorable critical acclaim.

Plot

Following the end of the Gulf War, U.S. troops are assigned to finalize remaining tasks but struggle with boredom and diminished spirits. Major Archie Gates, a Special Forces operative, receives orders to accompany TV journalist Adriana Cruz. Sergeant Troy Barlow, Private Conrad Vig, and their squad uncover a map concealed on an Iraqi officer that points to bunkers near Karbala containing looted Kuwaiti gold. Gates persuades them to embark on a mission to seize the treasure.

They locate the gold alongside other stolen items and witness the execution of anti-Saddam activists, which motivates them to liberate Iraqi prisoners and support rebels attempting to reach safety across the Iranian border. During their journey, Troy is captured and subjected to interrogation, while the others collaborate with Iraqi defectors to devise a plan that enables them to assault the bunker and rescue Troy along with additional detainees.

The escape results in injuries; Conrad succumbs while Troy survives despite wounds. They organize transportation for the refugees but are detained by American officers for defying commands. Archie offers the hidden gold as a bargaining tool for safe passage of the rebels. The officers consent but warn of forthcoming court-martial proceedings.

An epilogue discloses that Archie, Troy, and Chief Elgin are exonerated due to Adriana’s investigative reporting. Archie transitions into a military consultant role for Hollywood productions; Chief joins him, and Troy returns home to operate a carpet business. The confiscated gold is restored to Kuwait, though some remains missing, suggesting part was kept by the rebels.

Cast

George Clooney as Major Archie Gates
A seasoned U.S. Army Special Forces officer approaching retirement, disenchanted with the conflict.
Mark Wahlberg as Sergeant First Class Troy Barlow
A civilian office worker and Civil Affairs Reservist with familial responsibilities.
Ice Cube as Staff Sergeant Chief Elgin
Former airline baggage handler from Detroit, identifiable by his Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations insignia.
Spike Jonze as Private First Class Conrad Vig
An unemployed soldier from a Dallas group home who admires Troy; also serving as a Civil Affairs Reservist.
Nora Dunn as Adriana Cruz
An ambitious cable news reporter pursuing an impactful story.
Jamie Kennedy as Specialist Walter Wogeman
A bumbling soldier utilized by Archie to divert Adriana’s attention.
Mykelti Williamson as Colonel Ron Horn
Archie's commanding officer who discovers the plan involving gold theft.
Cliff Curtis as Amir Abdullah
A Shi'ite Iraqi insurgent educated in America, formerly a Baghdad businessman affected by Coalition bombings.
Saïd Taghmaoui as Captain Saïd
An Iraqi interrogator responsible for torturing Barlow.
Judy Greer as Cathy Daitch
A rival journalist competing with Adriana who encounters Archie early on.
Liz Stauber as Debbie Barlow, Troy’s spouse
Holt McCallany as Captain Doug Van Meter
Troy’s stern commanding officer.
Alia Shawkat as Amir’s daughter
Jim Gaffigan as Cuts, the soldier assigned to assist Troy
Fahim Fazli as Refugee

Production

Three Kings was shot across desert locations in Casa Grande, Arizona, California, and Mexico, involving numerous Iraqi refugees as background actors. Director Russell mentioned that two of the cast had personally vandalized around 300 murals depicting Saddam Hussein. Following the death of a military advisor during filming, Russell suggested that exposure to Gulf War-related chemicals might have contributed to the fatality.

Script controversy

The original screenplay, initially titled Spoils of War, was penned by former stand-up comedian John Ridley as a rapid writing challenge, completed within seven days. Warner Bros. acquired the script just 18 days afterward. Upon reading the brief description "heist set in the Gulf War," director Russell found himself intrigued by the concept. Although Russell admitted to never fully reading Ridley’s script to preserve his own creative vision, he acknowledged Ridley’s credit for originating the idea. Ridley, however, contends that Russell excluded him from the filmmaking process, withheld script revisions during production, and ultimately removed his name from the final screenplay. Warner Bros. later awarded Ridley a "story by" credit, yet he remains dissatisfied and has prevented the screenplay’s publication as a book.

Casting

Russell crafted the screenplay with particular actors in mind. Despite lacking any acting background, Spike Jonze was cast as Conrad Vig—a role specifically shaped for him. Russell persuaded Warner Bros. to take a risk on Jonze, appreciating the unpredictable energy a non-actor could inject into the production.

George Clooney, initially skeptical of Jonze’s casting, quickly came to see him as ideal for the part. The character Archie Gates was first envisioned for Clint Eastwood, but when Russell decided to make the role younger, Clooney—then primarily known for his television work on ER—vigorously pursued it by sending a witty letter and meeting with Russell in person. Although Russell initially favored Nicolas Cage, Cage’s scheduling conflicts led to Clooney being cast instead. Russell later confirmed that Clooney "was meant to play the part."

Several Iraqi characters were portrayed by Iraqi refugees living in the United States.

Film techniques

To evoke a documentary-style authenticity, director Russell employed unconventional filming methods that caused concern at Warner Bros. He utilized handheld and Steadicam camera work and shot much of the movie on Ektachrome transparency film stock that was cross-processed using color negative chemicals—an approach designed to replicate the unusual hues found in Gulf War newspaper photographs. While this technique gave the film a unique visual signature, it posed development challenges as many labs refused to handle the stock due to insurance issues. Eventually, one lab was secured capable of processing it consistently. Conventional negative film was used for opening sequences and some interiors; notably, the opening scenes underwent bleach bypass processing to achieve deep blacks and heightened contrast. Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel, experienced in documentary projects covering South American conflicts, helped craft realistic combat sequences.

Explosions were filmed in single takes rather than multiple angles to enhance authenticity despite producer reservations. Russell directed sound editors to reduce gunfire intensity during post-production to avoid an exaggerated "Bruce Willis-style" action effect. Memorable shots include an internal perspective of a bullet penetrating organs and releasing bile, as well as an image depicting air filling a chest cavity from a lung collapse injury—both inspired by consultations with an emergency room physician. A minor dispute arose when Russell joked about firing gunshots into an actual corpse; this claim was later refuted.^[1]

Conflicts

The $42 million budget for the film represented a considerable gamble for Russell, especially since Warner Bros. had not supported an auteur project in several years and remained hesitant about allocating such funds to independent directors. Additionally, the studio expressed unease regarding the movie’s political subject matter given the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East. As a result, Warner Bros. enforced several constraints: the filming timeframe was shortened from 80 to 68 days, the budget was pressured down to $35 million, and scenes depicting violence—such as the exploding cow and the shooting of an Iraqi woman—were scrutinized for potential removal. Furthermore, Russell was legally obliged to omit any references to Michael Jackson’s pedophilia allegations.

Production occurred in Arizona during October, where Russell’s improvisational directing clashed with the crew’s expectations. Favoring spontaneous creativity over detailed shot lists and often requiring extended work hours, his methods generated mounting tension on set. Clooney described Russell as "vulnerable and selfish," noting frequent emotional outbursts that strained working relationships. During an incident when an extra experienced an epileptic seizure, Clooney stepped in while Russell seemed unaware, intensifying discord. Another conflict arose over a camera mounted on a Humvee, leading Clooney to confront Russell about his treatment of the vehicle’s driver. At the time, Clooney was also juggling commitments filming ER in Los Angeles, which added to his fatigue.

Despite suggestions that he abandon the project, Clooney remained dedicated to his role and defended crucial scenes like the exploding cow sequence. He attempted to ease tensions by writing Russell a letter addressing their disagreements; however, conflicts reemerged during the shooting of the climactic scene involving Iraqi rebels and numerous extras. A dispute broke out when an extra struggled with a staged fall; Russell demonstrated how it should be performed, but Clooney and others perceived this as overly harsh treatment. The disagreement escalated into a heated verbal exchange and physical confrontation between Clooney and Russell, prompting second assistant director Paul Bernard to resign in frustration. Clooney later declared he would not collaborate with Russell again but acknowledged his directorial talent; meanwhile, Russell characterized their disputes as passionate clashes between two determined leaders. Ice Cube believed that these tensions injected energy into the production and enhanced concentration.

Initially concealed from the public, both parties eventually issued statements minimizing the severity of their conflict. Clooney expanded on the issue in interviews and a Vanity Fair cover story, emphasizing his objections to Russell’s conduct toward crew members. Executive producer Gregory Goodman criticized Clooney’s public remarks as unprofessional. By early 2012, Clooney indicated that they had reconciled, expressing mutual respect for each other’s work and reflecting on their difficult yet fruitful collaboration.

Release

The film premiered across 2,942 screens in the United States and Canada on October 1, 1999.

Critical reception

Three Kings garnered widespread critical praise. It holds a 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 128 reviews, with an average score of 7.8/10. The critical consensus reads: "Three Kings skillfully combines action, drama, and comedy into an engaging and thoughtful Gulf War narrative." On Metacritic, it achieved a score of 82. Audience polling by CinemaScore resulted in a grade of B.

Peter Bradshaw referred to it as "an enjoyable and intelligent action film." Roger Ebert awarded it four out of four stars, describing it as "a screw-loose war movie blending humor, action, and political outrage," ranking it third among his favorite films of 1999. David Edelstein from The New York Times called it "the most biting anti-war movie of its generation."

Director commentary reveals that then-President Bill Clinton hosted a screening of the film at the White House for his staff and advisors.

In Reel Power: Hollywood Cinema and American Supremacy, Matthew Alford characterizes Three Kings as an atypical Hollywood production that critiques Gulf War narratives while still suggesting U.S. military intervention as a remedy for Iraq’s issues. Alford references a 1999 meeting between Russell and George W. Bush during which Bush allegedly remarked, "Then I guess I'm going to have to finish the job, aren't I?" after learning about the film's themes.

Critic A. O. Scott highlighted 1999 as a pivotal year in cinema history and included Three Kings among his "Critics' Picks."

Box office

Debuting at the second spot in the United States box office with earnings of $15.8 million, trailing behind Double Jeopardy, exit polling indicated the movie drew a more mature demographic than initially anticipated. The domestic gross reached $60.7 million, while international receipts added $47.1 million, culminating in a global total of $107.8 million.

Re-release

Warner Bros. brought Three Kings back to theaters and released it on DVD in 2004, prompted by its renewed significance amid the Iraq War. To complement this re-release, director Russell produced Soldiers Pay, a short documentary inspired by William Faulkner's novel, focusing on the Iraq conflict. This film presented viewpoints from both Iraqi civilians and American military personnel.

Russell remarked:

Although the documentary was intended to be distributed prior to the November 2004 election to sway public sentiment, Warner Bros. retracted their support, citing controversy and postponement of additional footage. Russell contested these claims, maintaining that the release was viable. Ultimately, the documentary was broadcast on the Independent Film Channel on the eve of the 2004 U.S. presidential election.