: In a twist of fate, Berger switches places with Claude at the army base to allow Claude a final goodbye to Sheila. However, Berger is unexpectedly deployed in Claude's stead and is the one who dies in Vietnam, a change that many critics feel adds a deeper layer of irony and tragedy to the film. Critical Reception and Legacy
: Claude is drafted, goes to Vietnam, and is killed in action. Hair (1979)
: Unlike the stage version where he is already part of the hippie tribe, the film portrays Claude (played by John Savage ) as an innocent draftee from Oklahoma who arrives in New York City to enlist. : In a twist of fate, Berger switches
While the stage musical follows a bohemian "tribe" living in New York City, the 1979 film introduces a more traditional protagonist to ground the audience. : Unlike the stage version where he is
: In the musical, Sheila is a politically active feminist. In the film (played by Beverly D'Angelo ), she is reimagined as a high-society debutante whom Claude meets by chance in Central Park. Major Themes and Production
The most significant departure from the source material is the film's ending.