You haven't lived until you've watched a Cdrama. With the use of green screens and slapstick sound affects they're fantastic. I'd recommend Hidden love with Zhou Lusi she's an amazing actress and I think it was Massive in China
The gun thing - there is very little practical purpose than a single majour one - learning not to drop the weapon under any circumstances. You develop motor skills and muscle memory which is extremely useful during combat. Hope it helps.
Reiner liked using Christopher Guest. Six fingered man in Princess Bride, Navy Doctor witness in this film, and Nigel Tufnel (lead guitarist) in This Is Spinal Tap. Sidenote; he's the real life husband of Jamie Lee Curtis.
On display was the USMC silent drill team, it is to show discipline, pride, precision and respect for the rifle. It is to show off the military. I was on two base drill teams while in the USAF. Hpoe this helps.
Fun fact, that actually is not the Marine Corps silent drill team. They borrowed the silent drill team from Texas A&M University and put Uniforms on them
@damonslaughter16 it's also the wrong uniform for the drill team, they wear white trousers as well as the wrong weapons. The silent drill team use Garands not 1903.
My boss at work is an Army vet, he told me that his drill instructor told him that "There are really only two branches of the military. The Army and Navy. The Air Force is a corporation, and the Marine Corps. is a cult." This movie does a really good job of making you believe that about the Marine Corps.
Every branch has their jokes about the other branches. My uncle was a Marine, and he told me all the names they had for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Most of them aren't polite to repeat. But at the end of the day, they all depend on each other and they do what needs to be done.
Great reaction Mary like always. This story was actually inspired by the real "Code Red" of Marine Pfc. William Alvarado. Alvarado was hospitalized and survived the attack, but ten Marines were arrested and charged with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Seven accepted plea deals and were discharged. The other three elected to stand trial, arguing that they were following the orders of a commanding officer. After a four day trial, the three were cleared of charges and returned to duty. And a Fun-fact as a testament to how great Jack Nicholson is as an actor, the entire last scene in the courtroom was all done in one take. Not only that, but Jack Nicholson was doing his part there long before the camera started rolling. The other actors were thinkin, "Shouldn't you save your best chops for the take?" Jack Nicholson replied something like, "Nah, I live for this." Because he could go 100% at any given moment. Everyone on the studio lot stopped by to see Jack Nicolson performance in the court room scene. It was director Rob Reiner, who, the story goes, questioned Nicholson on whether he really wanted to go 'full blast' on all the rehearsals. Nicholson's reply was something close to, "Lemme tell you something. I'm an actor. And I love to act. The essence of it, wasn't so much, I live for this, but more like, Opportunities to play a character like THIS saying stuff like THIS really don't come around very often. So, when it does come up, man I wanna enjoy it to the full." I always take from that story that even celebrity actors like Nicholson, are completely dependent on writers and others to create the characters and good scripts in the first place, otherwise, they'd have no character to play. And Nicholson was acknowledging that, with his comment. Thanks for the reaction
I forget whether it was Reiner or Kevin Pollack who said that same thing in an interview and how blown away they were that whether it was for the rehearsal, the main shot or the close-ups every one of Jack's performance was spot on and bone-chillingly powerful. He had a lot of demands for his time but when he was on set he was very magnanimous, "Hey, sure Rob, whatever you need."
Christopher Guest, who played Count Rugen (the six fingered man) in The Princess Bride, was the doctor on the witness stand that Caffe tried so hard to discredit. It's not easy to recognize him in this.
Christopher Guest is often part of an ensemble cast with others such as Parker Posey, Eugene Levy, etc. who did comedies such as Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind, Best in Show, etc.
I worked at a video store showing this on the T.V. every day. The customers would always stop shopping during Nicholson's speech, silence throughout the store. When Nicholson spilled his guts, everyone lost it. Priceless.
Check out the interview with Rob Reiner (the director) when he says that Jack Nicolson remained fully immersed in character as Colonel Jessup even when they were filming reaction shots with the other actors. When Reiner told him he didn't have to go all-out every take, Nicolson said that he loved playing a character like this and rarely got the chance, so he was really into it.
Wolfgang Bodison, the actor playing Dawson, this was his first major acting role. Tom Cruise was already one of the biggest stars in the world. So Bodison standing there nose-to-nose with Cruise and screaming in his face is all the more impressive.
And I believe Wolfgang wasn't even intending to do it, he was Rob Reiner's assistant, and Reiner couldn't find the right actor to play the Dawson he was envisioning. Then he realized that Wolfgang fit the role and asked him to do it.
@@danielhoehne801 The director's commentary on the disk is really interesting. He related how they tested several actors for the role, and Reiner didn't like any of them. He and the casting director were walking down the hall, and the casting director was asking for a better description of what he was looking for. Wolfgang happened to pass them in the hall, and Reiner said, "Someone kinda like Wolfgang, here." Apparently, he was an aspiring actor, and one thing led to another, and he landed the part.
Rob Reiner's filmography is amazing. If you've already seen The Princess Bride I would suggest as a next movie When Harry Met Sally if you want one of the most classic Rom-Coms of all-time. Spinal Tap basically launched the "mockumentary" genre, also something I would recommend. The 80s and 90s were really good for him. I'm also not saying his more recent stuff isn't good, I just haven't watched them, so I can't speak to their quality.
when he said i gota go arrest kendreck he said tell him i said Hi remember may i call you john NO YOU MAY NOT so he gets arrested caffey says tell him i said hi ............kills me.
You've maybe heard of Aaron Sorkin. He was a playwright turned screenwriter that became popular in the 90s, mainly with a TV show called "The West Wing" about the American President, and then in the 2000s became even bigger, and there was basically a super amount of hype attached to anything that he wrote, and then he started to also direct some of his own work. This was his first screenplay adapted from the play that he wrote. The fast paced dialogue is a thing that his writing is known for. He has said that it's not really representative of how he necessarily thinks or talks himself, but that in his own life experience, he was always just enamored with people that did. Some people criticize it as unrealistic, but I personally love it! I had been a fan of a lot of his earlier movies, like this one, but didn't really realize that they were written by him, and then when his name was everywhere and there was so much hype about him, that can be kind of a turn off for me, but then I started putting two and two together, and admiring his work, then he had a show on HBO called "The Newsroom", which made him my new hero! He really is an amazing writer in a handful of ways, and personally, I do tend to think like his dialogue, and I wish I could have conversations like that, with other people in real life! You should keep an eye out for his stuff though!
Just before The West Wing he did a sitcom about a cable sports network's daily wrap-up show. Although it was very well done, it only lasted two seasons. I wonder how much of its poor ratings came down to the title. After all, if you see "Sports Night" on a TV schedule (remember this is the '90s), are you likely to tune in expecting a scripted comedy? Anyway I highly recommended it, especially to people who like Sorkin's snappy dialog.
It was a big deal for Dawson and Downey because a dishonorable discharge can affect your life dramatically. It basically disqualifies you from future government employment, can cause you to fail background checks, and you forfeit all government benefits for veterans. It can affect civilian employment and housing applications too if someone does the right kind of background check.
Took a minute to figure out what you were referring to when you thought Kaffee had dropped out. Galloway's line, "Lieutenant, how long have you been out of law school?" means (in American vernacular, I guess) how long has it been since you graduated. You'll often hear about a young person's "first job out of school," for example.
Well, of course, it's his Jack Torrance if he was a scheming military man with an ego the size of Texas. Nicholson could play that in his sleep by this point.
Drill in the United States Marine Corps (USMC) has many purposes, including: Discipline: Drill helps Marines learn to obey orders without hesitation and execute them correctly. Teamwork: Drill helps Marines understand teamwork and build confidence in their platoon. Esprit de corps: Close order drill is a foundation of discipline and esprit de corps. Troop leading: Drill helps develop confidence and troop leading abilities in subordinate leaders. Ceremonial duties: Ceremonial duties are a written part of the Marine Corps' history. Unit cohesion: Drill instills unit cohesion. Military bearing: Drill helps Marines maintain military bearing and appearance
Fun fact: The next role I saw James Marshall (Private Downey) in was in "The Shaft" from 2001 where he played an ex marine turned elevator mechanic. So he got a regular job.
Also, her thoughts about Gitmo are based on events that happened long after this film was made. Very few people outside the military knew that Gitmo existed.
@@notmyrealname1730 Virtually everyone has known it existed since at least the Cuban revolution in 1959, as it's been a contentious foreign occupation of a sovereign nation. And anyone who'd care to learn history would have known about it since the end of the Spanish-American War. It was never a secret.
When they found out that Pvt Downy wasn't in his room you quietly asked if it was her fault. It absolutely was. Specifically as Downy's lawyer (whom she worked to get herself appointed) it was her responsibility to know everything that happened and to anticipate any potential hurdles to clear. You may have heard the phrase "Never ask a question you don't already know the answer to." That is why they say that. Kaffee has been insistent the whole movie about having proof. Anytime she brings up an angle about "He said this" or "He's Lying" or "they were told to" etc. Kaffee always responded with "Do you have proof of that?" She's telling Kaffee Downy was ordered to give the code red by Kendrick. But she had no proof, just the assumption. If they had known he wasn't in the room, then they could have better prepared for that cross-examination.
29:44 That’s Jack Nicholson’s entire persona as an actor, and it’s the reason why he’s one of the most acclaimed and decorated actors of all time. Jack is perfect in this role and easily the best thing about “A Few Good Men”. Love the reaction and insight, Mary!
Jack Nicholson earned his 10th acting Oscar nomination for this film, in the category of Best Supporting Actor (lost to Gene Hackman for UNFORGIVEN). A FEW GOOD MEN was nominated for Best Picture that year too, also losing to UNFORGIVEN. Jack Nicholson is the most Oscar-nominated male actor of all time (12 acting nominations) and ties the record for most acting wins (3 wins, winning Best Actor for ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST and AS GOOD AS IT GETS and Best Supporting Actor for TERMS OF ENDEARMENT).
Daniel Day-Lewis should have had 4 Oscars. But now that he's back to starring in a new movie coming out he will surely take the record once and for all.
@@jsmithers. Daniel Day-Lewis is the co-screenwriter of his new movie actually, so he could still do it through the Screenplay category. Frances McDormand won 4 Oscars too (although one of them is for producing in her case).
You missed the reason the case was assigned to Caffey while you were commenting. They assigned it to him with hopes we would do what he normally does, plea bargain.
Yup. As Kevin Bacon's character says, "Jessup's star is on the rise." That means a promotion to General. They also mention that he is about to be appointed to a high position in the NSA. The whole point is to keep this out of the news and have it go away quickly.
That's a Aaron Sorkin script for you. For more try The Social Network, West Wing and The Newsroom. The corrupt doctor is played by the same actor Christopher Guest) who played Nigel in Reiiner's Spinal Tap ! You'd love Spinal Tap.
This is one of the greatest courtroom dramas ever, some of the most iconic lines delivered with so much intensity and passion they hit hard. If you like court related films then I’ll recommend watch 12 Angry Men (1957)
3:16 LOL tear my heart out! I used to do that! like I was on the actual team that did that (not the one in the movie though.) This is the Fightin Texas Aggie Fish Drill Team. It’s composed of all freshman members of the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M. This particular team however was composed of many members of different classes because of the movie casting and shooting schedule. A couple of those dudes were my instructors. To say we took pride in our unit and skill was a serious understatement. They are dressed as marines for the movie and so get confused often for the Marine Corps drill team. As for why? Basically to show off the cool things we can do with our weapons I guess lol. We competed in “precision drill” against teams from other military academies. The Aggies were the best. You’re something else Mary 😂
Reacting to the West Wing as a whole series would be a bit much, but the pilot episode by itself works quite well as a stand alone thing, and it would be a really interesting reaction to do in addition to this one. Just because of the Aaron Sorkinness of this and the he way he writes/does dialogue.
Rob Reiner also directed _The American President_ starring Michael Douglas, Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox, Annette Bening, John Mahoney, Richard Dreyfuss & Samantha Mathis. Rob Reiner directed Stephen King's _Stand By Me_ starring Richard Dreyfuss, Kiefer Sutherland, River Phoenix, Jerry O'Connell, Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman & John Cusack.
Another reason this film is so damned good is the dialogue. It was penned by the great Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, The American President, The Social Network). Although, in my humble opinion, the story was lifted from True Believer (1989) (With James Woods and Robert Downey Jr absolutely killing their roles). It's set in civilian courts, and there's nothing about marines in it. But thematically, it's basically the same story.
It's also loosely based on a true story where Aaron Sorkin's sister, I believe, was the actual lawyer irl who was placed in a similar situation as Lt. Caffee, i.e. an inexperienced lawyer placed in a situation where she wasn't supposed to win the case. The story is detailed by Sorkin in a "Making of..." video on the DVD and on UA-cam if I remember correctly.
Great reaction Mary. This isn't only a Rob Reiner film, it is also an Aaron Sorkin film, and you mention the dialogue, and that is exactly what Sorkin (the script writer) is famous for. You could check out any of his films (or shows) and you'll get the same incredible spit fire intelligent crisp dialogue, and most of them are fantastic films, and I can highly recommend, if you haven't seen them, The Social Network, Steve Jobs, Moneyball, The Trial of the Chicago 7, and Molly's Game (and even Charlie Wilson's War as well as The American President (another Rob Reiner film!) are definitely worth watching). I can't recommend Aaron Sorkin enough. The West Wing and The Newsroom are two phenomenal shows as well.
a vintage classic is "The Caine Mutiny" ... it came out in the 50s ... so don't expect anything from the special effects - but it has good acting - and Humphry Bogart did a FANTASTIC job as the captain
Two great Rob Reiner films are Stand By Me (based on the short story The Body by Stephen King), and The Sure Thing which stars a young John Cusack. Oh . . . and there is also Spinal Tap. 🙂
Maybe I'm overdoing it a bit, but the fact that Aaron Sorkin no longer has the kind of traction for political drama that he once held (A few Good Men, West Wing, The News Room, etc.) is a sign of our times, and the pending failure of a free and open society. Imagine this movie coming out today. The howls of 'woke' and 'agenda' would drown out an excellent courtroom drama.
Hollywood is broken. They used to create Block Busters, but streaming over the internet, Covid, Writers strike, the Woke movement and Actors strike killed all the fun.
A Few Good Men was first staged on Broadway (1989) before it became a film (1992). Both the play the film was based on, and the screenplay, were written by Aaron Sorkin. Fun fact: A Few Good Men was based on an incident that took place at the Guantanamo Naval Base in 1986.
Mary, never apologize for not talking too much! Most reactors speak far too often and end up missing important plot points and ruining great dialogue from the script. There are many ways to “react” without speech, it’s a fine line, a skill, and you are one of the best imho. ✌🏼
I’m always amazed at how often people seem to sort of gloss over the fact that Demi Moores character pretty consistently just screws up all movie long, and then they get mad when Cruise finally snaps in that one scene.
It’s insane how unwinnable that case was. Regardless of facts it’s involuntary manslaughter. The home in 6 months was a really good deal. No witness would snap like the Colonel did
@@gunkulator1 Except that a lieutenant with zero trial experience "going after" a decorated Colonel with no actual evidence and only a hope that he would somehow spontaneously commit perjury on cross-examination was actually a terrible idea that could have gone wrong 50 different ways and resulted in Cruise's clients going to prison and him being court-martialed. It's a great movie, but no real trial lawyer would ever have taken that risk. In real life, all the Colonel had to do was say that he doesn't recall anything about a lowly private from among the thousand troops under his command, which is actually very likely and thoroughly believable, and the trial would have been over. Alternatively, once Lt Col Markinson died, he could have blamed it all on him, and everyone would have believed it (because why else take his own life?) and Cruise would have had no way to prove otherwise. Going after him was a Hail Mary that was terrible advice.
3:02 The US Marine Corps silent drill team demonstrates discipline, coordination, teamwork and other traits, integral to the military 3:52 John M Jackson, who plays the Judge Advocate General (JAG) captain here, also played THE Judge Advocate General, Rear Admiral AJ Chegwidden in the tv show JAG for 7 years The Judge Advocate General corps exists for all branches of the military. THE JAG who is a general or admiral, acts as the district attorney for the military branch he's with and the various lawyers under him or her, also known as JAGs act like assistant district attorneys, except they are randomly assigned to act as prosecutors or defense attorneys as the need arises 8:15 Caffey is in the Navy, NOT the Marine Corps 9:27 Kevin Bacon plays Captain Jack Ross, a Marine and the prosecutor in this case
Aaron Sorkin, the writer of the play and the screenplay, got the basic idea from his sister, a JAG lawyer, on a case much like this. She told Sorkin the basics, and Sorkin altered it for dramatic purposes, writing it on napkins while being a bartender at Broadway theaters during intermissions. When he was close to completion, the script as it was found its way to the desk of David Brown (one of the producers of Spielberg's Jaws). He wanted to make it a movie immediately; Sorkin wanted it mounted as a play first. Sorkin won, and it was a successful play. It also launched his film and television writing career. - TV series: The West Wing, Sports Night, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, The Newsroom - Films: The Social Network (Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar winner), Molly's Game, The American President (directed by Rob Reiner), Charlie Wilson's War, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Steve Jobs, Moneyball, Being the Ricardos, and Malice. Sorkin also has returned to the stage with a stage adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird that starred Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom) as Atticus Finch and LaTanya Richardson (the real-life Mrs. Samuel L. Jackson) as Calpurnia and a reworked version of Lerner and Loewe's classic musical Camelot, based on the Arthurian legends. Fun Facts: - The original actor to play Col. Jessup on Broadway was Stephen Lang (Ike Clanton in Tombstone and Col. Quaritch in James Cameron's Avatar films). The role was coveted, and actors like Ron Perlman (Hellboy) would fill it during the run after Lang left. - The original actor to play Lt. Jack Ross on Broadway was Clark Gregg...Agent Phil Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the MCU. - Tom, the company clerk at Gitmo to Col. Jessup, is Joshua Malina, who was and is a dear friend of Sorkin's and has appeared in a majority of Sorkin's films and TV shows, some as major roles. Wolfgang Bodison (Lance Corporal Harold Dawson) was not an actor! He had acted in school plays, but he was actually an employee of Rob Reiner's production company, Castle Rock. He had worked his way up from the mailroom and was currently scouting locations for A Few Good Men as a Location Scout. Reiner could not find anyone he liked to play Dawson and, in desperation, asked Bodison if he would read for the part after discovering about Bodison's school acting experience. Bodison had a screen test, and Reiner gave him the role. In a film with fantastic performances, I always feel compelled to single out Bodison, who does act still but also works behind the scenes. Oscar-winning writer William Goldman (The Princess Bride, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All The President's Men, Misery) has an Executive Producer credit on the film, because he did a tiny bit of script doctoring on the screenplay. Specifically, the logbook as a smoking gun. Sorkin liked it so much, he altered the stage play to include this. You wanted to understand the legal things in the film, by saying you wish you had a lawyer friend watch the film with you. There is an excellent legal breakdown of the film by a former Marine JAG lawyer on the LegalEagle UA-cam channel. Here's the link: ua-cam.com/video/SfZrnoo1GPM/v-deo.html
I was in the US Army, and one of the most difficult things was learning how to navigate the conflict between strictly following all the (sometimes) ambiguous standing orders, orders given by officers (both commissioned and non-commissioned) and the general practices you learn from your peers because sometimes it wasn't clear which level (the letter of the law or the spirit of it) where you should place a priority all while trying to maintain your own integrity. I had my own experiences (none as serious as the situation in this film) where getting this balance wrong got me into trouble.
Whenever someone compliments the dialogue in this movie, the West Wing fan in me has to add "That's Aaron Sorkin!" He wasn't a well-known screenwriter yet, but, when you go back and watch this movie, you can feel how much of this is written in his style.
Thank you for everything you do Mary! I've been really struggling to stay positive lately. Watching your content feels like watching a movie with a buddy and it helps keep my mood up. I really appreciate everything you do and I know many others do as well.
I was at Basic Training during Christmas. While every other squadron was allowed to have a free day, our instructor made us watch this they write essays about it. Essays about how we are supposed to follow orders yet not be automatons. Then we ran the same ruck run from the movie. lol Ive had a new appreciation for Christmas wince then.
More Rob Reiner: When Harry Met Sally, Stand By Me, The American President all are good. When Harry Met Sally probably considered one of the best RomComs ever.
Wolfgang Bodison's performance as Dawson was as good as anyone in the movie. He killed it in this movie. I never understood why he wasn't in more movies.
I was in the Navy, when this came out. Excellent movie, but let me tell ya...in that era, both Kaffee and Jessup would have been up on career-ending sexual harassment charges, for their comments to Commander Galloway.
I think both guys get away with it, I think her word would be discounted, and she knew it and wouldn't bother. Jessup's was especially egregious though, and there were several witnesses... He might get called on it after the movie ends.
@theseagull-36 trust me, at that time, (immediately following the Tailhook scandal), the Navy would have listened and took action. I saw a Master Chief lose his career over the false accusation of a brand-new E2. The E2 even admitted she made the whole thing up, and that the Master Chief was completely innocent. Didn't matter, he was still forced to retire.
For the record, there are no consequences for questioning a military officer during a murder trial. They just needed to raise the stakes for the movie.
Aaron Sorkin, the writer of the screenplay, makes a cameo appearance in the film: He is the man in the background in the bar with Tom Cruise, talking about 'going blind on paperwork.' You may also notice that Kiefer Sutherland (star of the American TV series '24') played Lt. Kendrick. Cuba Gooding Jr has a small role in this film, as one of the men questioned under oath. •••• One of the neat things about this story, is the multi-layered nature of the plot. The surface-level plot is a competition between: Was Santiago intentionally murdered, or was his death an accident - and who is ultimately responsible? But the actual (core) plot is: Will Lt. Kaffee grow up? What will it take to make him grow up, and is he up to the job of growing up? •••• Your instincts about Demi Moore and Tom Cruise in this film, were right: There were studio people who suggested, or pushed (during the creation of this film) for JoAnne and Kaffee to have a romantic relationship. The chemistry was certainly there. Aaron Sorkin and Rob Reiner made the right call in resisting that pressure: It would have been steamy, but the film (and the story) didn't need it. (And, interestingly, Demi Moore has never been sexier than in this film - with all her clothes ON, from start to finish.)
You should watch The Firm. It's another Tom Cruise film with him as a lawyer, and another superstar cast surrounding him. It's based on a John Grisham novel. I remember being in the Memphis/West Memphis area when they were filming it, it was a HUGE thing back then!
34:35 hits harder for a Marine than you'd think. Once upon a time, Randall Keith "Randy" Orton enlisted in the Marines, and didn't last very long before he decided he didn't want to be there anymore, went absent without leave for several months, and when he came back and that didn't earn him a discharge, disobeyed a direct order and got court martialed for it _then_ got discharged. Later on as a wrestler for WWE, when on Veteran's Day the company started honoring wrestlers that worked for the company then and in the past who'd served, including retired Marines like Lacey Evans* and Brian "Road Dogg Jesse" James, they also mentioned Randy, which some veterans objected to because of the way he left the Marines. And Orton agreed. But when people kept throwing around on Twitter (formerly Twitter) that he got "dishonorably discharged", he responded extremely quickly and ... tersely. "I was NOT dishonorably discharged. I was given a bad conduct discharge." I thought it was interesting that he had such an adverse reaction both to being a Marine, and to being incorrectly labeled as someone who was dishonorably discharged. I've never served in the armed forces though my dad and grandfathers were support staff in the Army during the Vietnam War and World War 2 (respectively), and my brother-in-law is a retired Marine. But I've heard enough about the mindset to know... there's a BIG difference between a Bad Conduct Discharge and a Dishonorable Discharge. A BCD says you're a bad Marine. A dishonorable discharge says you never were a Marine at all. (*) I'm not actually sure Lacey Evans was with the company when they did that promotion or Road Dogg either, come to think of it; those were the first Marines who came to mind. The military guy everyone thinks of first, Sergeant Slaughter, never actually served, the next guy most people think of is probably Jesse Ventura (who was in the Navy UDT during Vietnam).
Glad you finally saw this. Rob Reiner had quite a nice run there from the mid-'80s to the mid-'90s. Check out the film he made between "The Princess Bride" and "Misery," which would be the charming and witty romantic comedy "When Harry Met Sally." I'm sure you'll enjoy it. As for Tom Cruise, check out the legal thriller he made right after this one, "The Firm." It's a pure Hollywood entertainment with a big cast and lots of thrill and highs and lows. You'll definitely enjoy it.
16:15 that man speaking on the left is Aaron Sorkin who wrote the broadway play of A Few Good Men and wrote the screenplay of this movie. He also wrote the screenplays for The Social Network, Moneyball, Steve Jobs, and wrote the tv show The West Wing.
Excellent movie! In my top list of movies, along with: - Meet Joe Black - Edge of Tomorrow - Shawshank Redemption - Sixth Sense - 12 Monkeys - The Dark Knight - Fight Club - The King's Speech - Imitation Game - Pulp Fiction - Dr. Strangelove - Soylent Green ... and others (so many good movies but I think those are my favs). You might like the movie "Lucky Number Slevin" with Josh Hartnett, Morgan Freeman, Bruce Willis, Ben Kingsley, Stanley Tucci, and Lucy Liu.
The original play was inspired by an actual Code Red at Guantanamo Bay. Lance Corporal David Cox and nine other enlisted men tied up a fellow Marine and severely beat him for snitching to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Cox was acquitted and later honorably discharged. In 1994, David Cox mysteriously vanished, and his bullet-riddled body was found three months later. His murder remains unsolved.
One of the best examples in any film of how unchecked ego, regardless of position, can corrupt a mind into thinking they are above the law and somehow earned the right to not be held accountable for their actions and choices.
Being in the military myself, US Army, having a dishonorable discharge on your record is like having a prison record. That is something all service members, past, present, & future, fear. You can't even mention you serving in the military to future employers because they will dismiss you without consideration. When I was in the service, I had people in my unit get Article 15s with a dishonorable discharge attached, & they were devastated. Seeing those Marines looks on their faces when their sentences were handed down to them, I can see the pain in their realization that their futures were now in jeopardy. Granted, they deserved what happened to them because of their actions. I can still feel their pain. Love your show Mary Cherry!
Great reaction again. Just for you, Caffe is in the Navy and the two on trial are United States Marines. They dramatically displayed the intensity difference between the two branches of service. Great movie.
Dawson’s immediate reaction to Jesup admitting that he ordered the code red is my highlight to this spectacular movie. It’s as if he can’t believe what he just heard and he is looking around the courtroom for some confirmation.
It's illegal to follow unlawful orders; "I was just following orders" was cited by so many German soldiers who worked at WW2 Concentration Camps on trial at Nuremberg, and even top Officers of Hitler. That defense didn't work then, and it doesn't work now. Mary gives a real snappy Lefthanded salute! Hollywood insiders have stated Tom didn't really do much 'acting' in this film, as he's naturally a glib, condescending smart-alec and prone to violent fits of rage, just as his character displayed.
I'm going to be totally honest, in dialogue-heavy movies like this I VASTLY prefer the person reacting to let themselves absorb the film rather than try to come up with commentary. Some reactors feel the need to fill too many gaps with talk, and I'm probably in the minority here, but I find even just people's facial reactions and body language very interesting. I was very entertained by your reaction.
I've always thought the doctor was the real villain for failing to diagnose Santiogo's heart condition properly. Colonel Jessup would never have ordered a Code Red on someone with a legitimate heart problem.
The irony of the story is that Dawson & Downey basically ended up recieving what they'd have gotten had they taken the deal offered by Jack Ross & pled guilty.
You were right, Mary. Any other movie Tom and Demi’s characters would’ve ended up in bed together. Why shouldn’t you expect that? They were definitely two of Hollywood’s most attractive actors at the time. But it’s good that they didn’t because this film is about so much more than that.
I agree. Yes there might have been an attraction between the characters but exploring that would have been totally unnecessary. Maybe in the end it was a mutual respect that developed.
Great reaction! Rain Man was the first time I realized Cruise was a very good actor, and not mostly just a pretty boy. A Few Good Men is when i realized he's even better than very good.
wrong, Mary. He has to show courtesy to a superior officer. If you do not, you can be court-martialed and dishonorably discharged. Never get a could job anywhere. Military does not care about being rude..it is orders and dictated by rank.
The “gun” thing at the start, It’s a display of discipline the Marines possess. It is also a show for events and the public, but it’s a well disciplined unit out of Washington DC. they are known as the Silent Drill Platoon.
Actually, he DOES need to. Rank is a thing, and disrespecting rank can have you lose pay, lose rank, go to jail......And in the Cuba scene, Kafey is playing it smart, acting dumb and not trying to raise suspicion. Jo's in your face attitude is just going to make them try harder to cover it up. The initial discussion amoung her superiors is correct, she has a head for facts and determination, but she has never learned that sometimes playing it close to the vest will get you much further than by trying to go hard nose right off the bat.
You actually can see Markinson sneak into Danny’s car in the background as the camera follows Danny go to buy his newspaper. It actually happens on screen.
But then oddly, despite the jump scare of seeing this man in his rear view mirror, his driving on a city street isn't affected in the slightest. He really *is* talented.
Jessup is one of those characters that seemed impressive when I was a kid, but as I got older and started encountering the business world at higher and higher levels, I realized more and more that he was just a cowardly, thin-skinned narcissist who used his corrupt connections and sacrificed his own people in order to avoid facing responsibility and accountability for his own leadership decisions and to protect his political career.
Rob Reiner may have directed it, but it was written by Aaron Sorkin. Who also wrote The Social Network, Jobs, and many others including my personal favorite, Moneyball.
One of the scenes most people misunderstand the gravity of is when Dawson stands and sticks his hands in his pockets in response to Tom Cruise asking "what happened to saluting an officer....." First, Dawson never would have saluted because Marines don't where their cover (hat) in doors, unless on duty, and you don't salute without your cover on, and so the most he would have done is stand at attention while the officer left. What most don't know is that it is a huge no no to stick your hands in your pockets, especially during those years while stationed in GTMO Cuba, so it just compounds when he stands and then shoves his hands in his pockets. You pretty much can't give a bigger F**k You than that to an officer. The scene in GTMO while they are at lunch - Speaking as a Marine who once purposely failed to "extend some F**king courtesy" to an officer in a similar situation and received a very similar response to how Jessup reacted, you better be damn sure you are right, that is the most important thing. And the officer did threaten to court martial me over the ordeal for continuing to not show him the respect he thought he deserved. Every single one of the actors portraying Marines, from the Judge and Colonel Jessup all the way down to PFC Downey where spot on with their characters.
►for early access, bloopers, polls & UNCUT VERSION check ► patreon.com/marycherryofficial
► gaming channel: www.youtube.com/@cherry_plays
► follow me on ✰www.twitch.tv/maryycherryy (LIVE STREAMS)
► VLOG channel VARY CHERRY: www.youtube.com/@varycherry
► DISCORD: discord.com/invite/3pxX7QqGW7
► IG: instagram.com/maryycherryy/
► TWEET ME: twitter.com/maryycherryy
FAQ sheet: docs.google.com/document/d/1_FkcwQ0vPAAk53YVyo-ChXc9AuX1pn5gbctrOkX13xA/edit
You haven't lived until you've watched a Cdrama. With the use of green screens and slapstick sound affects they're fantastic. I'd recommend Hidden love with Zhou Lusi she's an amazing actress and I think it was Massive in China
The gun thing - there is very little practical purpose than a single majour one - learning not to drop the weapon under any circumstances. You develop motor skills and muscle memory which is extremely useful during combat. Hope it helps.
Reiner liked using Christopher Guest. Six fingered man in Princess Bride, Navy Doctor witness in this film, and Nigel Tufnel (lead guitarist) in This Is Spinal Tap. Sidenote; he's the real life husband of Jamie Lee Curtis.
I want the Cherry!!
You can't handle Mary Cherry.
Henlo miss cherry. Have you heard of those movies? :
S1m0ne
The dinner game.
On display was the USMC silent drill team, it is to show discipline, pride, precision and respect for the rifle. It is to show off the military. I was on two base drill teams while in the USAF. Hpoe this helps.
That’s really cool. I always lowkey wanted to do that. Ty for your service.
My father is a proud Korea era Marine. I love watching the silent drill team in action. Semper Fi!
Fun fact, that actually is not the Marine Corps silent drill team. They borrowed the silent drill team from Texas A&M University and put Uniforms on them
Thank you for your service 🙏
@damonslaughter16 it's also the wrong uniform for the drill team, they wear white trousers as well as the wrong weapons. The silent drill team use Garands not 1903.
"Ive heard that but didn't know it was from this movie!"
Always great when that happens 😂
My boss at work is an Army vet, he told me that his drill instructor told him that "There are really only two branches of the military. The Army and Navy. The Air Force is a corporation, and the Marine Corps. is a cult." This movie does a really good job of making you believe that about the Marine Corps.
From a current Army guy, consider that a comment that's still used.
Every branch has their jokes about the other branches. My uncle was a Marine, and he told me all the names they had for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Most of them aren't polite to repeat. But at the end of the day, they all depend on each other and they do what needs to be done.
Great reaction Mary like always. This story was actually inspired by the real "Code Red" of Marine Pfc. William Alvarado. Alvarado was hospitalized and survived the attack, but ten Marines were arrested and charged with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Seven accepted plea deals and were discharged. The other three elected to stand trial, arguing that they were following the orders of a commanding officer. After a four day trial, the three were cleared of charges and returned to duty.
And a Fun-fact as a testament to how great Jack Nicholson is as an actor, the entire last scene in the courtroom was all done in one take. Not only that, but Jack Nicholson was doing his part there long before the camera started rolling. The other actors were thinkin, "Shouldn't you save your best chops for the take?" Jack Nicholson replied something like, "Nah, I live for this." Because he could go 100% at any given moment. Everyone on the studio lot stopped by to see Jack Nicolson performance in the court room scene. It was director Rob Reiner, who, the story goes, questioned Nicholson on whether he really wanted to go 'full blast' on all the rehearsals. Nicholson's reply was something close to, "Lemme tell you something. I'm an actor. And I love to act. The essence of it, wasn't so much, I live for this, but more like, Opportunities to play a character like THIS saying stuff like THIS really don't come around very often. So, when it does come up, man I wanna enjoy it to the full."
I always take from that story that even celebrity actors like Nicholson, are completely dependent on writers and others to create the characters and good scripts in the first place, otherwise, they'd have no character to play. And Nicholson was acknowledging that, with his comment. Thanks for the reaction
I forget whether it was Reiner or Kevin Pollack who said that same thing in an interview and how blown away they were that whether it was for the rehearsal, the main shot or the close-ups every one of Jack's performance was spot on and bone-chillingly powerful. He had a lot of demands for his time but when he was on set he was very magnanimous, "Hey, sure Rob, whatever you need."
Christopher Guest, who played Count Rugen (the six fingered man) in The Princess Bride, was the doctor on the witness stand that Caffe tried so hard to discredit. It's not easy to recognize him in this.
He's married to Jamie Lee Curtis and has a Baronage.
He’s also the guitarist, Nigel Tufnel, in This is SPINAL TAP. Even tougher to recognize him from this performance. ha ha.
He turned his acting up to 11.
Wow, never recognized him!
Christopher Guest is often part of an ensemble cast with others such as Parker Posey, Eugene Levy, etc. who did comedies such as Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind, Best in Show, etc.
I worked at a video store showing this on the T.V. every day. The customers would always stop shopping during Nicholson's speech, silence throughout the store. When Nicholson spilled his guts, everyone lost it. Priceless.
Check out the interview with Rob Reiner (the director) when he says that Jack Nicolson remained fully immersed in character as Colonel Jessup even when they were filming reaction shots with the other actors. When Reiner told him he didn't have to go all-out every take, Nicolson said that he loved playing a character like this and rarely got the chance, so he was really into it.
Wolfgang Bodison, the actor playing Dawson, this was his first major acting role. Tom Cruise was already one of the biggest stars in the world. So Bodison standing there nose-to-nose with Cruise and screaming in his face is all the more impressive.
Idol worship from fans is bad enough. To see peers engage in it is less impressive. :P
And I believe Wolfgang wasn't even intending to do it, he was Rob Reiner's assistant, and Reiner couldn't find the right actor to play the Dawson he was envisioning. Then he realized that Wolfgang fit the role and asked him to do it.
@@danielhoehne801 The director's commentary on the disk is really interesting. He related how they tested several actors for the role, and Reiner didn't like any of them. He and the casting director were walking down the hall, and the casting director was asking for a better description of what he was looking for. Wolfgang happened to pass them in the hall, and Reiner said, "Someone kinda like Wolfgang, here." Apparently, he was an aspiring actor, and one thing led to another, and he landed the part.
Rob Reiner's filmography is amazing. If you've already seen The Princess Bride I would suggest as a next movie When Harry Met Sally if you want one of the most classic Rom-Coms of all-time. Spinal Tap basically launched the "mockumentary" genre, also something I would recommend. The 80s and 90s were really good for him. I'm also not saying his more recent stuff isn't good, I just haven't watched them, so I can't speak to their quality.
@@timriggs08 he is also the son of the late Carl Reiner (director of THE JERK and actor who appeared as Saul in the OCEAN’S 11 trilogy among others).
"Stand By Me", because I don't think she's ever reacted to it. 😂
The main officer that spoke to Demi Moore was played by John M. Jackson, who played Admiral Chegwidden on JAG.
My favorite line in movie history: “YOU DON’T HAVE ANY SEMBLANCE OF THE VERACITY OF YOUR STATEMENT!” So classic.
when he said i gota go arrest kendreck he said tell him i said Hi remember may i call you john NO YOU MAY NOT so he gets arrested caffey says tell him i said hi ............kills me.
You've maybe heard of Aaron Sorkin. He was a playwright turned screenwriter that became popular in the 90s, mainly with a TV show called "The West Wing" about the American President, and then in the 2000s became even bigger, and there was basically a super amount of hype attached to anything that he wrote, and then he started to also direct some of his own work. This was his first screenplay adapted from the play that he wrote.
The fast paced dialogue is a thing that his writing is known for. He has said that it's not really representative of how he necessarily thinks or talks himself, but that in his own life experience, he was always just enamored with people that did. Some people criticize it as unrealistic, but I personally love it! I had been a fan of a lot of his earlier movies, like this one, but didn't really realize that they were written by him, and then when his name was everywhere and there was so much hype about him, that can be kind of a turn off for me, but then I started putting two and two together, and admiring his work, then he had a show on HBO called "The Newsroom", which made him my new hero! He really is an amazing writer in a handful of ways, and personally, I do tend to think like his dialogue, and I wish I could have conversations like that, with other people in real life!
You should keep an eye out for his stuff though!
Just before The West Wing he did a sitcom about a cable sports network's daily wrap-up show. Although it was very well done, it only lasted two seasons. I wonder how much of its poor ratings came down to the title. After all, if you see "Sports Night" on a TV schedule (remember this is the '90s), are you likely to tune in expecting a scripted comedy?
Anyway I highly recommended it, especially to people who like Sorkin's snappy dialog.
It was a big deal for Dawson and Downey because a dishonorable discharge can affect your life dramatically. It basically disqualifies you from future government employment, can cause you to fail background checks, and you forfeit all government benefits for veterans. It can affect civilian employment and housing applications too if someone does the right kind of background check.
Given their mental capacities, I feel like they would have a lot of trouble anyway.
Basically the same as having a felony conviction on your record.
...as it should be. it's not given out lightly and most guys with it deserved it.
They should run for President of the US then ask the Supreme Court to erase their past records 😢
So being dishonorable discharge is like being accused of being commie during the McCarthyism era.
Took a minute to figure out what you were referring to when you thought Kaffee had dropped out. Galloway's line, "Lieutenant, how long have you been out of law school?" means (in American vernacular, I guess) how long has it been since you graduated. You'll often hear about a young person's "first job out of school," for example.
Ahhhh makes sense
It is said that at the very first Table reading, Jack N had this character completely nailed down off the bat.
Well, of course, it's his Jack Torrance if he was a scheming military man with an ego the size of Texas. Nicholson could play that in his sleep by this point.
Whereas Tom Cruise practiced that duck-pout moment in front of a mirror for a record-breaking 128 hours
Wooooooooow...lol
“Downey wasn’t in his room, wasn’t even there” Tom’s delivery of this always cracks me up😂
Drill in the United States Marine Corps (USMC) has many purposes, including:
Discipline: Drill helps Marines learn to obey orders without hesitation and execute them correctly.
Teamwork: Drill helps Marines understand teamwork and build confidence in their platoon.
Esprit de corps: Close order drill is a foundation of discipline and esprit de corps.
Troop leading: Drill helps develop confidence and troop leading abilities in subordinate leaders.
Ceremonial duties: Ceremonial duties are a written part of the Marine Corps' history.
Unit cohesion: Drill instills unit cohesion.
Military bearing: Drill helps Marines maintain military bearing and appearance
Fun fact: The next role I saw James Marshall (Private Downey) in was in "The Shaft" from 2001 where he played an ex marine turned elevator mechanic. So he got a regular job.
This is a good movie to keep in mind if you ever play The Kevin Bacon Game.
JFK is mine just because of the ridiculously stacked cast.
8 degrees of separation of Kevin Bacon
@@michaelallen3894It’s usually 6 degrees, which is almost ALWAYS enough, especially with this film in the mix.
They're not just serious because they're in GITMO. They're serious because they're in The Military specifically in the Marines.
Also, her thoughts about Gitmo are based on events that happened long after this film was made. Very few people outside the military knew that Gitmo existed.
@@notmyrealname1730 Virtually everyone has known it existed since at least the Cuban revolution in 1959, as it's been a contentious foreign occupation of a sovereign nation. And anyone who'd care to learn history would have known about it since the end of the Spanish-American War. It was never a secret.
When they found out that Pvt Downy wasn't in his room you quietly asked if it was her fault. It absolutely was. Specifically as Downy's lawyer (whom she worked to get herself appointed) it was her responsibility to know everything that happened and to anticipate any potential hurdles to clear. You may have heard the phrase "Never ask a question you don't already know the answer to." That is why they say that. Kaffee has been insistent the whole movie about having proof. Anytime she brings up an angle about "He said this" or "He's Lying" or "they were told to" etc. Kaffee always responded with "Do you have proof of that?" She's telling Kaffee Downy was ordered to give the code red by Kendrick. But she had no proof, just the assumption. If they had known he wasn't in the room, then they could have better prepared for that cross-examination.
29:44 That’s Jack Nicholson’s entire persona as an actor, and it’s the reason why he’s one of the most acclaimed and decorated actors of all time. Jack is perfect in this role and easily the best thing about “A Few Good Men”. Love the reaction and insight, Mary!
Jack Nicholson earned his 10th acting Oscar nomination for this film, in the category of Best Supporting Actor (lost to Gene Hackman for UNFORGIVEN). A FEW GOOD MEN was nominated for Best Picture that year too, also losing to UNFORGIVEN.
Jack Nicholson is the most Oscar-nominated male actor of all time (12 acting nominations) and ties the record for most acting wins (3 wins, winning Best Actor for ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST and AS GOOD AS IT GETS and Best Supporting Actor for TERMS OF ENDEARMENT).
No shame in losing to Gene Hackman, man's a legend. That was a tough year for Oscar competition
Daniel Day-Lewis should have had 4 Oscars. But now that he's back to starring in a new movie coming out he will surely take the record once and for all.
@@jsmithers. Daniel Day-Lewis is the co-screenwriter of his new movie actually, so he could still do it through the Screenplay category. Frances McDormand won 4 Oscars too (although one of them is for producing in her case).
@@axr7149 Katherine Hepburn
@@axr7149 Katherine Hepburn
Next Rob Reiner: Spinal Tap or When Harry met Sally?
I'd say, "Stand by Me".
All of ‘em!!
You missed the reason the case was assigned to Caffey while you were commenting. They assigned it to him with hopes we would do what he normally does, plea bargain.
Yup. As Kevin Bacon's character says, "Jessup's star is on the rise." That means a promotion to General. They also mention that he is about to be appointed to a high position in the NSA. The whole point is to keep this out of the news and have it go away quickly.
Yeah I also thought she may have missed that.
That's a Aaron Sorkin script for you. For more try The Social Network, West Wing and The Newsroom.
The corrupt doctor is played by the same actor Christopher Guest) who played Nigel in Reiiner's Spinal Tap !
You'd love Spinal Tap.
I think you would enjoy the film When Harry Met Sally. Reiner’s mother has a cameo and iconic line in one of the film’s most famous scenes.
This is one of the greatest courtroom dramas ever, some of the most iconic lines delivered with so much intensity and passion they hit hard. If you like court related films then I’ll recommend watch 12 Angry Men (1957)
I was a junior officer in the Navy for a few years. The portrayal of the military side of things was very believable.
3:16 LOL tear my heart out! I used to do that! like I was on the actual team that did that (not the one in the movie though.) This is the Fightin Texas Aggie Fish Drill Team. It’s composed of all freshman members of the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M. This particular team however was composed of many members of different classes because of the movie casting and shooting schedule. A couple of those dudes were my instructors. To say we took pride in our unit and skill was a serious understatement. They are dressed as marines for the movie and so get confused often for the Marine Corps drill team. As for why? Basically to show off the cool things we can do with our weapons I guess lol. We competed in “precision drill” against teams from other military academies. The Aggies were the best. You’re something else Mary 😂
Reacting to the West Wing as a whole series would be a bit much, but the pilot episode by itself works quite well as a stand alone thing, and it would be a really interesting reaction to do in addition to this one. Just because of the Aaron Sorkinness of this and the he way he writes/does dialogue.
"The American President" came before "The West Wing" if you are looking for a single viewing.
A good recommendation for an Aussie or a Brit. For Americans, the contrast between WW's "could/should" and the current reality is too painful.
Rob Reiner also directed _The American President_ starring Michael Douglas, Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox, Annette Bening, John Mahoney, Richard Dreyfuss & Samantha Mathis.
Rob Reiner directed Stephen King's _Stand By Me_ starring Richard Dreyfuss, Kiefer Sutherland, River Phoenix, Jerry O'Connell, Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman & John Cusack.
Another reason this film is so damned good is the dialogue. It was penned by the great Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, The American President, The Social Network).
Although, in my humble opinion, the story was lifted from True Believer (1989) (With James Woods and Robert Downey Jr absolutely killing their roles). It's set in civilian courts, and there's nothing about marines in it. But thematically, it's basically the same story.
Also it was first a Broadway Play in the 1980s also written by Aaron Sorkin. So you know dialogue is a must.
It's also loosely based on a true story where Aaron Sorkin's sister, I believe, was the actual lawyer irl who was placed in a similar situation as Lt. Caffee, i.e. an inexperienced lawyer placed in a situation where she wasn't supposed to win the case. The story is detailed by Sorkin in a "Making of..." video on the DVD and on UA-cam if I remember correctly.
I read in trivia about the film that the line “You can’t handle the truth” was supposedly an adlib.
Great reaction Mary. This isn't only a Rob Reiner film, it is also an Aaron Sorkin film, and you mention the dialogue, and that is exactly what Sorkin (the script writer) is famous for. You could check out any of his films (or shows) and you'll get the same incredible spit fire intelligent crisp dialogue, and most of them are fantastic films, and I can highly recommend, if you haven't seen them, The Social Network, Steve Jobs, Moneyball, The Trial of the Chicago 7, and Molly's Game (and even Charlie Wilson's War as well as The American President (another Rob Reiner film!) are definitely worth watching). I can't recommend Aaron Sorkin enough. The West Wing and The Newsroom are two phenomenal shows as well.
I was about to post almost all of these points. 💯👍
a vintage classic is "The Caine Mutiny" ... it came out in the 50s ... so don't expect anything from the special effects - but it has good acting - and Humphry Bogart did a FANTASTIC job as the captain
YOU CANT HANDLE THE CHERRY!!!!!
Two great Rob Reiner films are Stand By Me (based on the short story The Body by Stephen King), and The Sure Thing which stars a young John Cusack. Oh . . . and there is also Spinal Tap. 🙂
Maybe I'm overdoing it a bit, but the fact that Aaron Sorkin no longer has the kind of traction for political drama that he once held (A few Good Men, West Wing, The News Room, etc.) is a sign of our times, and the pending failure of a free and open society.
Imagine this movie coming out today. The howls of 'woke' and 'agenda' would drown out an excellent courtroom drama.
So many people would support Jessup in this movie today
Hollywood is broken. They used to create Block Busters, but streaming over the internet, Covid, Writers strike, the Woke movement and Actors strike killed all the fun.
A Few Good Men was first staged on Broadway (1989) before it became a film (1992). Both the play the film was based on, and the screenplay, were written by Aaron Sorkin.
Fun fact: A Few Good Men was based on an incident that took place at the Guantanamo Naval Base in 1986.
Nothing fun about that.
"When he talks, it's like he's smiling." Once the Joker, always the Joker.
"Go get a regular job." 😂😂
Mary, never apologize for not talking too much! Most reactors speak far too often and end up missing important plot points and ruining great dialogue from the script. There are many ways to “react” without speech, it’s a fine line, a skill, and you are one of the best imho. ✌🏼
I’m always amazed at how often people seem to sort of gloss over the fact that Demi Moores character pretty consistently just screws up all movie long, and then they get mad when Cruise finally snaps in that one scene.
It's more his threatening actions and yelling that instilled fear. People who have dealt with drunk angry abusers accurately call this out as abusive.
It’s insane how unwinnable that case was. Regardless of facts it’s involuntary manslaughter. The home in 6 months was a really good deal. No witness would snap like the Colonel did
Well, except for the part where she convinces Tom Cruise's character to go after Jack Nicholson. Kind of a big plot point.
Except without her, there’s no chance Kaffee pursues that line of questioning and probably never even gets to trial.
@@gunkulator1 Except that a lieutenant with zero trial experience "going after" a decorated Colonel with no actual evidence and only a hope that he would somehow spontaneously commit perjury on cross-examination was actually a terrible idea that could have gone wrong 50 different ways and resulted in Cruise's clients going to prison and him being court-martialed. It's a great movie, but no real trial lawyer would ever have taken that risk. In real life, all the Colonel had to do was say that he doesn't recall anything about a lowly private from among the thousand troops under his command, which is actually very likely and thoroughly believable, and the trial would have been over. Alternatively, once Lt Col Markinson died, he could have blamed it all on him, and everyone would have believed it (because why else take his own life?) and Cruise would have had no way to prove otherwise. Going after him was a Hail Mary that was terrible advice.
3:02 The US Marine Corps silent drill team demonstrates discipline, coordination, teamwork and other traits, integral to the military
3:52 John M Jackson, who plays the Judge Advocate General (JAG) captain here, also played THE Judge Advocate General, Rear Admiral AJ Chegwidden in the tv show JAG for 7 years
The Judge Advocate General corps exists for all branches of the military. THE JAG who is a general or admiral, acts as the district attorney for the military branch he's with and the various lawyers under him or her, also known as JAGs act like assistant district attorneys, except they are randomly assigned to act as prosecutors or defense attorneys as the need arises
8:15 Caffey is in the Navy, NOT the Marine Corps
9:27 Kevin Bacon plays Captain Jack Ross, a Marine and the prosecutor in this case
32:51 “I WANT THE TRUTH!”
“YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!”
So iconic, Tom vs Jack will forever be unforgettable.
Re: the opening montage - it's for discipline & honor among the corps. Strength in unity.
A demonstration of extreme discipline and incredible precision.
Aaron Sorkin, the writer of the play and the screenplay, got the basic idea from his sister, a JAG lawyer, on a case much like this. She told Sorkin the basics, and Sorkin altered it for dramatic purposes, writing it on napkins while being a bartender at Broadway theaters during intermissions. When he was close to completion, the script as it was found its way to the desk of David Brown (one of the producers of Spielberg's Jaws). He wanted to make it a movie immediately; Sorkin wanted it mounted as a play first. Sorkin won, and it was a successful play. It also launched his film and television writing career.
- TV series: The West Wing, Sports Night, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, The Newsroom
- Films: The Social Network (Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar winner), Molly's Game, The American President (directed by Rob Reiner), Charlie Wilson's War, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Steve Jobs, Moneyball, Being the Ricardos, and Malice.
Sorkin also has returned to the stage with a stage adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird that starred Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom) as Atticus Finch and LaTanya Richardson (the real-life Mrs. Samuel L. Jackson) as Calpurnia and a reworked version of Lerner and Loewe's classic musical Camelot, based on the Arthurian legends.
Fun Facts:
- The original actor to play Col. Jessup on Broadway was Stephen Lang (Ike Clanton in Tombstone and Col. Quaritch in James Cameron's Avatar films). The role was coveted, and actors like Ron Perlman (Hellboy) would fill it during the run after Lang left.
- The original actor to play Lt. Jack Ross on Broadway was Clark Gregg...Agent Phil Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the MCU.
- Tom, the company clerk at Gitmo to Col. Jessup, is Joshua Malina, who was and is a dear friend of Sorkin's and has appeared in a majority of Sorkin's films and TV shows, some as major roles.
Wolfgang Bodison (Lance Corporal Harold Dawson) was not an actor! He had acted in school plays, but he was actually an employee of Rob Reiner's production company, Castle Rock. He had worked his way up from the mailroom and was currently scouting locations for A Few Good Men as a Location Scout. Reiner could not find anyone he liked to play Dawson and, in desperation, asked Bodison if he would read for the part after discovering about Bodison's school acting experience. Bodison had a screen test, and Reiner gave him the role. In a film with fantastic performances, I always feel compelled to single out Bodison, who does act still but also works behind the scenes.
Oscar-winning writer William Goldman (The Princess Bride, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All The President's Men, Misery) has an Executive Producer credit on the film, because he did a tiny bit of script doctoring on the screenplay. Specifically, the logbook as a smoking gun. Sorkin liked it so much, he altered the stage play to include this.
You wanted to understand the legal things in the film, by saying you wish you had a lawyer friend watch the film with you. There is an excellent legal breakdown of the film by a former Marine JAG lawyer on the LegalEagle UA-cam channel. Here's the link: ua-cam.com/video/SfZrnoo1GPM/v-deo.html
I was in the US Army, and one of the most difficult things was learning how to navigate the conflict between strictly following all the (sometimes) ambiguous standing orders, orders given by officers (both commissioned and non-commissioned) and the general practices you learn from your peers because sometimes it wasn't clear which level (the letter of the law or the spirit of it) where you should place a priority all while trying to maintain your own integrity. I had my own experiences (none as serious as the situation in this film) where getting this balance wrong got me into trouble.
Whenever someone compliments the dialogue in this movie, the West Wing fan in me has to add "That's Aaron Sorkin!" He wasn't a well-known screenwriter yet, but, when you go back and watch this movie, you can feel how much of this is written in his style.
Thank you for everything you do Mary! I've been really struggling to stay positive lately. Watching your content feels like watching a movie with a buddy and it helps keep my mood up. I really appreciate everything you do and I know many others do as well.
I hope things turn around soon... Cool miniatures by the way
I was at Basic Training during Christmas. While every other squadron was allowed to have a free day, our instructor made us watch this they write essays about it. Essays about how we are supposed to follow orders yet not be automatons. Then we ran the same ruck run from the movie. lol Ive had a new appreciation for Christmas wince then.
"You want me on that wall! You need me on that wall!"
More Rob Reiner: When Harry Met Sally, Stand By Me, The American President all are good. When Harry Met Sally probably considered one of the best RomComs ever.
Wolfgang Bodison's performance as Dawson was as good as anyone in the movie. He killed it in this movie. I never understood why he wasn't in more movies.
If you haven't seen "When Harry Met Sally" yet, that's another Rob Reiner classic worth adding to your watch list
The movie's title comes from a Marine recruiting slogan: "We're looking for a few good men".
You'd love 'Risky Business'. It's the film that made Tom Cruise famous.
I was in the Navy, when this came out. Excellent movie, but let me tell ya...in that era, both Kaffee and Jessup would have been up on career-ending sexual harassment charges, for their comments to Commander Galloway.
I think both guys get away with it, I think her word would be discounted, and she knew it and wouldn't bother. Jessup's was especially egregious though, and there were several witnesses... He might get called on it after the movie ends.
@theseagull-36 trust me, at that time, (immediately following the Tailhook scandal), the Navy would have listened and took action. I saw a Master Chief lose his career over the false accusation of a brand-new E2. The E2 even admitted she made the whole thing up, and that the Master Chief was completely innocent. Didn't matter, he was still forced to retire.
For the record, there are no consequences for questioning a military officer during a murder trial. They just needed to raise the stakes for the movie.
Aaron Sorkin, the writer of the screenplay, makes a cameo appearance in the film: He is the man in the background in the bar with Tom Cruise, talking about 'going blind on paperwork.'
You may also notice that Kiefer Sutherland (star of the American TV series '24') played Lt. Kendrick. Cuba Gooding Jr has a small role in this film, as one of the men questioned under oath.
••••
One of the neat things about this story, is the multi-layered nature of the plot. The surface-level plot is a competition between: Was Santiago intentionally murdered, or was his death an accident - and who is ultimately responsible? But the actual (core) plot is: Will Lt. Kaffee grow up? What will it take to make him grow up, and is he up to the job of growing up?
••••
Your instincts about Demi Moore and Tom Cruise in this film, were right: There were studio people who suggested, or pushed (during the creation of this film) for JoAnne and Kaffee to have a romantic relationship. The chemistry was certainly there. Aaron Sorkin and Rob Reiner made the right call in resisting that pressure: It would have been steamy, but the film (and the story) didn't need it. (And, interestingly, Demi Moore has never been sexier than in this film - with all her clothes ON, from start to finish.)
In my opinion this is your best reaction. Going light on commentary with a good followup after the film is a good direction.
You should watch The Firm. It's another Tom Cruise film with him as a lawyer, and another superstar cast surrounding him. It's based on a John Grisham novel. I remember being in the Memphis/West Memphis area when they were filming it, it was a HUGE thing back then!
Then the Devil's Advocate after for dessert.
34:35 hits harder for a Marine than you'd think. Once upon a time, Randall Keith "Randy" Orton enlisted in the Marines, and didn't last very long before he decided he didn't want to be there anymore, went absent without leave for several months, and when he came back and that didn't earn him a discharge, disobeyed a direct order and got court martialed for it _then_ got discharged. Later on as a wrestler for WWE, when on Veteran's Day the company started honoring wrestlers that worked for the company then and in the past who'd served, including retired Marines like Lacey Evans* and Brian "Road Dogg Jesse" James, they also mentioned Randy, which some veterans objected to because of the way he left the Marines. And Orton agreed. But when people kept throwing around on Twitter (formerly Twitter) that he got "dishonorably discharged", he responded extremely quickly and ... tersely. "I was NOT dishonorably discharged. I was given a bad conduct discharge."
I thought it was interesting that he had such an adverse reaction both to being a Marine, and to being incorrectly labeled as someone who was dishonorably discharged. I've never served in the armed forces though my dad and grandfathers were support staff in the Army during the Vietnam War and World War 2 (respectively), and my brother-in-law is a retired Marine. But I've heard enough about the mindset to know... there's a BIG difference between a Bad Conduct Discharge and a Dishonorable Discharge. A BCD says you're a bad Marine. A dishonorable discharge says you never were a Marine at all.
(*) I'm not actually sure Lacey Evans was with the company when they did that promotion or Road Dogg either, come to think of it; those were the first Marines who came to mind. The military guy everyone thinks of first, Sergeant Slaughter, never actually served, the next guy most people think of is probably Jesse Ventura (who was in the Navy UDT during Vietnam).
Glad you finally saw this. Rob Reiner had quite a nice run there from the mid-'80s to the mid-'90s. Check out the film he made between "The Princess Bride" and "Misery," which would be the charming and witty romantic comedy "When Harry Met Sally." I'm sure you'll enjoy it. As for Tom Cruise, check out the legal thriller he made right after this one, "The Firm." It's a pure Hollywood entertainment with a big cast and lots of thrill and highs and lows. You'll definitely enjoy it.
16:15 that man speaking on the left is Aaron Sorkin who wrote the broadway play of A Few Good Men and wrote the screenplay of this movie. He also wrote the screenplays for The Social Network, Moneyball, Steve Jobs, and wrote the tv show The West Wing.
Excellent movie! In my top list of movies, along with:
- Meet Joe Black
- Edge of Tomorrow
- Shawshank Redemption
- Sixth Sense
- 12 Monkeys
- The Dark Knight
- Fight Club
- The King's Speech
- Imitation Game
- Pulp Fiction
- Dr. Strangelove
- Soylent Green
... and others (so many good movies but I think those are my favs).
You might like the movie "Lucky Number Slevin" with Josh Hartnett, Morgan Freeman, Bruce Willis, Ben Kingsley, Stanley Tucci, and Lucy Liu.
The original play was inspired by an actual Code Red at Guantanamo Bay. Lance Corporal David Cox and nine other enlisted men tied up a fellow Marine and severely beat him for snitching to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Cox was acquitted and later honorably discharged. In 1994, David Cox mysteriously vanished, and his bullet-riddled body was found three months later. His murder remains unsolved.
One of the best examples in any film of how unchecked ego, regardless of position, can corrupt a mind into thinking they are above the law and somehow earned the right to not be held accountable for their actions and choices.
I remember going to this in the theater with my mom. I never had such good sleep during a movie before or since.
Being in the military myself, US Army, having a dishonorable discharge on your record is like having a prison record. That is something all service members, past, present, & future, fear. You can't even mention you serving in the military to future employers because they will dismiss you without consideration. When I was in the service, I had people in my unit get Article 15s with a dishonorable discharge attached, & they were devastated. Seeing those Marines looks on their faces when their sentences were handed down to them, I can see the pain in their realization that their futures were now in jeopardy. Granted, they deserved what happened to them because of their actions. I can still feel their pain. Love your show Mary Cherry!
Aaron Sorkin wrote this screenplay, his first. He was the guy in the bar, talking to the woman about going blind on paperwork.
That scene in the court with tom Cruise and Jack nicholson is pure gold, one of the best in cinema history
Great reaction again. Just for you, Caffe is in the Navy and the two on trial are United States Marines. They dramatically displayed the intensity difference between the two branches of service. Great movie.
Dawson’s immediate reaction to Jesup admitting that he ordered the code red is my highlight to this spectacular movie. It’s as if he can’t believe what he just heard and he is looking around the courtroom for some confirmation.
If you love Rob Reiner’s movies so far, you MUST watch “This Is Spinal Tap”! One of the funniest and best comedies ever made!
It's illegal to follow unlawful orders; "I was just following orders" was cited by so many German soldiers who worked at WW2 Concentration Camps on trial at Nuremberg, and even top Officers of Hitler. That defense didn't work then, and it doesn't work now. Mary gives a real snappy Lefthanded salute! Hollywood insiders have stated Tom didn't really do much 'acting' in this film, as he's naturally a glib, condescending smart-alec and prone to violent fits of rage, just as his character displayed.
I'm going to be totally honest, in dialogue-heavy movies like this I VASTLY prefer the person reacting to let themselves absorb the film rather than try to come up with commentary. Some reactors feel the need to fill too many gaps with talk, and I'm probably in the minority here, but I find even just people's facial reactions and body language very interesting. I was very entertained by your reaction.
I've always thought the doctor was the real villain for failing to diagnose Santiogo's heart condition properly. Colonel Jessup would never have ordered a Code Red on someone with a legitimate heart problem.
The irony of the story is that Dawson & Downey basically ended up recieving what they'd have gotten had they taken the deal offered by Jack Ross & pled guilty.
"YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TOOTH!!!" - Carl The Tooth Williams
Say Backup (Reboot - Icons)
Mary, that shade of lipstick doesn't do you justice
You should check out the Kevin "no responsibility" Pollock interview about stories he had on set making this movie with Jack Nicholson.
Dawson saluting at the end always breaks me.
You were right, Mary. Any other movie Tom and Demi’s characters would’ve ended up in bed together. Why shouldn’t you expect that? They were definitely two of Hollywood’s most attractive actors at the time. But it’s good that they didn’t because this film is about so much more than that.
I agree. Yes there might have been an attraction between the characters but exploring that would have been totally unnecessary. Maybe in the end it was a mutual respect that developed.
Great reaction! Rain Man was the first time I realized Cruise was a very good actor, and not mostly just a pretty boy. A Few Good Men is when i realized he's even better than very good.
wrong, Mary. He has to show courtesy to a superior officer. If you do not, you can be court-martialed and dishonorably discharged. Never get a could job anywhere. Military does not care about being rude..it is orders and dictated by rank.
Here in Finland You are allowed to disobey an order in two cases: To do something illegal or to injure yourself.
The “gun” thing at the start, It’s a display of discipline the Marines possess. It is also a show for events and the public, but it’s a well disciplined unit out of Washington DC. they are known as the Silent Drill Platoon.
Speaking of Princess Bride, the guy that played the Doctor on the stand in court also played The Six Fingered Man.
Actually, he DOES need to. Rank is a thing, and disrespecting rank can have you lose pay, lose rank, go to jail......And in the Cuba scene, Kafey is playing it smart, acting dumb and not trying to raise suspicion. Jo's in your face attitude is just going to make them try harder to cover it up. The initial discussion amoung her superiors is correct, she has a head for facts and determination, but she has never learned that sometimes playing it close to the vest will get you much further than by trying to go hard nose right off the bat.
Aaron Sorkin wrote this play on cocktail napkins while working as a bartender. The rest is history.
You actually can see Markinson sneak into Danny’s car in the background as the camera follows Danny go to buy his newspaper. It actually happens on screen.
But then oddly, despite the jump scare of seeing this man in his rear view mirror, his driving on a city street isn't affected in the slightest. He really *is* talented.
Jessup is one of those characters that seemed impressive when I was a kid, but as I got older and started encountering the business world at higher and higher levels, I realized more and more that he was just a cowardly, thin-skinned narcissist who used his corrupt connections and sacrificed his own people in order to avoid facing responsibility and accountability for his own leadership decisions and to protect his political career.
Rob Reiner may have directed it, but it was written by Aaron Sorkin. Who also wrote The Social Network, Jobs, and many others including my personal favorite, Moneyball.
One of the most sincere reactions to one of the greatest courtroom dramas ever. Thanks M.C ❤
One of the scenes most people misunderstand the gravity of is when Dawson stands and sticks his hands in his pockets in response to Tom Cruise asking "what happened to saluting an officer....." First, Dawson never would have saluted because Marines don't where their cover (hat) in doors, unless on duty, and you don't salute without your cover on, and so the most he would have done is stand at attention while the officer left. What most don't know is that it is a huge no no to stick your hands in your pockets, especially during those years while stationed in GTMO Cuba, so it just compounds when he stands and then shoves his hands in his pockets. You pretty much can't give a bigger F**k You than that to an officer.
The scene in GTMO while they are at lunch - Speaking as a Marine who once purposely failed to "extend some F**king courtesy" to an officer in a similar situation and received a very similar response to how Jessup reacted, you better be damn sure you are right, that is the most important thing. And the officer did threaten to court martial me over the ordeal for continuing to not show him the respect he thought he deserved.
Every single one of the actors portraying Marines, from the Judge and Colonel Jessup all the way down to PFC Downey where spot on with their characters.