Title: A FEW GOOD MEN

Date: 6/15/1995; Publication: Magill's Survey of Cinema;

Magill's Survey of Cinema

06-15-1995

A FEW GOOD MEN

Abstract:
Two young Marines charged with the murder of a fellow soldier are represented by hotshot young attorney Lieutenant J. G. Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise), who has a record for plea bargaining and no courtroom experience, and military lawyer JoAnne Galloway (Demi Moore), who is determined to discover the truth. In the process of defending the Marines and confronting their commander, Colonel Jessep (Jack Nicholson), Kaffee learns much about the military, the legal system, and himself.


Summary:
Prior to A FEW GOOD MEN, Rob Reiner had only directed hit films, such as STAND BY ME (1986), THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987), WHEN HARRY MET SALLY (1989), and MISERY (1990). With $16 million in its opening weekend and $64.2 million by year's end, A FEW GOOD MEN continued this streak. Crafted in the image of such military courtroom greats as THE CAINE MUTINY (1954) and studded with stars such as Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise, A FEW GOOD MEN made the transition from stage to screen ably.

The premise of the film is that Lieutenant (jg) Kaffee (Cruise) is assigned to represent two young Marines, Private Louden Downey (James Marshall) and Lance Corporal Harold W. Dawson (Wolfgang Bodison), charged with the murder of a fellow soldier. In what looks to be an old-style hazing incident, termed a "code red," a marine private dies when a rag is stuffed into his throat, prior to his mouth being taped. A slick young Harvard graduate and softball enthusiast, Kaffee has earned for himself a reputation for negotiation and settlement. When the film begins, however, he has yet to have seen the inside of a courtroom. Teamed with ace investigator Lieutenant Commander JoAnne Galloway (Demi Moore) and litigator Lieutenant Sam Weinberg (Kevin Pollak), Kaffee must choose between the quick fix that the military desires and the truth. Also, he is the son of a famous attorney whose reputation haunts Kaffee throughout the course of the film.

A FEW GOOD MEN is a film of words and performances, not action. The ample dialogue is drawn by Aaron Sorkin from his hit Broadway play of the same name that opened in November, 1989, ran for 449 performances, and became Broadway's longest-running drama. Before the play even made it to Broadway, the film rights were bought by David Brown, the producer of THE STING (1973), JAWS (1975), THE VERDICT (1982), and DRIVING MISS DAISY (1989). Subsequently, Brown made a deal with Castle Rock Entertainment, and once Reiner saw the play, he was on board for the film.

Working almost daily with Reiner for more than five months of script conferences, Sorkin reconsidered much of the motivation of his characters and much of the staging of the story. For example, the relationship between Kaffee and his father was only hinted at in the stage play, while it becomes a prime motivation for Kaffee in the film. Also, in the play, Kaffee goes into court with much more of a smoking gun, while in the film he is, in the words of director Reiner, "in there flying by the seat of his pants, using all of his intelligence to take on this big case, not sure whether or not he would win." Much of the press surrounding the film has detailed these script conferences, not only to showcase Reiner's fabled push for perfection and bearlike personality but also to show the attention given to each word, each speech--from the large, showstopping, Queeg- like speeches of Colonel Nathan R. Jessep (Jack Nicholson) to the venomous invectives of the minor characters, such as the denouncement of the dead marine by Lieutenant Jonathan Kendrick (Kiefer Sutherland): "He had no code, and God was watching." Sorkin was reported to be so pleased with the resulting screenplay that he subsequently revised his play to bring it in line with the film.

Performances are the other component of this courtroom drama, and while the three main stars (Nicholson, Cruise, and Moore) received much attention for their strong representations, perhaps the real power of the film comes from the supporting roles. For example, the character of Captain Jack Ross (Kevin Bacon) combines the right amount of officiousness and casual camaraderie to make it clear that, while officially the government has no comment, off the record it has everything to lose with this case. While Bacon has comparatively little screen time, his performance is believable and solid. Also exceptional are Kevin Pollak's Weinberg, a thoughtful, ethical, no- flash attorney, and the menacing Kiefer Sutherland as a fundamentalist junior officer. As for the young marines who stand accused of the murder, their precision (such as their posture and demeanor) and their dedication to honor (as they understand the concept) provide strong support for the idea that what is on trial is the system as much as the act of murder itself. Behind the credit sequence performs a precision drill team, symbolizing the uniformity and teamwork that makes the military work. It is a fitting beginning and perhaps the clearest example of foreshadowing in the film. Once the background is set by strong support performances, the audience is ready to believe the powerhouse work of the stars.

Much of what the stars produce is quite fine. Perhaps the most noteworthy performance comes from Nicholson, who captures some of the same maniacal belief in precision, and in the system, that made Humphrey Bogart's Captain Queeg so memorable in THE CAINE MUTINY. Nicholson has three major scenes as Jessep, and while he is poisonous in each, he is able to vary that venom from sarcasm to full-bore anger. When the investigative team first encounters Jessep, he is obsequious, congratulating Kaffee on his good fortune in having such a fine father. Soon, however, the team sees a very different side of Jessep. After an outdoor lunch, as Kaffee and Galloway use different methods of questioning him, Jessep's response simmers through several emotions, ending finally in a vituperative explosion. The final courtroom sequence also provides an arena for the subtleties that Nicholson brings to Jessep.

Tom Cruise plays a variation of a role that he has played before--the slick young man who takes nothing seriously until he has no choice. Maverick Mitchell in TOP GUN (1986), Charlie Babbitt in RAIN MAN (1988), Brian Flanagan in COCKTAIL (1988), Cole Trickle in DAYS OF THUNDER (1990), and Joseph Donelly in FAR AND AWAY (1992) all belong to this category. Yet it is a role he succeeds in bringing to life. Kaffee is uncommitted; he slides by with his charm. Early in the film, the audience sees Kaffee on a baseball diamond settling a court case and hitting fly balls at the same time. Neither action breaks-- or even slows--his stride, his affable good sportsmanship. Life and its challenges have always come easily to him. The trial of these two Marines becomes a challenge for Kaffee, not only an intellectual challenge but also a challenge to how he lives his life. The case forces him to choose between the status quo and a rough road that may carry him away from everything that he has known. While Cruise breaks little new ground for himself here, he is smooth, winning, and believable.

Demi Moore's JoAnne Galloway may be one of the most wasted performances in the film. In repeated interviews, Moore discussed how she tried to bring some humanity to a role written as controlling and precision-driven. Whatever humanity she has tried to bring is largely lost, however, and the humanity that she does show earns her rebukes from those around her. When the viewer first encounters Galloway, she is practicing asking to represent the two young marines. The audience sees her turned down and learns that her supervisors believe she is overly concerned with detail. When she tries to investigate what she thinks is a key point with Jessep, he attacks her personally and appears clearly the more powerful person. In court, she speaks only in error, and in one truly amazing scene, she asks Kaffee for a date, during which she reveals all of her personal fears. The character of JoAnne Galloway has a hard time in this film, perhaps because she bounces only between the extremes of professional control and self-doubt, or perhaps because she is trying to communicate in a world in which people adhere to their own codes or to those of the system. Either way, she is all alone. Although several Hollywood actresses were considered for the part--including Julie Warner, Penelope Ann Miller, Elizabeth Perkins, Nancy Travis, Linda Hamilton, Helen Hunt, and Michelle Pfeiffer--Reiner was quoted as saying that he chose Demi Moore for her "directness, a don't-even- flirt-with-me attitude." Said Reiner, "JoAnne is everything that Kaffee isn't. She's got the passion and is the force that really drives him."

Much effort was expended to make such a dialogue-driven film visually interesting. For example, each of the four walls of the courtroom is significantly different, so that each provides a very different backdrop to the characters. The plan was to avoid having a rotating series of speakers in front of the same brown wall. Also, although the military courtrooms explored by the production personnel were more like administrative offices, the design personnel fudged this reality and delivered a lavishly traditional court. According to production designer J. Michael Riva, "We suggested an old courtroom from a grander time in which the military in this country was born. We created an environment in which there was a time and a place for time-honored tradition. We found a building in Washington which dated back to 1915 that suggested a palatial size inside. The courtroom itself is very detailed with wooden panels, columns, French doors and ornate-paintings."

In working to unify the film, Riva also incorporated the color of brass into many of the locations, particularly Kaffee's apartment and Jessep's office. For Cuba, the key tones were hot yellow, while military settings in Washington were almost monochromatic. Blue accents were used to distinguish the navy (Kaffee) from the marines (Jessep).

The shots of the naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, were actually shot in Southern California. For example, the fenceline site that plays a key role in the film is actually two miles of chain link and barb wire constructed at the Crystal Cove State Park near Laguna. Portions of the film were shot at Fort McArthur and Point Mugu Naval Air Station, and hundreds of marines were used as extras.

A FEW GOOD MEN was a contender in a variety of award arenas. It received five Golden Globe nominations, including one for best dramatic motion picture: The other Golden Globe nominations were Tom Cruise for actor in a drama; Jack Nicholson for supporting actor; Rob Reiner for director; and Aaron Sorkin for the screenplay. While nominated for four Academy Awards, the film was passed over on Oscar night. Rob Reiner was nominated for the Director's Guild of America's 1992 outstanding director award, although that award was given to Clint Eastwood for his film UNFORGIVEN (1992).

Additional recognition of the film came from the National Board of Review (NBR), which awarded its D. W. Griffith Award to Jack Nicholson for best supporting actor for his portrayal of Jessep. NBR ranked the film fourth for the year, and while Tom Cruise was nominated for best actor, that award went to Jack Lemmon for his role in GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS (1992). A FEW GOOD MEN also received recognition for its editing, when Robert Leighton was nominated for the American Cinema Editors' (ACE) Eddie Award.

In many ways, A FEW GOOD MEN is one of the large productions that make Hollywood the phenomenon that it is. There are few surprises; in fact, the ending may seem too pat to some viewers. Yet, without question, the film is entertaining and engaging to watch for the precision of the storytelling, the filmmaking, and the performances. (Reviewed by Roberta F. Green.)


Country of Origin: USA

Release Date: 1992

Production Line:
David Brown, Rob Reiner, and Andrew Scheinman for Castle Rock Entertainment; released by Columbia Pictures

Director: Rob Reiner

Cinematographer: Robert Richardson

File Editor: Robert Leighton

Additional Credits:
Production design - J. Michael Riva
Art direction - David Frederick Klassen
Set decoration - Michael Taylor
Casting - Jane Jenkins - Janet Hirshenson
Sound - Bob Eber
Costume design - Gloria Gresham
Music - Marc Shaiman

MPAA Rating: R

Run Time: 138 minutes

Cast:
Lieutenant (jg) Daniel Kaffee - Tom Cruise
Colonel Nathan R. Jessep - Jack Nicholson
Lieutenant Commander JoAnne Galloway - Demi Moore
Captain Jack Ross - Kevin Bacon
Lieutenant Jonathan Kendrick - Kiefer Sutherland
Lieutenant Sam Weinberg - Kevin Pollak
Private Louden Downey - James Marshall
Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Markinson - J. T. Walsh
Lance Corporal Harold W. Dawson - Wolfgang Bodison

Review Sources:
Boston Globe. December 11, 1992, Arts & Film, p. 53.
Boxoffice. December, 1992, p. R-86.
Calgary Herald. December 11, 1992, p. E1.
Entertainment Weekly. December 18, 1992, p. 40.
The Hollywood Reporter. November 13, 1992, p. 6.
Los Angeles Times. December 11, 1992, p. F1.
The New York Times. December 11, 1992, p. B1.
Newsweek. December 14, 1992, p. 78.
Time. December 14, 1992, p. 70.
Variety. November 13, 1992, p. 2.

Named persons in Production Credits:
David Brown
Rob Reiner
Andrew Scheinman

Studios named in Production Credits:
Castle Rock Entertainment
Columbia Pictures

Screenplay (Author):
Aaron Sorkin

Color

Video Available.

Genre:


Drama
Award Citations:
Academy Awards - Nomination - Best Picture - A FEW GOOD MEN (David Brown, Rob Reiner, and Andrew Sheinman)
Academy Awards - Nomination - Best Supporting Actor - Jack Nicholson
Academy Awards - Nomination - Editing - Robert Leighton
Academy Awards - Nomination - Sound - Kevin O'Connell
Academy Awards - Nomination - Sound - Rick Kline
Academy Awards - Nomination - Sound - Bob Eber
National Board of Review Awards - Winner - Best Supporting Actor - Jack Nicholson

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