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Taps (1981)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
20 December 1981 (USA) moreTagline:
This school is our home, we think it's worth defending.Plot:
Military cadets take extreme measures to insure the future of their academy when its existence is threatened by local condo developers. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
Nominated for Golden Globe. moreNewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Sean Penn to be Honored at the Palm Springs International Film Festival (From Manny the Movie Guy. 26 December 2008, 9:21 AM, PST)
Tom and Katie Get Honorable Mentions From T Magazine
(From Popsugar. 4 December 2008, 3:30 PM, PST)
User Comments:
Filmed in 1981; still applies today more (38 total)Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| George C. Scott | ... | General Harlan Bache | |
| Timothy Hutton | ... | Cadet Major Brian Moreland | |
| Ronny Cox | ... | Colonel Kerby | |
| Sean Penn | ... | Cadet Captain Alex Dwyer | |
| Tom Cruise | ... | Cadet Captain David Shawn | |
| Brendan Ward | ... | Charlie Auden | |
| Evan Handler | ... | Edward West | |
| John P. Navin Jr. | ... | Derek Mellott | |
| Billy Van Zandt | ... | Bug | |
| Giancarlo Esposito | ... | Cadet Captain J.C. Pierce | |
| Donald Kimmel | ... | Billy Harris | |
| Tim Wahrer | ... | Cadet Major John Cooper | |
| Tim Riley | ... | Hulk | |
| Jeff Rochlin | ... | Shovel | |
| Rusty Jacobs | ... | Rusty |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
126 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreSound Mix:
DolbyCertification:
Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | UK:PG | USA:PG (certificate #26439) | Singapore:PGFun Stuff
Trivia:
The exterior shots of the film were shot at Valley Forge, but the interiors (including General Basche's office) were shot on sets built in Vally Forge's massive Polo field by Alfred Sweeney and Stan Jolley. moreGoofs:
Factual errors: When taking inventory of the armory, the man counting the weapons states they are ".45 millimeter caliber 1911's". M1911 pistols are .45 caliber, meaning the bore is .45 inches in diameter, and not the metric measurement of 45 millimeters (a significantly larger measurement, to the point where they would be classed as artillery, rather than small arms). In countries which issued the M1911 (or copies), and to whom the Metric system was common, the cartridge was referred to as 11.43x23mm. moreQuotes:
Brian Moreland: Sir, how could they do this?General Harlan Bache: With the stroke of a pen, sir. Their field of honor was a desktop.
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"Taps" is a story of twisted priorities and conflicting ideals of what honor, valor, and a fighting man really means. This was (and still is) an unmatched screenplay that is ever so true today. It should be mandatory viewing for anyone planning a military career so that they can really evaluate their reasoning for joining the armed services. It should be especially mandatory for any ROTC cadet in college (I'm in such a program, so I speak from experience).
Everyone involved played excellent roles and made the viewer make it as if they were really caught up in such a situation in real life. It didn't seem to be an "acted" movie; it was just that good. I think that Ronny Cox also put some feeling into his role, but if it had to be made in the '90s, I'd pick Dale Dye (who played brief but great roles as a captain in both Platoon and Casualties of War).
Again, this movie should get more credit than it has because the movie's themes and issues still haunt us, even in this "new world order" we're supposedly in. Great work to all involved!