Biloxi Blues (1988)

A group of young recruits go through boot camp during the Second World War in Biloxi Mississippi. From the play by Neil Simon.

Director:

Mike Nichols

Writers:

Neil Simon (screenplay), Neil Simon (play)

Stars:

Matthew Broderick, Christopher Walken, Matt Mulhern

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matthew Broderick	...	Eugene Morris Jerome
Christopher Walken	...	Sgt. Toomey
Matt Mulhern	...	Joseph Wykowski
Corey Parker	...	Arnold B. Epstein
Markus Flanagan	...	Roy Selridge
Casey Siemaszko	...	Don Carney
Michael Dolan	...	James J. Hennesey
Penelope Ann Miller	...	Daisy
Park Overall	...	Rowena
Alan Pottinger	...	Peek
Mark Evan Jacobs	...	Pinelli
David Kienzle	...	Corporal (as Dave Kienzle)
Matthew Kimbrough	...	Spitting Cook
Kirby Mitchell	...	Digger #1
Allen Turner	...	Digger #2

Storyline

A New York City teenager named Eugene Jerome enlists in the US Army during the last year of World War II in 1945. Eugene is sent to basic training at Biloxi, Mississippi where he must live with a variety of fellow soldiers from all walks of life while also enduring the whims of a mentally unstable drill sergeant.

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Plot Keywords:

boot camp | sergeant | love | u.s. army | gay | 

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Taglines:

The Army made Eugene a man. But Daisy gave him basic training!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 March 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Neil Simon's Biloxi Blues

Filming Locations:

Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$43,184,798 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rastar Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min 102 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Christopher Walken's character's full name is Sgt. Merwin J. Toomey.

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Goofs

When the platoon first meets Sgt. Toomey they are standing in an empty field across the road from the front of their barracks. Later, when they enter their barracks there is another building across the road.

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Quotes

[the boys are waiting their turn to see a prostitute]
Eugene Morris Jerome: Hey, what if she's ugly. I mean, really ugly.
Selridge: Then you close your eyes and you think of some cheerleader.
Eugene Morris Jerome: I don't want to close my eyes, that's the same as doing it to yourself.
Selridge: Not if you're feeling someone underneath you, or on top of you.
Eugene Morris Jerome: On top of me? Who would be on top of me?
Selridge: She would. She could be anywhere. Under a table, on a chair, or an ironing board.
Eugene Morris Jerome: On an ironing board? What kind of girl is this? I thought we were going to a ...
[...]

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Connections

Follows Brighton Beach Memoirs (1986)

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Soundtracks

"Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree"
Music by Sam H. Stept
Lyrics by Charles Tobias and Lew Brown
Sung by Casey Siemaszko

User Reviews

Neil Simon is a genius

This is a fantastic movie that you will want to watch again and again. The story is perfect, the cast is perfect and the acting is perfect. A coming of age story that combines young recruits from all different sections of life that have come together and now have to learn how to live with one another as they go through the rigors of boot camp. Neil Simon always knows how to combine that perfect blend of realism, a comic touch and something you can identify with into everything he writes and makes you feel so comfortable in his story because you feel you're in the story. He makes you want to be become a writer. This is what makes Neil Simon unique. If only every movie could be written this well. This is what great Hollywood film-making is all about.