The General's Daughter (1999)

Director:

Simon West

Writers (WGA):

Nelson DeMille (novel)
Christopher Bertolini (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

18 June 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Go behind the lies.

Plot:

When the daughter of a well-known and well-respected base commander is murdered, an undercover detective is summoned to look into the matter and finds a slew of cover-ups at West Point.

Plot Keywords:

Paranoid | Amazing Grace Hymn | Lurid | Disturbing | Military Officer

Awards:

3 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

John Travolta	...	Warr. Off. Paul Brenner / Sgt. Frank White
Madeleine Stowe	...	Warr. Off. Sara Sunhill
James Cromwell	...	Lt. Gen. Joseph Campbell
Timothy Hutton	...	Col. William Kent
Leslie Stefanson	...	Capt. Elisabeth Campbell
Daniel von Bargen	...	Police Chief Yardley
Clarence Williams III	...	Col. George Fowler
James Woods	...	Col. Robert Moore
Peter Weireter	...	Belling
Mark Boone Junior	...	Dalbert Elkins
John Beasley	...	Col. Donald Slesinger
Boyd Kestner	...	Capt. Jake Elby
Brad Beyer	...	Capt. Bransford
John Benjamin Hickey	...	Capt. Goodson
Rick Dial	...	Cal Seivers

Also Known As:

Wehrlos - Die Tochter des Generals (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for graphic images relating to sexual violence including a strong rape scene, some perverse sexuality, nudity and language

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Philippines:R-18 | USA:R (certificate #36365) | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:U | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Belgium:KNT | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 (bw) | Ireland:18 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Savannah, Georgia, USA

Company:

MFP Munich Film Partners GmbH & Company I. Produktions KG

Trivia:

The music playing when Brenner and Sunhill find Moore dead is "O Fortuna" from Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana".

Goofs:

Continuity: The spare tire is not on the vehicle after the flat is repaired. Then the spare tire re-appears.

Quotes:

Kent: What do you have?
Brenner: Just a preliminary list of suspects.
Kent: Who?
Brenner: Everyone.
Kent: Looks like you have to narrow it down.
Brenner: Where were you when she was killed?
Kent: I was in the tower when I got the call. No witnesses, though. You?
Brenner: I was too busy killing someone else. I didn't have time to kill two people.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The General's Son (2000) (V)

Soundtrack:

Amazing Grace

There's a lot more than what's readily apparant at first.

Travolta is very good (finally) as a military criminal investigator who pursues a murderer of an Army captain despite impediments (official and unofficial) placed in his way. Stowe is fine, as is Cromwell as "The General". James Woods, as always, is terrific as he elevates any film in which he participates. Sadly, however, Clarence Williams III may be the worst black actor currently working. On the other hand, the lovely Leslie Stefanson is an actress from whom one cannot take their eyes. In addition to radiant beauty, this gal can act. Roger Ebert and guest critic gave this film "two thumbs down" because of, what they referred to as, too graphic scenes of violence against "The General's Daughter". They are wrong. Even my very squeamish wife found no objection. This is a film definitely worth the price of admission.