The Last Detail (1973)

Two Navy men are ordered to bring a young offender to prison, but decide to show him one last good time along the way.

Director:

Hal Ashby

Writers:

Robert Towne (screenplay), Darryl Ponicsan (novel)

Stars:

Jack Nicholson, Randy Quaid, Otis Young

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jack Nicholson	...	Buddusky
Otis Young	...	Mulhall
Randy Quaid	...	Meadows
Clifton James	...	M.A.A.
Carol Kane	...	Young Whore
Michael Moriarty	...	Marine O.D.
Luana Anders	...	Donna
Kathleen Miller	...	Annette
Nancy Allen	...	Nancy
Gerry Salsberg	...	Henry
Don McGovern	...	Bartender
Patricia Hamilton	...	Madame (as Pat Hamilton)
Michael Chapman	...	Taxi Driver
Jim Henshaw	...	Sweek
Derek McGrath	...	Nichiren Shoshu Member

Storyline

Two bawdy, tough looking navy lifers - "Bad-Ass" Buddusky, and "Mule" Mulhall - are commissioned to escort a young pilferer named Meadows to the brig in Portsmouth. Meadows is not much of a thief. Indeed, in his late teens, he is not much of a man at all. His great crime was to try to steal forty dollars from the admiral's wife's pet charity. For this, he's been sentenced to eight years behind bars. At first, Buddusky and Mulhall view the journey as a paid vacation, but their holiday spirits are quickly depressed by the prisoner, who looks prepared to break into tears at any moment. And he has the lowest self-image imaginable. Buddusky gets it into his head to give Meadows a good time and teach him a bit about getting on in the world. Lesson one: Don't take every card life deals you. Next, he teaches Meadows to drink, and, as a coup de grace, finds a nice young whore to instruct him in lovemaking. Mule, who worries aloud about his own position with military authority, seems pleased ...

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Plot Keywords:

foot chase | attempted escape | male bonding | navy | train | 

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Taglines:

What's "The Last Detail"? 300 beers and a barrel of laughs! (re-release)

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 February 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

El último deber

Filming Locations:

CFB Borden 620 Ortona Rd, Borden, ON L0M 1C0, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$2,300,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Bright-Persky Associates, Acrobat Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Cinematographer Michael Chapman plays a "taxi driver" in this film, his first as a full-fledged Director of Photography. Ironically, Chapman would later become the cinematographer for the movie Taxi Driver (1976).

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Goofs

Many of the actors playing Marines wear their hair too long. Additionaly, many sport sideburns. According to Marine Corps grooming regulations, sideburns will not extend below the top of the orifice of the ear.

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Quotes

[a woman hears Meadows chanting and invites him to a party]
Meadows: Drop your socks and grab your cocks, we're going to a party.
Buddusky: If this kid gets pussy out of this, I'll eat my fucking flat hat, man.

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Connections

Featured in TCM Guest Programmer: Bill Paxton (2013)

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Soundtracks

Good Ole Country Livin'
by Jack Goga and K. Lawrence Dunham

User Reviews

Hal Ashby's classic

If you respond to this film, you will probably go all the way and love it as much as I do. It is probably the high point of the drama of social realism started back by the like of "Marty."

It is Nicholson's film, yet Quaid and Otis Young(in his only good movie) really shine as well. It is the most heartbreaking of material played without sap or sentiment. Obscenity like this was still pretty new to movies back in 73, be sure to avoid edited T.V. versions. Reading the comments, it is sad that todays movie fans, spoonfed sledgehammer crappola, really can't respond to a drama played with the kind of subtle grace of "The Last Detail." Give it a shot. Ten out of ten.