The Lords of Discipline (1983)

In 1960s America, a black cadet is allowed acceptance into a seemingly prestigious military academy, unleashing a barrage of corruption within the system that another cadet is willing to expose.

Director:

Franc Roddam

Writers:

Pat Conroy (novel), Thomas Pope (screenplay)

Stars:

David Keith, Robert Prosky, G.D. Spradlin

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Keith	...	Will McLean
Robert Prosky	...	Col. 'Bear' Berrineau
G.D. Spradlin	...	Gen. Bentley Durrell
Barbara Babcock	...	Abigail St. Croix
Michael Biehn	...	John Alexander
Rick Rossovich	...	Dante `Pig` Pignetti
John Lavachielli	...	Mark Santoro
Mitchell Lichtenstein	...	Tradd St. Croix
Mark Breland	...	Tom Pearce
Malcolm Danare	...	Poteete
Judge Reinhold	...	Macabbee
Greg Webb	...	Braselton
Bill Paxton	...	Gilbreath (as 'Wild' Bill Paxton)
Dean R. Miller	...	Gooch (as Dean Miller)
Ed Bishop	...	Commerce St. Croix

Storyline

Will arrives for his last year at The Carolina Military Institute, in the Deep South USA, in the 1960s. A black student, Pearce, has been accepted, for the first time and Will is asked to keep an eye out for the inevitable racism. The racists come in the form of The Ten, a secret group of the elite students. They want Pearce to leave on his own free will, but are prepared to torture him to make it 'his free will'. Will is forced to help Pearce and he is prepared to risk his own career to do so.

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Plot Keywords:

racism | loyalty | friendship | humiliation | military school | 

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Taglines:

A tale of human triumph and honor.

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Genres:

Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 February 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Guardianes del honor

Filming Locations:

Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,011,932, 18 February 1983, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$11,787,127

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie was made and released about three years after the film's source novel of the same name by Pat Conroy was first published in 1980.

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Goofs

When Poteete falls and hits the pavement, Will is shown looking away from one angle, then looking forward toward the body when the angle changes.

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Quotes

Dante 'Pig' Pignetti: It's always 'fuck, shit, piss' all the time around here, I mean, if she could hear it, it would embarass her.
[looks at a picture of his girlfriend]
Will: But Pig, this is a photograph.
Dante 'Pig' Pignetti: I know that!
Will: It can't see, smell, hear, taste. Right? Mark... Now Mr. Santoro, if you please, adress a few obscene remarks to this totally inatimate photograph.
Mark: Jesus, would you look at the tits on that bitch!
Will: Pig, how we doin'?
[Pig is trying to control himself]
Will: Tradd?
Tradd: My, would I dearly love to play a little 'hide the...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Bill Paxton is referred to in the closing credits as "Wild" Bill Paxton.

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Alternate Versions

NBC edited 6 minutes from this film for its 1986 network television premiere.

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Connections

Referenced in Future Tense (1990)

User Reviews

response to pazmatza

I graduated from The Citadel and can tell you that the book is not a standing joke on campus and that almost everyone reads it during their knob year for their English class. It is true that upperclassmen are not allowed to touch knobs but this is a rule that was very loosely enforced in the 60s. I was not there in the 60s but it is a well known fact on campus and by alumni. I have never heard anything of that nature and I believe they made it worse than it really was in order to make people watch it and enjoy reading the book. All in all the book is much better than the movie. Read the book don't watch the movie, or at least read the book first.