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:

Starring DAVID KEITH. The rebel from "An Officer And A Gentleman".

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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

Author Pat Conroy based the character of Colonel Thomas Berrineau (aka The Bear) in this film on Lieutenant Thomas Courvoisie (aka The Boo), Assistant Commandant of Cadets at The Citadel between 1961 and 1968, whom Conroy named his first novel, "The Boo" (1970) after.

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Goofs

Colonel "Bear" Berrineau is shown in uniform wearing a Presidential Unit Citation ribbon. He wears it on his left pocket below his "rack" of ribbons, yet regulations stipulate that the PUC is always worn on the wearer's right, opposite his medals/ribbons.

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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 Speaking Parts (1989)

User Reviews

The First Cut is the Deepest

It's 1964 at the Carolina Military Institute. Returning for his senior year as a cadet, hunky David Keith (as Will "Bubba" McClean) and his pals discover the freshman "Knobs" include, for the first time, a young black man. As you might expect, he is the victim of racial hatred. Old-timer Robert Prosky (as "the Bear") enlists Mr. Keith's help in watching over the black cadet, Mark Breland (as Pearce). Keith gets reluctant help from his three roommates - piano playing Mitchell Lichtenstein (as Tradd St. Croix), weight-lifting Rick Rossovich (as Dante "Pig" Pignetti), and Italian Elvis fan John Lavachielli (as Mark Santoro).

Keith and his friends participate in "Hell Night" with the usual shenanigans. Of course, "scumbags," "maggots," and "faggots" are encouraged to vacate the premises. Overweight Malcolm Danare (as Poteete) is the first casualty. Then, a (not so) secret organization known as "The Ten" targets Mr. Breland. But, "The Lords of Discipline" isn't really about Breland or his race. Rather, it's a mystery thriller focusing on Keith and his roommates. And, even then, it's not much of a mystery. Most enjoyable are Keith and his three roommates, who manage to be appealing in some unappealing (and obvious) roles.

****** The Lords of Discipline (2/18/83) Franc Roddam ~ David Keith, Mitchell Lichtenstein, Rick Rossovich, Robert Prosky