Hard-nosed, hard-living Marine Gunnery Sergeant Tom Highway (Clint Eastwood) clashes with his superiors and his ex-wife as he takes command of a spoiled recon platoon with a bad attitude.
1983. Thomas Highway (Clint Eastwood) is a well-decorated career military man in the United States Marine Corps, he who has seen action in Korea and Vietnam. His current rank is Gunnery Sergeant. His experiences have led him to become an opinionated, no nonsense man, who is prone to bursts of violence, especially when he's drunk, if the situation does not suit him, regardless of the specifics or people involved. Because of these actions, he has spent his fair share of overnighters behind bars. Close to retirement, one of his last assignments, one he requested, is back at his old unit at Cherry Point, North Carolina, from where he was transferred for insubordination and conduct unbecoming. He is to train a reconnaissance platoon. His superior officer, the much younger and combat inexperienced Major Malcolm Powers (Everett McGill), sees Highway as a relic of an old-styled military. Highway's commanding officer, Lieutenant Ring (Boyd Gaines), the platoon leader, is also a younger man who...Written by
Huggo
Prior to filming, Mario Van Peebles could not play the guitar. He took several quick lessons to convince Clint Eastwood that he could play the role of the wannabe rock star, Corporal "Stitch" Jones. See more »
Goofs
When Highway starts the marching cadence at the end of the 5:00 AM scene, the cadence doesn't match the footwork of the Marines when they are marching away from the camera. See more »
Quotes
Highway:
[after the students from the Grenada medical school have been rescued]
All secured, sir. No casualties, no sign of enemy.
Maj. Malcolm A. Powers:
Very good. I want to get some pictures before we wrap this mission.
Highway:
We encountered some heavy resistance along the way, sir.
Maj. Malcolm A. Powers:
Probably some local fanatics.
Highway:
Negative. Cuban regulars with Russian rifles.
Maj. Malcolm A. Powers:
That data's already been factored in.
Choozoo:
[on the phone]
Sir, Battalion!
Maj. Malcolm A. Powers:
Go ahead.
Choozoo:
Big daddy says to get off your fat ass and get back in the war. His words. He says he wants to recon that ...
[...] See more »
Crazy Credits
The opening Warner Bros. logo is black and white. See more »
Alternate Versions
Theatrical version included a scene where Gunny Highway stands in front of one of the soldiers at the target practice, forcing him to shoot straight. Reportedly, this scene doesn't appear in the video release. See more »
I love all of the comments about how unrealistic this movie is...guys relax its a movie.
Apparently the movie industry should be putting big warnings up on the screen saying:
WARNING: The following movie may contain scenes that are not 100% realistic. If this offends you please stop watching the movie and order the documentary channel.
Think about what you are saying when you complain that this movie is not realistic... do you bitch and whine because the Matrix isn't real? Sit down, shut up and enjoy the movie for what it is... fiction.
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I love all of the comments about how unrealistic this movie is...guys relax its a movie.
Apparently the movie industry should be putting big warnings up on the screen saying:
WARNING: The following movie may contain scenes that are not 100% realistic. If this offends you please stop watching the movie and order the documentary channel.
Think about what you are saying when you complain that this movie is not realistic... do you bitch and whine because the Matrix isn't real? Sit down, shut up and enjoy the movie for what it is... fiction.