A Few Good Men (1992)

Military lawyer Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee defends Marines accused of murder. They contend they were acting under orders.

Director:

Rob Reiner

Writers:

Aaron Sorkin (play), Aaron Sorkin (screenplay)

Stars:

Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 26 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Cruise	...	Lt. Daniel Kaffee
Jack Nicholson	...	Col. Nathan R. Jessep
Demi Moore	...	Lt. Cdr. JoAnne Galloway
Kevin Bacon	...	Capt. Jack Ross
Kiefer Sutherland	...	2nd. Lt. Jonathan Kendrick
Kevin Pollak	...	Lt. Sam Weinberg
James Marshall	...	Pfc. Louden Downey
J.T. Walsh	...	Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson
Christopher Guest	...	Dr. Stone
J.A. Preston	...	Judge Julius Alexander Randolph
Matt Craven	...	Lt. Dave Spradling
Wolfgang Bodison	...	Lance Cpl. Harold W. Dawson
Xander Berkeley	...	Capt. Whitaker
John M. Jackson	...	Capt. West
Noah Wyle	...	Cpl. Jeffrey Barnes

Storyline

In this dramatic courtroom thriller, LT Daniel Kaffee, a Navy lawyer who has never seen the inside of the courtroom, defends two stubborn Marines who have been accused of murdering a colleague. Kaffee is known as being lazy and had arranged for a plea bargain. Downey's Aunt Ginny appoints Cmdr. Galloway to represent him. Also on the legal staff is LTJG Sam Weinberg. The team rounds up many facts and Kaffee is discovering that he is really cut out for trial work. The defense is originally based upon the fact that PFC Santiago, the victim, was given a "CODE RED". Santiago was basically a screw-up. At Gitmo, screw-ups aren't tolerated. Especially by Col. Nathan Jessup. In Cuba, Jessup and two senior officers try to give all the help they can, but Kaffee knows something's fishy. In the conclusion of the film, the fireworks are set off by a confrontation between Jessup and Kaffee.

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Plot Keywords:

lawyer | military lawyer | famous line | court martial | suicide | 

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Taglines:

In the heart of the nation's capital, in a courthouse of the U.S. government, one man will stop at nothing to keep his honor, and one will stop at nothing to find the truth.

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

11 December 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cuestión de honor

Filming Locations:

Motel 6 - 1345 4th. Street NE, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$40,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$141,340,178

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$243,240,178

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Castle Rock Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

138 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Rob Reiner, Tom Cruise would always stay after rehearsals to work on perfecting his role.

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Goofs

When Kaffee meets Galloway for the first time, Kaffee's second button from the top is unbuttoned when he first walks in. After he sits down, it is buttoned.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Drill Master: Forward, march!

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Connections

Spoofed in Dog with a Blog: Stan-ning Guard (2013)

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Soundtracks

Semper Fidelis
(uncredited)
Written by John Philip Sousa

User Reviews

A Few Great Moments

I'm not the greatest fan of Tom Cruise, yet A Few Good Men along with Jerry McGuire would have to rank as one of his best performances. Owing to a transition from stage to celluloid, the movie has the intimacy of drama written all over it.

The emphasis on facial expression, the length of dialog and the sheer drama make the watching of the movie a unique experience. The writer doesn't cater for the unenlightened, doesn't drawl over or repeat facts. Afterall, it is the experience of watching A Few Good Men that is a winner over and above all else.

Demi Moore is gorgeous alluring and vulnerable all at once. Worth a watch and perhaps another.