G.I. Jane (1997)

A female Senator succeeds in enrolling a woman into Combined Reconnaissance Team training where everyone expects her to fail.

Director:

Ridley Scott

Writers:

Danielle Alexandra (story), David Twohy (screenplay)

Stars:

Demi Moore, Viggo Mortensen, Anne Bancroft

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Demi Moore	...	Jordan O'Neill
Viggo Mortensen	...	Master Chief John James Urgayle
Anne Bancroft	...	Lillian DeHaven
Jason Beghe	...	Royce
Daniel von Bargen	...	Theodore Hayes (as Daniel Von Bargen)
John Michael Higgins	...	Chief of Staff
Kevin Gage	...	Instructor Pyro
David Warshofsky	...	Instructor Johns
David Vadim	...	Cortez
Morris Chestnut	...	McCool
Josh Hopkins	...	Flea
Jim Caviezel	...	Slovnik
Boyd Kestner	...	Wickwire
Angel David	...	Newberry
Stephen Ramsey	...	Stamm

Storyline

When a crusading chairperson of the military budget committee pressures the would be Navy secretary to begin full gender integration of the service, he offers the chance for a test case for a female trainee in the US Navy's elite SEAL/C.R.T. selection program. LT. Jordan O'Neill is given the assignment, but no one expects her to succeed in an inhumanly punishing regime that has a standard 60% dropout rate for men. However, O'Neill is determined to prove everyone wrong.

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Plot Keywords:

feminism | military | training | strong female character | soldier | 

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Taglines:

Lieutenant Jordan O'Neil wanted to join in, everybody else what's her to fail

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Genres:

Action | Drama | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and combat violence

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 August 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Matter of Honor

Filming Locations:

Beaufort, South Carolina, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,094,241, 24 August 1997, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$48,169,156

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$97,169,156

Company Credits

Production Co:

Caravan Pictures, First Independent Films, Hollywood Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Ridley Scott (while discussing the filming of Matchstick Men (2003)), Sam Rockwell was originally cast in one of the roles and had completed some rehearsals before he became ill or injured and was replaced.

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Goofs

If O'Neil was to be accepted into the Combined Reconnaissance Teams, she would need to have already become a certified SEAL which obviously wouldn't have been possible. Also, other characters talk about "Hell Week" which is solely a term used in the Navy SEALs.

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Quotes

Master Chief John Urgayle: Instructor Pyro.
Sgt. Max Pyro, Instructor: Aye aye, Master Chief. Instructors. Boat Crews! Stand by your boats! MOVE YOUR ASSES!
[everyone scrambles]

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Alternate Versions

An alternate ending was secretly filmed without the knowledge of Disney/Hollywood Pictures Executives. When Ridley Scott first screened the film for execs, he shocked and surprised them with the ending in which Demi Moore dies. Both endings were test screened simultaneously and although the darker ending scored higher with audiences, the happier ending was chosen by executives. Similar to the surprise ending for "Thelma and Louise", the alternate ending for "G.I. Jane" was a dark yet bittersweet one. Jordan (Moore) is killed when she risks her life to save her Commander (Viggo Mortensen) then eulogized on television by the tough Senator (Ann Bancroft). Later, the camera pans through a fresh group of SEAL recruits, among them are three women.

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Connections

Referenced in Drumline (2002)

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Soundtracks

Adagio and Fugue in C Minor K456 (Allegro)
Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Medici String Quartet (as the Medici Quartet)

User Reviews

Best female protagonist

This is how I love my protagonist. Badass, hardass, and above all, struggling. Throughout the film, our protagonist struggled- Against her own biology, against her social status and even against politics! The struggles, her outstanding evolution throughout the film, the support cast, it's all very well executed.

Usually, female protagonist will always fall for a man throughout the movie and it will usually have a major part in the plot. Well not here! Her connection to her lover did not change almost anything (in regarding the general plot), which is great. No "lovey dovey mushy tushy" sh*t! It's all her. No "power of love", one of the worst tropes in movies.

Still, it's not a 10/10 movie. Everything was intense, but at a certain point nothing is intense. It reached it's peak and stayed there- No cool down or another, higher peak.

Cons: At a certain point it's not exciting as it first was. The finale wasn't that exciting either. Plot feels too simple at times.

Pros: Great acting Best feminist propaganda I've seen in years Funny, wholesome and badass moments. many of them (and maybe too many)