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Writer's pictureThomas Duncan

A Few Good Men (1992) Revisit ft. Christine Duncan

Original Episode: #112 A Few Good Men (released May 4, 2022)

New Episode: #165 A Few Good Men Revisit (released May 31, 2023)


Guest: Christine Duncan


Cast:

  • Rob Reiner, Director

  • Aaron Sorkin, Writer

  • Tom Cruise as Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee

  • Jack Nicholson as Colonel Nathan R. Jessup

  • Demi Moore as Lieutenant Commander JoAnne Galloway

  • Kevin Bacon as Captain Jack Ross

  • Kiefer Sutherland as First Lieutenant Jonathan James Kendrick

  • Kevin Pollak as Lieutenant Sam Weinberg

  • Wolfgang Bodison as Lance Corporal Harold W. Dawson

  • James Marshall as Private First Class Louden Downey

  • J. T. Walsh as Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Andrew Markinson

  • J. A. Preston as Judge (Colonel) Julius Alexander Randolph

  • Michael DeLorenzo as Private First Class William Santiago

  • Noah Wyle as Corporal Jeffrey Owen Barnes

  • Cuba Gooding Jr. as Corporal Carl Edward Hammaker

*Recognition:

  • A Few Good Men opened on December 11, 1992.

  • It grossed $15,517,468 in its opening weekend, and was the number-one film at the box office for the next three weeks. Overall, it grossed $141 million in the U.S. and $101.9 million internationally for a total of $243 million.

  • The film was nominated for Best Picture, Supporting Actor (Nicholson), Film Editing, and Sound Mixing. It lost the first three to Unforgiven.

  • It has been recognized by the American Film Institute on the following lists:

    • 2003: AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains:

      • Colonel Nathan R. Jessup – Nominated Villain

    • 2005: AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes:

      • Col. Nathan Jessup: "You can't handle the truth!" – #29

    • 2008: AFI's 10 Top 10:

      • #5 Courtroom Drama Film

  • A Few Good Men currently holds an 84% rating on RT, a 62% rating on Metacritic, and a 3.9/5 on Letterboxd.

Plot Summary: "A Few Good Men" is a riveting legal thriller that delves into the depths of military justice and the clash between honor and truth. Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise), a talented but complacent lawyer, finds himself assigned to defend two Marines charged with murder. As he uncovers a web of secrecy and cover-ups, Kaffee must confront the formidable Colonel Nathan Jessup (Jack Nicholson), a commanding officer determined to protect his authority at any cost. With compelling performances and sharp dialogue, director Rob Reiner crafts a gripping courtroom drama that examines the price of integrity in the face of overwhelming power.


The Stanley Rubric:

Original Legacy Score: 9.5

New Legacy Score: 9.5


Original Impact/Significance Score: 9

New Impact/Significance Score: 8.5


Original Novelty Score: 8.75

New Novelty Score: 7


Original Classicness Score: 9.25

New Classicness Score: 9.25


Original Rewatchability Score: 8.75

New Rewatchability Score: 9.5


Original Audience Score: 8.95 (90% Google, 89% RT)

New Audience Score: 8.65 (84% Google, 89% RT)


Original Total Score: 54.2

New Total Score: 52.4


In Memorium:

  • Tina Turner, 83, American Hall of Fame musician ("Proud Mary", "What's Love Gotta Do With It") 180 million albums sold worldwide, 12 Grammy Awards

  • Ray Stevenson, 58, Northern Irish actor (Rome, Thor, Punisher: War Zone, RRR, Ahsoka).

  • Marlene Clark, 73, American actor and model (Sanford and Son, Slaughter, The Beast Must Die).

  • Jim Brown, 87, American Hall of Fame football player (Cleveland Browns), actor (The Dirty Dozen, Mars Attacks!), and civil rights activist.

Remaining Questions:

  • At what point do you think Kaffee realizes he has Jessup in a logical trap?

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