The Last Detail (1973)

Director:

Hal Ashby

Writers:

Robert Towne (screenplay)
Darryl Ponicsan (novel)

Release Date:

12 December 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

No *#@!!* Navy's going to give some poor **!!@* kid eight years in the #@!* brig without me taking him out for the time of his *#@!!* life.

Plot:

Two Navy men are ordered to bring a young offender to prison but decide to show him one last good time along the way.

Plot Keywords:

Navy | Bar | Military | Teen | Boston Massachusetts

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 6 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Dec. 28

3:45 AM

TCM

Cast

Jack Nicholson	...	SM1 Billy 'Bad Ass' Buddusky
Otis Young	...	GM1 'Mule' Mulhall
Randy Quaid	...	Seaman Larry Meadows
Clifton James	...	M.A.A.
Carol Kane	...	Young Whore
Michael Moriarty	...	Marine O.D.
Luana Anders	...	Donna
Kathleen Miller	...	Annette
Nancy Allen	...	Nancy
Gerry Salsberg	...	Henry
Don McGovern	...	Bartender
Pat Hamilton	...	Madame
Michael Chapman	...	Taxi Driver
Jim Henshaw	...	Sweek
Derek McGrath	...	Nichiren Shoshu Member

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:M18 (cut) | Netherlands:16 | Australia:R | Netherlands:12 (re-rating) (2002) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Canada:R

Filming Locations:

Boston Common, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The script was completed in 1970, but contained too much profanity to be shot as written. Columbia Pictures waited for two years trying to get writer Robert Towne to tone down the language. Instead, by 1972, the standards for foul language relaxed so much that all the profanity was left in.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Meadows takes his first bite of his first hot dog dipped in mustard, he opens his mouth - and his tongue is already stained bright yellow.

Quotes:

Mulhall: Are you shittin' me?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Completely Cuckoo (1997) (V)

Soundtrack:

Good Ole Country Livin'

Likeable Character Study From the 1970s

"The Last Detail" is not the strongest movie ever made, but it does succeed for the most part. Jack Nicholson (Oscar-nominated) and Otis Young are assigned to transport a young sailor (Randy Quaid, in his Oscar-nominated role) to a military prison because of a theft. Even though the mission is to be cut-and-dry, Nicholson and Young take pity on the young sailor and agree to show him one last good time before he reaches his final destination. The goodwill idea does have a good chance of back-firing on them though in the end. Nicholson is great, as usual, but it is the performance of Quaid that makes "The Last Detail" work as well as it does. He plays the part for what it is worth and makes the film believable and somewhat tense throughout. Not excellent, but still very good overall. 4 stars out of 5.