The Great Santini (1979)

Director:

Lewis John Carlino

Writers:

Lewis John Carlino (writer)
Pat Conroy (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

26 October 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The bravest thing he would ever do was let his family love him.

Plot:

As he approaches manhood, Ben Meechum struggles to win the approval of his demanding alpha male father, an aggressively competitive, but frustrated marine pilot.

Plot Keywords:

Marine | Funeral Oration | Beehive | Military Officer | Fighter Jet

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Robert Duvall	...	Lt. Col. 'Bull' Meechum
Blythe Danner	...	Lillian Meechum
Michael O'Keefe	...	Ben Meechum
Lisa Jane Persky	...	Mary Anne Meechum
Julie Anne Haddock	...	Karen Meechum
Brian Andrews	...	Matthew Meechum
Stan Shaw	...	Toomer Smalls
Theresa Merritt	...	Arrabella Smalls
David Keith	...	Red Petus
Paul Mantee	...	Col. Virgil Hedgepath
Michael Strong	...	Col. Varney
Bennett Liss	...	Cpl. Atcherly
Joe Dorsey	...	Coach Spinks
David Frankham	...	Capt. Weber
Jan Stratton	...	Mrs. Weber
Paul Gleason	...	Lt. Sammy
W.K. Stratton	...	Ace
Lew Horn	...	Capt. Brookout
Michael Rougas	...	Col. J.S. Mullinax
Al Garcia	...	Pedro
Stacy MacGregor	...	Leroy
Harold B. Bibey	...	Hedgepath's Sergeant
Gordon Gene Jones	...	Bartender
Harry Pickens Porth	...	Squadron Executive Officer
Albert Smith	...	Hobie Simms
Walter Gay	...	Man at Shrimp Dock
Wendell Gregory	...	Shrimp Header
Bill Nelson	...	1st Cousin
Bill Eudaly	...	2nd Cousin
Wayne Sharpnack	...	Mac
Morris Phifer	...	Air Traffic Controller Sergeant
Brad Baldwin	...	Radar Operator Sergeant
Ronnie Cross	...	Honor Guard Sergeant
Timothy Norton	...	Jim Don
Richard Horswell	...	Art
Ronald Garrett Jr.	...	Pinkie
Hank Chappell	...	Mumford
Reggie Malphrus	...	Abbot
Doyle Kelly	...	1st Referee
Larry Burke	...	2nd Referee
K.C. Stiglbauer	...	Basketball player
Randy Cauthen	...	Basketball player
Tom Conroy	...	Basketball player
Lance Snyder	...	Basketball player
Tony Langdale	...	Basketball player
Gary Towles	...	Basketball player
Ray Nix	...	Basketball player
Chip Upchurch	...	Basketball Player
Nicole von der Heyde	...	Cheerleader
Nancy Black	...	Cheerleader
Lisa Collins	...	Cheerleader
Kim Duncan	...	Cheerleader
Claudette Evans	...	Cheerleader
Carol Monson	...	Cheerleader
Tara Hudson	...	Cheerleader
Sandra Patterson	...	Cheerleader
Holly Malphrus	...	Cheerleader
Sarah Sanford	...	Cheerleader
Denise Walker	...	Cheerleader
Edwina Dawn Tucker	...	Cheerleader

Directed by
Lewis John Carlino

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lewis John Carlino		writer
Pat Conroy		novel "The Great Santini"
Herman Raucher		uncredited

Produced by
Charles A. Pratt	....	producer

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography by
Ralph Woolsey

Film Editing by
Houseley Stevenson Jr.		(as Houseley Stevenson)

Casting by
Irving Lande

Production Design by
Jack Poplin

Set Decoration by
Jeff Haley
Donald J. Sullivan		(as Don Sullivan)

Makeup Department
Lon Bentley	....	makeup artist
Andy Ciannella	....	makeup artist: New York (as Andy Cianella)
Lynn Del Kail	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Sally J. Fitzhenry	....	post-production supervisor
Floyd Joyer	....	unit production manager
John Pommer	....	executive in charge of production (as John E. Pommer)
Ken Swor	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Edward D. Markley	....	first assistant director (as Edward Markley)
Ken Swor	....	first assistant director
Jonathan Giles Zimmerman	....	second assistant director (as Jonathan Zimmerman)

Art Department
Michael Dunn	....	property master (as Mike Dunn)
Sylvio Fama	....	propmaker
Wally Graham	....	construction coordinator
Mike Humburger	....	lead man
Ed Meena	....	lead man
Edmund Villa	....	assistant property master (as Ed Villa)

Sound Department
Lee Alexander	....	production sound mixer
David Dockendorf	....	sound re-recording mixer
Teri E. Dorman	....	sound editor
Jerry Jacobson	....	loop editor (as Jerry M. Jacobson)
James J. Klinger	....	supervising sound editor

Special Effects by
Ken Pepiot	....	special effects

Stunts
Bennie E. Dobbins	....	stunt coordinator (as Bennie Dobbins)
Monty Jordan	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt double: Michael O' Keefe (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Don Biller	....	first assistant camera: New York
Arthur Brooker	....	key grip (as Art Brooker)
Catharine Bushnell	....	still photographer: New York
Alan R. Disler	....	first assistant camera (as Alan Disler)
David Greene	....	second assistant camera: New York
George Holmes	....	gaffer
Larry Keys	....	second electrician (as Larry Keyes)
Richard C. Kratina	....	director of photography: New York (as Dick Kratina)
Stan McClain	....	assistant camera: aerial unit (as Stan McClean)
David B. Nowell	....	aerial camera operator (as David Nowell)
Richard Redlin	....	second grip
William H. Steiner	....	camera operator: New York (as William Steiner)

Casting Department
Jo Doster	....	local casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael W. Hoffman	....	costumer (as Mike Hoffman)
Christine Zamiara	....	costumer (as Chris Zamiara)

Editorial Department
George Folsey Jr.	....	consulting editor
David Strohmaier	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Else Blangsted	....	music editor
John Norman	....	scoring mixer
David Spear	....	conductor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
George Alden	....	transportation captain
Eddie Lee Voelker	....	transportation co-captain (as Ed Voelker)

Other crew
Jill Chadwick	....	production assistant (as Jill D. Chadwick)
P.C.G. Coulter	....	technical advisor (as Capt. P.C.G. Coulter)
Jan Dennehy	....	location auditor (as Janice Elan)
Hunt Downs	....	unit publicist
Sean Kevin Fitzpatrick	....	development executive: BCP
Fred Hesper	....	bee consultant
Cindy James	....	dog trainer
Clay Lacy	....	aerial sequences
Ted Langwell	....	assistant to production executive
Betsy Norton	....	script supervisor
Tobi C. Singleton	....	production coordinator
Jean Weyand	....	assistant to unit publicist
Jay Brown	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Bing Crosby Productions

Distributors

• Orion Pictures Corporation (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1979) (USA) (theatrical) (through)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1982) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• The Calhoun High School Band  group cast members
• The People of Beaufort, S.C.  group cast members

Also Known As:

The Gift of Fury
The Great Santini (USA)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Chile:TE | Finland:K-16 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Samuel Goldwyn Studios - 7200 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USA

Company:

Bing Crosby Productions

Trivia:

On the morning of the Academy Award nominations in 1981, when the movie got nods for actor and supporting actor, author Pat Conroy received a phone call from him father who told him "You and me got nominated for Academy Awards, your mother didn't get squat".

Goofs:

Continuity: As Santini's family is waiting at the hanger for him to arrive, Lillian's hair changes. With the wind blowing, sometimes her hair is messed up, sometimes it is combed nicely.

Quotes:

Bull Meechum: I am Santini, the Great Santini.
Bull Meechum: I come from behind the moon, out of the dark, unannounced.
Bull Meechum: Watch out!

Movie Connections:

References Gone with the Wind (1939)

Great story on the irony of being a Marine

I have not seen this film in over 20 years, but having been in the Marines, it will always be burned in my memory. You may also have to be, or have been, a Marine to fully appreciate the film (although anyone that has lived under authoritarian rule must feel some sympathy for the situations presented).

Although the film may have been re-cut for video release, I remember Duvall's character as being a fully fleshed out dichotomy of a man who rebelled against authority when submission was called for (his practical jokes while performing military duties) and invoking authoritarianism when more compassion and understanding were called for (his family life).

This is what it was like to be a Marine: The Corps was your family and your family was just an inconvenient duty to be performed for society.

If the movie has been re-edited, I suggest you try to see the original theatrical release, if possible. I found it to be a thoughtful and powerful motion picture.