The Great Santini (1979)

Director:

Lewis John Carlino

Writers:

Lewis John Carlino (writer)
Pat Conroy (novel)

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

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)

A haunting true story.

When it comes to technical aspects, there's not much to say about this film. Lewis John Carlino's direction is simple yet adequate, and the cinematography leaves some to be desired.

No, it's the acting and script that really matter with this one. Robert Duvall is the main reason many will watch this, and it's easy to see why. The way he (and yes, many military men) treats his family is heartbreaking, and Duvall is completely immersed in the role.

Many would dismiss the film as TV movie-quality family drama, but that's simply an insult. This movie is far more, and far better than any others in it's genre.

7.7 out of 10