Taps
Saw this movie in 1981 with my girlfriend. Have seen it a couple of times since and came across it again last night. Not sure what my 1981 girlfriend is doing. Probably should have called her.
Very solid movie that still holds up 36 years later. So many people who went on to have significant careers were in this thing.
It was intended to be a lead vehicle for Timothy Hutton who had just won an Oscar and was expected to be the next Cary Grant. He was good here, but after this his career just fizzled away -- or at least didn't live up to the heady expectations. Can he really complain, though? Dated Angelina Jolie. Dated Uma Thurman. Dated Diane Lane. Married to Debra Winger. Married to a hot French art chick. Just moved in (at 54) with a 26-year old who isn't half bad. That's a trophy case I'd be proud to have.
The movie also featured:
Baby Sean Penn, pre-Spicoli
Baby Tom Cruise, pre-Joel in Risky Business
Baby Giancarlo Esposito, pre-Gus Fring (there's a Fring-ish moment toward the end, though)
Baby Evan Handler, pre-lots of roles you'd know
Toss in pre-Robocop Ronny Cox and post-Patton George C. Scott and you've got a seriously good ensemble.
The story is just a little silly on its face. But in today's snowflake world where students at places like Trinity and Evergreen act like spoiled, entitled twits? There was something uplifting about the dedication to honor, respect, dignity and integrity expressed by the cadets in the face of impossible odds. Even though their mission was a little doe-eyed and improbable, I enjoyed seeing the unity they expressed and the dedication to protocol they displayed.
It's not one of my Top Ten movies. It's not even one of my "best of the 80s" movies. But maybe it should be. Good story told in a compelling manner by a group of decent actors.
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