A Few Good Men

A Few Good Men (Question of Honor, title in Latin America; A Few Good Men, in Spain) is a 1992 American film directed by Rob Reiner and starring Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon and Kevin Pollak in the lead roles. It is based on the play of the same name by Aaron Sorkin, who also wrote the screenplay for the film.

It has been awarded six American film awards and was nominated for four Oscars: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Jack Nicholson), Best Sound, and Best Editing. It is part of AFI's 10 Top 10 in the category of "Court Films".

Synopsis

At the Guantanamo Bay Marine Base, Cuba, Private William Santiago is a Marine. Lt. Col. Matthew Markinson (J.T. Walsh) pleads for Santiago's transfer; however, the Base Commander, Colonel Nathan R. Jessup (Jack Nicholson) orders Santiago's platoon commander, Lt. John Kendrick (Kiefer Sutherland), to "train" the base. to Santiago. Santiago dies soon after. Marines Harold Dawson and Louden Downey are charged with his murder and are facing a military court.

While Santiago was apparently killed in retaliation for naming Dawson in a shootout at the Cuba fence, the United States Navy and United States Navy Attorney General, investigator and attorney Lt. Cmdr. JoAnne Gallaway (Demi Moore) suspects that Dawson and Downey carried out a "red key" order: a violent extrajudicial punishment. Galloway wants to defend them, but the case is given to Lt. Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise), a fledgling attorney with a penchant for plea bargains, and Sam Weinberg (Kevin Pollak). Galloway is annoyed by Kaffee's nonchalant approach, and Kaffee is annoyed by Galloway's interference.

Kaffee and Galloway question Colonel Jessup and the others at Guantanamo Bay. Under questioning, Jessup claims that Santiago was scheduled to be transferred the next day. When Kaffee negotiates a plea bargain with the United States Marine Corps Judge Advocate Division prosecutor, Jack Ross (Kevin Bacon) Dawson and Downey refuse, insisting that Kendrick gave them the "key" order. red" and that they never intended for Santiago to die. Dawson believes that it is dishonorable for Kaffee to seek a plea bargain instead of defending his actions at trial. Kaffee intends to be removed as a lawyer because he believes the trial is pointless. At the arraignment, Kaffee unexpectedly pleads not guilty to the defendants. He tells Galloway that he was chosen to handle the case because he was expected to take a guilty plea and that the matter would be kept quiet.

Markinson meets with Kaffee in secret and says that Colonel Jessup never ordered a transfer to Santiago. The defense establishes that Dawson was denied promotion for food smuggling, a Marine who had been sentenced to be deprived of food. Dawson is well portrayed and the defense, through Downey, shows that "red codes" had been ordered before. But during cross-examination, Downey says he was not present when Dawson received the alleged "red key" warrant. Markinson, embarrassed at failing to protect a Marine under his command, commits suicide before he can testify.

Without Markinson's testimony, Kaffee believes the case was lost. She returns home in a drunken stupor, regretting that she fought the case instead of taking a deal. Galloway encourages Kaffee to call Colonel Jessup as a witness, despite the risk of being court-martialed for challenging a high-ranking officer and pressuring him into confessing his guilt, as the only alternative to winning the case..

In court, Colonel Jessup entertains himself with great confidence under Kaffee's cross-examination, but becomes nervous when Kaffee presses him and points out a contradiction in his testimony: Colonel Jessup said that his Marines never disobey orders and that Santiago was to be transferred for his own safety. Kaffee questions why Santiago was in danger if Colonel Jessup had ordered his men to leave him alone. Disgusted by Kaffee's attitude, Colonel Jessup, who would have lied under oath, extols the importance of the military and his own for national security. Kaffee presses him and asks if he ordered to hit him, finally, Colonel Jessup agrees and yells with contempt, that he did order the "red key" against Santiago, after having denied it under oath. A desperate Colonel Jessup tries to get out of the courtroom but is arrested, Colonel Jessup's defense withdraws and recommends trying him.

Dawson and Downey are acquitted of murder and conspiracy charges, but found guilty of "improper conduct" and will be dishonorably discharged from the Navy. Downey does not understand what they did wrong by obeying the order to apply the red code; Dawson says that they couldn't defend those too weak to fight for themselves, like Santiago. Kaffee tells Dawson that he doesn't need to wear an arm patch to have honor. Dawson recognizes Kaffee as an officer and salutes. Kaffee and Ross exchange congratulations on their work, before Ross leaves to arrest Kendrick and Kaffee watches the consolidated courthouse like a trial attorney.

Cast

• Tom Cruise - Lieutenant of Ship of the Legal Corps of Marina Daniel Kaffee
• Jack Nicholson - Colonel of the United States Marine Corps (USMC), Commander-in-Chief of the Marine Corps Land Forces in Cuba, Nathan R. Jessup.
• Demi Moore - Captain of Corbeta of the Legal Corps of the Marina JoAnne Galloway
• Kevin Bacon - Captain USMC Jack Ross
• Kiefer Sutherland - Lieutenant USMC Jonathan Kendrick
• Kevin Pollak - Navy Lieutenant Sam Weinberg
• J. T. Walsh - Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Andrew Markinson
• Cuba Gooding, Jr. - Cabo USMC Carl Hammaker
• James Marshall - Infant UMC Louden Downey
• Wolfgang Bodison - Cabo Primero USMC Harold W. Dawson
• J.A. Preston - Military Judge Colonel USMC Julius Alexander Randolph
• Matt Craven - Lieutenant USMC Dave Spradling
• Michael DeLorenzo - Infante USMC William T. Santiago
• Noah Wyle - Cabo USMC Jeffrey Barnes
• Xander Berkeley - Captain USMC Whitaker
• Joshua Malina - Tom
• Christopher Guest - Captain of Fragata and naval doctor, Dr. Stone
• Aaron Sorkin - Lawyer in tavern
• John M. Jackson - U.S. Navy Attorney General, Captain of Ship West

Curiosities

• The scene between Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise was not originally written in the script and seeing the dialogue of the characters, was included.
• In a matter of scenery it was decided to use an empty cut for the filming of the trial.
• The novel "Misery" by Stephen King, whose film version was also directed by Rob Reiner in 1990 can be seen near a writing machine.
• Demi Moore's role was originally written for a man and Alec Baldwin was considered. For that same role they audited Linda Hamilton and Helen Hunt.
• Jack Nicholson spoke in his famous monologue in court as Colonel Jessup out of camera sometimes while Rob Reiner was able to film the reactions of other actors from various angles, although his monologue was filmed at the last and, according to Reiner, with the entire camera for him.
• Wolfgang Bodison was found by Reiner to play Corporal Harold Dawson at a scout camp after Reiner said he "fitted into a Marine guy"
• The sales rights of the film were exhausted before its premiere.
• A love scene between Demi Moore and Tom Cruise was planned but it was not realized because the film did not really give to include it.
• The word "sir" (sir), was used 164 times during the film, once every 50 seconds.
• The bodies of Marina belonged to the Texas A strangerM University's Corps of Cadets Fish Drill Team.
• Aaron Sorkin's trademark is to show two characters walking around a gym with a mobile camera, as seen in "The American President" (1995), "Sports Night" (1998) and "The West Wing" (1999) originated in this film. The scene between Kaffee and Ross was originally written for an office, but Rob Reiner, to create more action on the screen, suggested the scene.
• Cameo: Aaron Sorkin, the writer, appears as a lawyer at the bar talking to a woman about one of his cases. Writer Aaron Sorkin had the idea for his sister, that in real life he had a similar experience in Guantanamo to which Galloway would happen, in an incident where the victim was insulted by nine soldiers, but he did not die.
• Tom Cruise makes an improvisation by imitating Jack Nicholson in a scene where Demi Moore and Kevin Pollak smile.

Reception

The film was a huge success at the box office. It also received generally very positive reviews.

Awards

• ASCAP 1994 Award: the largest box office (Marc Shainman)
• MTV Award 1993: to the best film
• Chicago Film Critics Association 1992 Award: the best secondary actor (Jack Nicholson).
• National Board of Review of Motion Pictures 1992 Award: the best secondary actor (Jack Nicholson).
• People's Choice Award 1993: to the favourite dramatic film.
• Southeastern Film Critics Association 1993 Award: the best secondary actor (Jack Nicholson).