The first line on the back facing of the Special Collector´s Edition of "An Officer and a Gentleman" reads "Once in a great while, a movie comes along that truly grips and uplifts its audience." I have to admit, I just don´t get it. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why this Richard Gere/ Debra Winger film was the tremendous hit that it became. The military aspects of the film are shoddy, the love story is not deeply detailed and I´m still trying to fully decipher the meaning of the film´s title. Having went through U.S. Army Infantry, I had trouble being convinced the training regiment was realistic and found it unusual the officer candidates had so much freedom to canoodle around town and shack up with the local women. The film takes time detailing the importance of "Liberty," but the young men certainly have no problems finding liberty time. Debra Winger and Richard Gere show good chemistry on-screen, but their up and down relationship takes a backseat to the tough love affair between a drill instructor and a troubled soldier whose dramatic fight scene leaves the audience pondering what was actually accomplished by the two.
"An Officer and a Gentleman" is about a man who has nothing in life and decides to become a Navy pilot and show his father that he is the better man and can find his own direction in life. The young man, Zack Mayo (Richard Gere) has followed his father through life from port to port and enjoyed hookers with his father. He has no direction in life and his father prefers to be a drinking buddy and not a proper father. Although Zack is tattooed, sports long hair and is far from being a gentleman, he makes it his goal to pass the fifteen week training period and become a Naval Aviator. Upon arriving at the Naval training facility (the Navy refused the filmmakers access to Pensacola, Florida, their actual training facility because of the inaccuracies and depiction of young officers in the script), Gere is quickly singled out by a tough Drill Instructor, Gunnery Sgt. Foley (Lou Gossett, Jr.). Gere is placed into a barracks room with Perryman (Harold Sylvester), Sid Worley (Keith David) and Topper Daniels (David Caruso).
On a night at a formal Naval party, Zack and his friend Sid ask to be introduced to two young girls looking to land an officer for a husband. These women, Paula Pokrifki (Debra Winger) and Lynette Pomeroy (Lisa Blount) leave with the officers in training and head to a motel with bottles of alcohol and engage in an evening of passionate sex. Having landed their targets, Lynette and Paula continue to romance the two men throughout their training under Sgt. Foley. Eventually, Lynette conceives a plot to force Sid Worley into a more permanent relationship, but after she snaps Sid, Lynette learns that Sid is no longer in training and dumps Sid with tragic result. Zack and Paula fall in love, but Zack´s nature as a loner causes a strain between the two and Paula quickly moves on to find another suitor, but continues to proclaim her love to Zack.
The real meat of the story is Louis Gossett, Jr. Louis Gossett Jr. won an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley. He was a tough bastard in the film that was hard on the officer candidates and aside from a hokey scene where Foley sports Kung Fu clothing; Gossett Jr. was convincing. From my own experiences training for the Infantry, Gossett Jr. was not nearly as harsh and tough as the real deal I had experienced, but his portrayal was far better than most Hollywood Drill Sergeants. In my opinion, Gossett Jr. is the film and his performance is easily the best reason to watch "An Officer and a Gentleman." Richard Gere is just fine as the young officer who has grown up an angry loner with poor parenting and has learned to survive alone and for himself. He must learn that no man can survive without aiding others and relying on their assistance every once in a while. The dynamics between Foley and Zack as Foley gives tough love to his trainee to understand the value of not living a lonely life is easily the strongest element of the story. Aside from the rushed and quickly forgotten fight between the two, the relationship between Foley and Mayo is very nicely done.
Debra Winger was a pretty lady and she shared good chemistry with Gere, but I felt betrayed as the audience when she snubbed Gere´s character in a bar for another man and then calmly tells Gere´s character her love for him a few scenes later. Their entire affair is full of ups and downs and the movie spends no time evaluating the situations or offering any explanations for the characters continuous change of heart. One moment, Paula is madly in love with Zack and trying to win him over. The next minute she offers Zack only a cold shoulder when Zack has decided to offer his love and open up to her. The relationship between Sid and Lynette is sad and unfortunate and only serves as a foil for the true love that is supposedly occurring between the other two. By seeing the negative aspects of Lynette and Sid, the viewer is expected to see the beauty of Paula and Zack. And when things go to hell between Sid and Lynette, "An Officer and a Gentleman" only pulls unnecessary emotional strings.
I didn´t dislike this film, but I found it lacking any long lasting and redeeming qualities. The training depicted in the film is somewhat accurate to what I experienced and from what I have researched, not entirely accurate for Naval Aviators. The training only serves as a backdrop for Zack Mayo´s character flaws and to help display the hard-assed nature of Gunnery Sergeant Foley. Sadly, Drill Sergeant Pettingill would have made Foley look like a teddy bear. The loves story of Sid and Lynette is superficial and intended to be as such. However, a lot of the romance between Paula and Zack feels even more superficial. Aside from a lustful evening in a motel where Zack finally opens up, there isn´t a lot of warmth shared between the two. The final scene where Zack marches into Paula´s place of employment in his clean white uniform and sweeps her off her feet is nicely done, but doesn´t quite match the rest of the relationship between the two. I know a few people who consider this film to be one of the most romantic movies ever. I just don´t see it. It is decent, but far from the classic it is considered to be.
"An Officer and a Gentleman" is about a man who has nothing in life and decides to become a Navy pilot and show his father that he is the better man and can find his own direction in life. The young man, Zack Mayo (Richard Gere) has followed his father through life from port to port and enjoyed hookers with his father. He has no direction in life and his father prefers to be a drinking buddy and not a proper father. Although Zack is tattooed, sports long hair and is far from being a gentleman, he makes it his goal to pass the fifteen week training period and become a Naval Aviator. Upon arriving at the Naval training facility (the Navy refused the filmmakers access to Pensacola, Florida, their actual training facility because of the inaccuracies and depiction of young officers in the script), Gere is quickly singled out by a tough Drill Instructor, Gunnery Sgt. Foley (Lou Gossett, Jr.). Gere is placed into a barracks room with Perryman (Harold Sylvester), Sid Worley (Keith David) and Topper Daniels (David Caruso).
On a night at a formal Naval party, Zack and his friend Sid ask to be introduced to two young girls looking to land an officer for a husband. These women, Paula Pokrifki (Debra Winger) and Lynette Pomeroy (Lisa Blount) leave with the officers in training and head to a motel with bottles of alcohol and engage in an evening of passionate sex. Having landed their targets, Lynette and Paula continue to romance the two men throughout their training under Sgt. Foley. Eventually, Lynette conceives a plot to force Sid Worley into a more permanent relationship, but after she snaps Sid, Lynette learns that Sid is no longer in training and dumps Sid with tragic result. Zack and Paula fall in love, but Zack´s nature as a loner causes a strain between the two and Paula quickly moves on to find another suitor, but continues to proclaim her love to Zack.
The real meat of the story is Louis Gossett, Jr. Louis Gossett Jr. won an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley. He was a tough bastard in the film that was hard on the officer candidates and aside from a hokey scene where Foley sports Kung Fu clothing; Gossett Jr. was convincing. From my own experiences training for the Infantry, Gossett Jr. was not nearly as harsh and tough as the real deal I had experienced, but his portrayal was far better than most Hollywood Drill Sergeants. In my opinion, Gossett Jr. is the film and his performance is easily the best reason to watch "An Officer and a Gentleman." Richard Gere is just fine as the young officer who has grown up an angry loner with poor parenting and has learned to survive alone and for himself. He must learn that no man can survive without aiding others and relying on their assistance every once in a while. The dynamics between Foley and Zack as Foley gives tough love to his trainee to understand the value of not living a lonely life is easily the strongest element of the story. Aside from the rushed and quickly forgotten fight between the two, the relationship between Foley and Mayo is very nicely done.
Debra Winger was a pretty lady and she shared good chemistry with Gere, but I felt betrayed as the audience when she snubbed Gere´s character in a bar for another man and then calmly tells Gere´s character her love for him a few scenes later. Their entire affair is full of ups and downs and the movie spends no time evaluating the situations or offering any explanations for the characters continuous change of heart. One moment, Paula is madly in love with Zack and trying to win him over. The next minute she offers Zack only a cold shoulder when Zack has decided to offer his love and open up to her. The relationship between Sid and Lynette is sad and unfortunate and only serves as a foil for the true love that is supposedly occurring between the other two. By seeing the negative aspects of Lynette and Sid, the viewer is expected to see the beauty of Paula and Zack. And when things go to hell between Sid and Lynette, "An Officer and a Gentleman" only pulls unnecessary emotional strings.
I didn´t dislike this film, but I found it lacking any long lasting and redeeming qualities. The training depicted in the film is somewhat accurate to what I experienced and from what I have researched, not entirely accurate for Naval Aviators. The training only serves as a backdrop for Zack Mayo´s character flaws and to help display the hard-assed nature of Gunnery Sergeant Foley. Sadly, Drill Sergeant Pettingill would have made Foley look like a teddy bear. The loves story of Sid and Lynette is superficial and intended to be as such. However, a lot of the romance between Paula and Zack feels even more superficial. Aside from a lustful evening in a motel where Zack finally opens up, there isn´t a lot of warmth shared between the two. The final scene where Zack marches into Paula´s place of employment in his clean white uniform and sweeps her off her feet is nicely done, but doesn´t quite match the rest of the relationship between the two. I know a few people who consider this film to be one of the most romantic movies ever. I just don´t see it. It is decent, but far from the classic it is considered to be.
The first line on the back facing of the Special Collector´s Edition of "An Officer and a Gentleman" reads "Once in a great while, a movie comes along that truly grips and uplifts its audience." I have to admit, I just don´t get it. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why this Richard Gere/ Debra Winger film was the tremendous hit that it became. The military aspects of the film are shoddy, the love story is not deeply detailed and I´m still trying to fully decipher the meaning of the film´s title. Having went through U.S. Army Infantry, I had trouble being convinced the training regiment was realistic and found it unusual the officer candidates had so much freedom to canoodle around town and shack up with the local women. The film takes time detailing the importance of "Liberty," but the young men certainly have no problems finding liberty time. Debra Winger and Richard Gere show good chemistry on-screen, but their up and down relationship takes a backseat to the tough love affair between a drill instructor and a troubled soldier whose dramatic fight scene leaves the audience pondering what was actually accomplished by the two.
"An Officer and a Gentleman" is about a man who has nothing in life and decides to become a Navy pilot and show his father that he is the better man and can find his own direction in life. The young man, Zack Mayo (Richard Gere) has followed his father through life from port to port and enjoyed hookers with his father. He has no direction in life and his father prefers to be a drinking buddy and not a proper father. Although Zack is tattooed, sports long hair and is far from being a gentleman, he makes it his goal to pass the fifteen week training period and become a Naval Aviator. Upon arriving at the Naval training facility (the Navy refused the filmmakers access to Pensacola, Florida, their actual training facility because of the inaccuracies and depiction of young officers in the script), Gere is quickly singled out by a tough Drill Instructor, Gunnery Sgt. Foley (Lou Gossett, Jr.). Gere is placed into a barracks room with Perryman (Harold Sylvester), Sid Worley (Keith David) and Topper Daniels (David Caruso).
On a night at a formal Naval party, Zack and his friend Sid ask to be introduced to two young girls looking to land an officer for a husband. These women, Paula Pokrifki (Debra Winger) and Lynette Pomeroy (Lisa Blount) leave with the officers in training and head to a motel with bottles of alcohol and engage in an evening of passionate sex. Having landed their targets, Lynette and Paula continue to romance the two men throughout their training under Sgt. Foley. Eventually, Lynette conceives a plot to force Sid Worley into a more permanent relationship, but after she snaps Sid, Lynette learns that Sid is no longer in training and dumps Sid with tragic result. Zack and Paula fall in love, but Zack´s nature as a loner causes a strain between the two and Paula quickly moves on to find another suitor, but continues to proclaim her love to Zack.
The real meat of the story is Louis Gossett, Jr. Louis Gossett Jr. won an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley. He was a tough bastard in the film that was hard on the officer candidates and aside from a hokey scene where Foley sports Kung Fu clothing; Gossett Jr. was convincing. From my own experiences training for the Infantry, Gossett Jr. was not nearly as harsh and tough as the real deal I had experienced, but his portrayal was far better than most Hollywood Drill Sergeants. In my opinion, Gossett Jr. is the film and his performance is easily the best reason to watch "An Officer and a Gentleman." Richard Gere is just fine as the young officer who has grown up an angry loner with poor parenting and has learned to survive alone and for himself. He must learn that no man can survive without aiding others and relying on their assistance every once in a while. The dynamics between Foley and Zack as Foley gives tough love to his trainee to understand the value of not living a lonely life is easily the strongest element of the story. Aside from the rushed and quickly forgotten fight between the two, the relationship between Foley and Mayo is very nicely done.
Debra Winger was a pretty lady and she shared good chemistry with Gere, but I felt betrayed as the audience when she snubbed Gere´s character in a bar for another man and then calmly tells Gere´s character her love for him a few scenes later. Their entire affair is full of ups and downs and the movie spends no time evaluating the situations or offering any explanations for the characters continuous change of heart. One moment, Paula is madly in love with Zack and trying to win him over. The next minute she offers Zack only a cold shoulder when Zack has decided to offer his love and open up to her. The relationship between Sid and Lynette is sad and unfortunate and only serves as a foil for the true love that is supposedly occurring between the other two. By seeing the negative aspects of Lynette and Sid, the viewer is expected to see the beauty of Paula and Zack. And when things go to hell between Sid and Lynette, "An Officer and a Gentleman" only pulls unnecessary emotional strings.
I didn´t dislike this film, but I found it lacking any long lasting and redeeming qualities. The training depicted in the film is somewhat accurate to what I experienced and from what I have researched, not entirely accurate for Naval Aviators. The training only serves as a backdrop for Zack Mayo´s character flaws and to help display the hard-assed nature of Gunnery Sergeant Foley. Sadly, Drill Sergeant Pettingill would have made Foley look like a teddy bear. The loves story of Sid and Lynette is superficial and intended to be as such. However, a lot of the romance between Paula and Zack feels even more superficial. Aside from a lustful evening in a motel where Zack finally opens up, there isn´t a lot of warmth shared between the two. The final scene where Zack marches into Paula´s place of employment in his clean white uniform and sweeps her off her feet is nicely done, but doesn´t quite match the rest of the relationship between the two. I know a few people who consider this film to be one of the most romantic movies ever. I just don´t see it. It is decent, but far from the classic it is considered to be.
"An Officer and a Gentleman" is about a man who has nothing in life and decides to become a Navy pilot and show his father that he is the better man and can find his own direction in life. The young man, Zack Mayo (Richard Gere) has followed his father through life from port to port and enjoyed hookers with his father. He has no direction in life and his father prefers to be a drinking buddy and not a proper father. Although Zack is tattooed, sports long hair and is far from being a gentleman, he makes it his goal to pass the fifteen week training period and become a Naval Aviator. Upon arriving at the Naval training facility (the Navy refused the filmmakers access to Pensacola, Florida, their actual training facility because of the inaccuracies and depiction of young officers in the script), Gere is quickly singled out by a tough Drill Instructor, Gunnery Sgt. Foley (Lou Gossett, Jr.). Gere is placed into a barracks room with Perryman (Harold Sylvester), Sid Worley (Keith David) and Topper Daniels (David Caruso).
On a night at a formal Naval party, Zack and his friend Sid ask to be introduced to two young girls looking to land an officer for a husband. These women, Paula Pokrifki (Debra Winger) and Lynette Pomeroy (Lisa Blount) leave with the officers in training and head to a motel with bottles of alcohol and engage in an evening of passionate sex. Having landed their targets, Lynette and Paula continue to romance the two men throughout their training under Sgt. Foley. Eventually, Lynette conceives a plot to force Sid Worley into a more permanent relationship, but after she snaps Sid, Lynette learns that Sid is no longer in training and dumps Sid with tragic result. Zack and Paula fall in love, but Zack´s nature as a loner causes a strain between the two and Paula quickly moves on to find another suitor, but continues to proclaim her love to Zack.
The real meat of the story is Louis Gossett, Jr. Louis Gossett Jr. won an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley. He was a tough bastard in the film that was hard on the officer candidates and aside from a hokey scene where Foley sports Kung Fu clothing; Gossett Jr. was convincing. From my own experiences training for the Infantry, Gossett Jr. was not nearly as harsh and tough as the real deal I had experienced, but his portrayal was far better than most Hollywood Drill Sergeants. In my opinion, Gossett Jr. is the film and his performance is easily the best reason to watch "An Officer and a Gentleman." Richard Gere is just fine as the young officer who has grown up an angry loner with poor parenting and has learned to survive alone and for himself. He must learn that no man can survive without aiding others and relying on their assistance every once in a while. The dynamics between Foley and Zack as Foley gives tough love to his trainee to understand the value of not living a lonely life is easily the strongest element of the story. Aside from the rushed and quickly forgotten fight between the two, the relationship between Foley and Mayo is very nicely done.
Debra Winger was a pretty lady and she shared good chemistry with Gere, but I felt betrayed as the audience when she snubbed Gere´s character in a bar for another man and then calmly tells Gere´s character her love for him a few scenes later. Their entire affair is full of ups and downs and the movie spends no time evaluating the situations or offering any explanations for the characters continuous change of heart. One moment, Paula is madly in love with Zack and trying to win him over. The next minute she offers Zack only a cold shoulder when Zack has decided to offer his love and open up to her. The relationship between Sid and Lynette is sad and unfortunate and only serves as a foil for the true love that is supposedly occurring between the other two. By seeing the negative aspects of Lynette and Sid, the viewer is expected to see the beauty of Paula and Zack. And when things go to hell between Sid and Lynette, "An Officer and a Gentleman" only pulls unnecessary emotional strings.
I didn´t dislike this film, but I found it lacking any long lasting and redeeming qualities. The training depicted in the film is somewhat accurate to what I experienced and from what I have researched, not entirely accurate for Naval Aviators. The training only serves as a backdrop for Zack Mayo´s character flaws and to help display the hard-assed nature of Gunnery Sergeant Foley. Sadly, Drill Sergeant Pettingill would have made Foley look like a teddy bear. The loves story of Sid and Lynette is superficial and intended to be as such. However, a lot of the romance between Paula and Zack feels even more superficial. Aside from a lustful evening in a motel where Zack finally opens up, there isn´t a lot of warmth shared between the two. The final scene where Zack marches into Paula´s place of employment in his clean white uniform and sweeps her off her feet is nicely done, but doesn´t quite match the rest of the relationship between the two. I know a few people who consider this film to be one of the most romantic movies ever. I just don´t see it. It is decent, but far from the classic it is considered to be.
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