An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)

Director:

Taylor Hackford

Writer:

Douglas Day Stewart (written by)

Release Date:

13 August 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

It will lift you up where you belong.

Plot:

A young man must complete his work at a Navy Flight school to become an aviator, with the help of a tough gunnery sergeant and his new girlfriend.

Plot Keywords:

Navy | Suicide | Motorcycle | Washington State | Bare Breasts

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Richard Gere	...	Zack Mayo
Debra Winger	...	Paula Pokrifki
David Keith	...	Sid Worley
Robert Loggia	...	Byron Mayo
Lisa Blount	...	Lynette Pomeroy
Lisa Eilbacher	...	Casey Seeger
Louis Gossett Jr.	...	Sgt. Emil Foley
Tony Plana	...	Emiliano Della Serra
Harold Sylvester	...	Perryman
David Caruso	...	Topper Daniels
Victor French	...	Joe Pokrifiki
Grace Zabriskie	...	Esther Pokrifiki
Tommy Petersen	...	Young Zack
Mara Scott-Wood	...	Bunny (as Mara Scott Wood)
David Greenfield	...	Schneider
Dennis Rucker	...	Donny
Jane Wilbur	...	Nellie Rufferwell
Buck Welcher	...	Thraxton
Vern Taylor	...	Tom Worley
Elizabeth Rogers	...	Betty Worley
David R. Marshall	...	Drill Instructor #1
Gary C. Stillwell	...	Drill Instructor #2
Tee Dennard	...	Dilbert Dunker Instructor
Norbert M. Murray	...	Altitude Chamber Instructor
Daniel Tyler	...	New Recruit
William S. Graves	...	Captain Graves (as William Graves)
Brian D. Ford	...	Aerodynamics Instructor
Michael C. Pavey	...	Officer of the Day
Keith J. Haar	...	Air Officer Candidate
Pia Boyer	...	Paula's Sister
Danna Kiesel	...	Paula's Sister
Marvin Goatcher	...	Himself
John Laughlin	...	Troy
Jeffrey P. Rondeau	...	Troy's Friend
Michael Lee Bolger	...	Man in Crowd
Mark L. Graves	...	Bartender
Meleesa Wyatt	...	Prostitute #1
Jo Anna Keane	...	Prostitute #2
Ed Begley Jr.	...	Altitude Chamber Instructor (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bernard Madrid	...	Platoon Member (uncredited)

Directed by
Taylor Hackford

Writing credits
Douglas Day Stewart		(written by)

Produced by
Martin Elfand	....	producer
Douglas Day Stewart	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Jack Nitzsche		(music by)

Cinematography by
Donald E. Thorin		(director of photography) (as Donald Thorin)

Film Editing by
Peter Zinner

Casting by
Nancy Klopper

Production Design by
Philip M. Jefferies

Art Direction by
John V. Cartwright		(as John Cartwright)

Set Decoration by
James L. Berkey		(as James I. Berkey)

Makeup Department
Jerry O'Dell	....	makeup artist (as Gerald O'Dell)
Marina Pedraza	....	hairstylist
Jim Gillespie	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Bob Schneider	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pamela M. Eilerson	....	second assistant director
Daniel J. Heffner	....	second assistant director
David McGiffert	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Eugene S. Kelley	....	construction coordinator
Erik L. Nelson	....	property master

Sound Department
Don Coufal	....	boom operator
Don Digirolamo	....	re-recording mixer
Robert Glass	....	re-recording mixer
Robert Knudson	....	re-recording mixer (as Buzz Knudson)
Clive Smith	....	supervising sound editor
Jeff Wexler	....	sound mixer
Crew Chamberlain	....	cable person (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Joseph P. Mercurio	....	special effects

Stunts
Samuel M. Pace	....	stuntman
Jason Randal	....	stunt coordinator
Bill Stewart	....	stuntman

Camera and Electrical Department
James F. Boyle	....	gaffer (as James T. Boyle)
Earl L. Clark	....	camera assistant
Dick Colean	....	camera operator
Jack Cooperman	....	underwater photographer
Daniel R. Jordan	....	key grip
Carol McCullough	....	still photographer
John Burnett	....	second assistant camera: additional photography (uncredited)

Casting Department
Martina Ritt	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rita Riggs	....	costume supervisor
Laurie Riley	....	costume supervisor (as Laurie M. Riley)

Editorial Department
Priscilla Nedd-Friendly	....	associate editor (as Priscilla Nedd)

Music Department
Curt Sobel	....	music editor: La Da Productions
George Doering	....	musician (uncredited)
David Spear	....	conductor (uncredited)
James Thatcher	....	musician: French horn (uncredited)

Transportation Department
James E. Foote	....	transportation coordinator
Richard Belyeu	....	transportation captain (uncredited)

Other crew
William R. Borden	....	location manager
George Goode	....	conceptual research
William S. Graves	....	technical advisor (as Capt. William Graves U.S.N. {Ret.})
Paul G. Hensler	....	location manager: Philippines (as Paul Hensler)
Janice Lisalda	....	assistant: Mr. Hackford
Sandra Morley	....	assistant: Mr. Elfand
Mary Ann Newfield	....	script supervisor
Nilo Otero	....	assistant: Mr. Schneider (as Nilo A. Otero)
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Steven Pollack	....	assistant: Mr. Schneider
Jette Sorensen	....	production auditor
Bridget Terry	....	unit publicist
Buck Welcher	....	technical advisor
Bob Williams	....	technical advisor

Thanks
Gus Gustafson	....	special thanks: Fort Worden State Park
Art Kulman	....	special thanks: Washington State Dept. of Commerce & Economic Development
Brent Shirley	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Lorimar Film Entertainment

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1982) (USA) (theatrical) (presents)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1982) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1986) (USA) (TV)
• Paramount Home Video (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD) (special collector's edition)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Award Winning Collection)
• Cinema International Corporation (1982) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (198?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-edited)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Home Video Hellas (HVH) (1987) (Greece) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2005) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)

Other Companies

• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production (uncredited)
• Fort Worden State Park  special thanks
• Howard Anderson Company, The  titles and effects (as Howard A. Anderson Co.)
• La Da Productions  music editor
• Lynn Stalmaster & Associates  casting
• Neiman-Tillar Associates  post-production sound by
• Todd-AO Studios  re-recorded by (as Todd-AO)
• Washington State Dept. of Commerce & Economic Development  special thanks

Also Known As:

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Filipino

Colour:

Colour (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Finland:K-16 (re-rating) | Finland:K-18 (original rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Iceland:12 | France:Unrated | South Korea:18 | Peru:18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Chile:18 | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (PCA #26387) | West Germany:16 (w)

Filming Locations:

Bremerton, Washington, USA

Company:

Lorimar Film Entertainment

Trivia:

Richard Gere said to Barbara Walters he did the movie strictly for the money. It wound up being his biggest box office hit until Pretty Woman (1990).

Goofs:

Factual errors: For the entire movie, Gunnery Sergeant Foley is called either "Sir" or "Sergeant". While DIs at OCS are called "Sir" (despite being enlisted), a Gunnery Sergeant is never called just "Sergeant."

Quotes:

[first lines]
Mayo:[whispered to sleeping father] Hey.
[flashback to Manila]
Byron:Hey, kid! Are you Zack?
Young Zack:Yes, sir.
Byron:I'm Byron; nice to meet you. Come on, let's get your bags, OK?
Young Zack:Yes, sir.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "TV Land Confidential: Movies (#2.2)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Up Where We Belong

Great story of self-discovery made even better by strong performances

'An Officer And A Gentleman' is a brilliant film with great performances from Richard Gere, Louis Gossett Jr. and Debra Winger. Richard Gere embodies the character of Zack Mayo, a troubled young man who, due to neglect and ill parenting by a military father, signs up with the Navy to get some direction in his misguided life.

Mayo's life is made even harder by the ball-busting Sergeant Foley (Louis Gossett Jr.) upon his arrival at the barracks, and he struggles to find his place. However, he does find it in himself to stand-up to the overbearing Foley and his own inner-demons and, during the course of the film, goes from being selfish, weak and undisciplined to considerate, strong and determined. His will, as well as the love of the beautiful Paula (Debra Winger) and the guidance of Foley, makes him stay the course and lifts him 'up where he belongs'.

Richard Gere is great in adding layers to what could have been a poorly drawn characterisation. Mayo is not always the 'good guy' and is more often than not a complete prick. Nevertheless, he undertakes a journey of self-discovery where he refuses to become a carbon copy of his father and takes hold of his own destiny, turning himself into the man he wants to be. Gere has never been better on film than when he screams, `I got nowhere else to go!' at Foley in such a heartbreaking howl that the audience can literally feel his pain.

Debra Winger is also good as Paula, a downtrodden factory girl trapped in a small-minded small town with a lack of opportunities for women. She not only finds a way out in her love for Mayo, but the hope of a better future somewhere else. Louis Gossett Jr. also stands out as the foul-mouthed, domineering Sergeant Foley who proves to be pivotal in Mayo's journey.

With a great soundtrack, strong performances and the most rousing and emotional final scene in a film since 'Rocky', 'An Officer And A Gentleman' deserves its place among the classics of film history.