The Great Santini (1979)

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Blistering performances.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

This Movie has Echoes of Cable Television and it Shows. The Way it is Shot and Scored is Evident of Many of its Small Screen Siblings. The Music is Over the Top, Draws Attention to Itself, and is Obvious Most of the Time and the Cinematography, while Adequate is Sort of Bland and Unremarkable.The Attraction Here is Robert Duvall's Performance that Garnered an Oscar Nomination. The Rest of the Cast Struggles to Keep Up but Succeeds. Michael O'Keefe was Also Given a Best Supporting Nod as the Son, and is Overshadowed and by Comparison Duvall Kicks His Ass, and Leaves Him Whimpering.The Story is Autobiographical from the Book by Pat Conroy and it is About a Warrior Without a War. The Viewer Wishes that He Had One Because it Can Be Painful at Times Watching this Patriarch Pound His Family Into Tip-Top Fighting Condition.Overall, it is a Fine Film with Just Enough Ingredients to Keep Things On a Somewhat Even Keel as Duvall's God Complex is On Display. It Seems the Movie is Underseen and Off the Radar and it Deserves to be Rediscovered.

Lt. Col. 'Bull' Meechum (Robert Duvall) is a wildcat Marine Pilot stationed stateside ; at the beginning , he along with his family are living in Spain , then , they return to USA . The family is formed by father , mother (Blythe Danner) and children (Michael O'Keefe as Ben , Lisa Jane Persky as Mary Anne , Julie Anne Haddock as Karen and Brian Andrews as Matthew Meechum) . They are a dysfunctional family , rigidly governed by the father , as he abuses and deals them in military style , because he doesn't allow himself any other way yo show his affection .The motion picture mingles tenderness , warm humor , racism with harsh cruelties inherent with unsettling as well unpleasant main character , including his repressed emotions , frustrated career and family mistreat . According to author Pat Conroy, Lt. Col. Bull Meecham is based entirely on his own father, Donald Conroy, a Marine fighter pilot who referred to himself in the third person as "The Great Santini." Donald Conroy took the nickname from a magician he'd seen as a child ; in fact Pat and Donald Conroy were on the set on the day . Producers gratefully acknowledge the technical assistance of the US Marine Corps , in the production of this picture . The movie was virtually undistributed and originally released directly to cable and airlines, under the title "The Ace" , when the NY Times reviewed it very favorably, it was pulled from cable, and released due to critical acclaim to theaters under the title "The Great Santini" . Very good acting by Robert Duvall as an aggressively competitive, but frustrated marine pilot strictly related to his family with whom he shares a strident and sometimes fun love-hatred relationship . Skillful acting especially from the youngsters with special mention to Miles O'Keefe . And standout performance by Blythe Danner ; despite playing the mummy , Blythe Danner is only 12 years older than children Michael O'Keefe and Lisa Jane Persky . Secondary cast is pretty good such as Stan Shaw , Paul Gleeson , Paul Mantee , Michael Strong and David Keith film debut .Atmospheric cinematography by Ralph Woolsey , filmed on location in South Carolina and in Samuel Goldwyn studios , Hollywood Calif. Cameraman used lenses and Panaflex camera by Panavision , prints by Technicolor . In 1981, the movie got nods for nominated for Academy Awards to actor and supporting actor. Rousing musical score by the master Elmer Bernstein in his particular as well as martial style . The motion picture was professionally written and directed by Lewis Jon Carlino who extracted good performances and well-developed events .He is a writer and director, known for The mechanic , Mafia , Seconds ; having only directed three films : Class , The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea and this Great Santini .

my father who was and still thinks to this day he is the greatest marine pilot that god ever made .and this movie is so real to me i have not been able to watch it until now .2012 .still effected by his brainwashed convincing ways his rite I'm wrong attitude. The world is wrong except him and his fellow Marine buddy's .He hasn't admitted to any wrong doing, from my childhood to adult hood.never its all about him. Writing this, makes me weep like a child .I'm still in-shock after 48 years. I don't know how I've been able to stay alive . ask me please. my father who was and still thinks to this day he is the greatest marine pilot that god ever made .and this movie is so real to me i have not been able to watched it until now .2012 .still effected by his brainwashed convincing ways his rite I'm wrong attitude. The world is wrong except him and his fellow Marine buddy's .He hasn't admitted to any wrong doing, from my childhood to adult hood.never its all about him. Writing this, makes me weep like a child .I'm still in-shock after 48 years. I don't know how I've been able to stay alive . ask me please.

It's sad to think that people could actually be like this, but apparently there are such individuals. Lt. Col. Bull Meechum (Robert Duvall) is a military man without a war, so he uses all his energy to regiment his family. Immature and rather mean, Bull always gets his way...until they move to Beaufort, South Carolina. When Bull's son Ben (Michael O'Keefe) befriends African-American Toomer Smalls (Stan Shaw), it sets the stage for what's going to follow."The Great Santini" is very well done. Since this was written by Pat Conroy - who also wrote "The Prince of Tides" - we can easily conclude that he must have had an abusive father. Also starring Blythe Danner, David Keith, and Paul Gleason (whom you may recognize as Clarence Beaks from "Trading Places" and the principal from "The Breakfast Club").