The Great Santini is another good movie that builds up on themes of hardships within the Marines and family life under a patriarchal rule. The last theme I can relate to so this makes the movie all the better. It's a great, emotional-provoking drama. There are many amusing moments, mostly in the beginning where Meechum was pulling pranks in the Spanish restaurant. But there were also many sad moments and some were quite unexpected.
This movie is about a high school teen named Ben Meechum who lives with his dictator of a father, his gentle mother, and his three siblings. Ben is always on the move because of his father's military career. His father is a talented fighter pilot, but very demanding. Ben wants to get out, but with his father's authoritarian rule, it may be nigh impossible.
Robert Duvall gave a very strong performance as the father, Bull Meechum. Duvall usually play laid-back characters, but that is certainly not the case here. Blythe Danner also gave a strong performance as the gentle mother who desperately tries to love Bull despite his shortcomings. I also liked Michael O'Keefe's performance as Ben, the son who doesn't want to be involved in the military.
Overall, The Great Santini is a great movie and a seemingly hidden film as I have never heard of it until I saw this movie on sale. But it explores relationships and hardships within a military family as well as themes focusing on heroism and self-sacrifice. I really liked the relationship Ben struck up with the son of their new maid. I thought it added humanity to the story. Another great military movie to watch. I rate this film 9/10.
This movie is about a high school teen named Ben Meechum who lives with his dictator of a father, his gentle mother, and his three siblings. Ben is always on the move because of his father's military career. His father is a talented fighter pilot, but very demanding. Ben wants to get out, but with his father's authoritarian rule, it may be nigh impossible.
Robert Duvall gave a very strong performance as the father, Bull Meechum. Duvall usually play laid-back characters, but that is certainly not the case here. Blythe Danner also gave a strong performance as the gentle mother who desperately tries to love Bull despite his shortcomings. I also liked Michael O'Keefe's performance as Ben, the son who doesn't want to be involved in the military.
Overall, The Great Santini is a great movie and a seemingly hidden film as I have never heard of it until I saw this movie on sale. But it explores relationships and hardships within a military family as well as themes focusing on heroism and self-sacrifice. I really liked the relationship Ben struck up with the son of their new maid. I thought it added humanity to the story. Another great military movie to watch. I rate this film 9/10.