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Private Benjamin ()

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A sheltered young high-society woman joins the United States Army on a whim and finds herself in a trickier situation than she ever expected.
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Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
  • Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 1 win & 3 nominations.
  • See more »
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Photos and Videos

56 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

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Judy Benjamin
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Capt. Doreen Lewis
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Henrí Trémont
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Col. Clay Thornbush
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Teddy Benjamin
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Harriet Benjamin
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Pvt. Mary Lou Glass
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Sgt. Jim Ballard
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Yale Goodman
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Rabbi
Estelle Marlov ...
Vocalist at Wedding
Everett Covin ...
Bandleader
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Arnie
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Mr. Waxman
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Photographer
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Aunt Kissy
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Aunt Betty
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Mrs. Goodman
Sandy Weintraub ...
Harvey Goodman
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Stanley Goodman
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Limo Passerby
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Newscaster
J.P. Bumstead ...
Induction Officer
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Sgt. L.C. Ross
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Pvt. Tina Gianelli
Damita Jo Freeman ...
Pvt. Gloria Moe
Alston Ahern ...
Pvt. P.J. Soyer
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Pvt. Wanda Winter
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Capt. William Wooldridge
James R. Barnett ...
Drill Instructor
Ray Oliver ...
Red Team Soldier #1
Robin Hoff ...
Red Team Soldier #2
Eddie Lewis ...
Red Team Soldier #3 (as Ed Lewis)
Carrol Davis Carson ...
Referee
Clay Wright ...
Helicopter Pilot (as Clayton D. Wright)
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Slick Guy
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Kim Osaka
George Roberts ...
Johnny Rourke
Helen Baron ...
Selma Lemish
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Leo Lemish
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Liz Lemish
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Mrs. Thornbush
Wil Albert ...
Lt. Rahmi
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General Foley
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Helga
Denise Halma ...
Gabrielle
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Mrs. Trémont
David Olivier ...
Jean Claude
Elie Liardet ...
Mayor
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shirley Anthony ...
Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Bill Baker ...
Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Stéphane Grappelli ...
Wedding Violinist (uncredited)
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Drill Sgt (uncredited)
Heather Haase ...
Young Judy Goodman (uncredited)
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Dancing Guest at wedding (uncredited)
Robert Martini ...
Wedding Guest (uncredited)
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Wedding Guest (uncredited)

Directed by

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Howard Zieff

Written by

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Nancy Meyers ... (written by) &
Charles Shyer ... (written by) &
Harvey Miller ... (written by)

Produced by

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Goldie Hawn ... executive producer
Nancy Meyers ... producer
Harvey Miller ... producer
Charles Shyer ... producer

Music by

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Bill Conti

Cinematography by

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David M. Walsh ... director of photography

Editing by

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Sheldon Kahn

Editorial Department

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Donah Bassett ... negative cutter
Lois Freeman ... associate editor
Joe Mosca ... assistant editor
John Walker ... color technician
Clayton Collins ... apprentice editor (uncredited)

Casting By

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Wallis Nicita ... (as Wally Nicita)
Jessica Overwise

Production Design by

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Robert F. Boyle ... (as Robert Boyle)
Jeffrey Howard

Set Decoration by

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Arthur Jeph Parker ... (as Arthur J. Parker)

Costume Design by

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Betsy Cox

Makeup Department

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Kathryn Blondell ... hair stylist
Rita Bordonaro ... hair stylist
E. Thomas Case ... makeup artist (as Tom Case)
Ricardo Romero Jones ... makeup artist

Production Management

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Henri Jaquillard ... production manager: French Unit
David Silver ... unit production manager
Juliette Toutain ... unit manager: French Unit

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Ross Brown ... second assistant director
Louis Pitzele ... first assistant director: French Unit
Jerry Sobul ... assistant director
Eric Stacey ... key second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department

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Harold Broner ... construction coordinator
Paul De Santis ... assistant property master (as Paul de Santis)
Serge Douy ... art director: French Unit
Jeffrey Howard ... assistant art director (as Jeff Howard)
Bill MacSems ... property master
Ron Frazier ... propmaker foreman (uncredited)
Sherman Labby ... production illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department

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Rick Alexander ... re-recording mixer (as Dick Alexander)
Martin Raymond Bolger ... sound mixer (as Martin Bolger)
Jim Bullock ... sound effects editor (as Jimmie Bullock)
Milton C. Burrow ... sound effects editor
Andy MacDonald ... re-recording mixer
William L. Manger ... supervising sound editor
Charles E. Moran ... sound effects editor (as Charles Moran)
Vern Poore ... re-recording mixer
Hal Whitby ... boom operator

Special Effects by

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Robert Peterson ... special effects
Gregory Twiford ... special effects crew (uncredited)

Stunts

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Gina Picerni ... stunt double
Glynn Rubin ... stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department

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Robert Edesa ... camera operator (as Bob Edesa)
Norman Harris ... gaffer
Ron Kenyon ... best boy
Richard Moran ... key grip
John R. Shannon ... stills (as John Shannon)
Ronald L. Vargas Jr. ... first assistant camera: "b" camera
Ken Fisher ... assistant camera (uncredited)
Adam Glick ... set lighting technician (uncredited)
Paul Jacobsen ... electrician (uncredited) / rigger (uncredited)
Norman Lang ... electrician (uncredited)
Johnny Walker ... first assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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James M. George ... costumer: men's (as Jim George)
Victoria Snow ... costumer: women's

Location Management

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Gene Fioramonti ... location manager
Patrick Meunier ... location manager: French Unit

Music Department

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Eugene Marks ... music editor
Dan Wallin ... score mixer
Franklin Jones Jr. ... dubbing mixer (uncredited)
Malcolm McNab ... musician: trumpet (uncredited)
Peter T. Myers ... orchestrator (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Betty Levin ... script supervisor (as Betty Chaplin)

Transportation Department

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John M. Woodward ... transportation coordinator (as John Woodward)
Gina August ... driver (uncredited)

Additional Crew

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Lynne Coke ... assistant to producers
Joan Eisenberg ... unit publicist
Wayne Fitzgerald ... titles
Edouard Garrouste ... production coordinator: French Unit
Deloris Claris Horn ... assistant: Ms. Hawn
Bridgette Kelley ... assistant to producers
Lee Stitch ... production coordinator
Christopher Raphael ... product placement (uncredited)
Barry Wexler ... crab dolly operator (uncredited)

Thanks

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Sally Gutnick ... special thanks
Jerome A. Sheill ... special thanks (as Jerome A. Sheill M.D.)
Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

When her husband dies on their wedding night, Judy decides to join the United States Army. She realizes that she has never been independent in her entire life. What looks like a bad decision at first, turns out not so bad at all. That is, until her superior officer makes sexual advances on her. She has been transferred to NATO headquarters in Europe and (re)meets the Frenchman Henri Tremont. Judy and Henri decide to marry, but will they? Written by Berend Meijer

Plot Keywords
Taglines The Army was no laughing matter until Judy Benjamin joined it. See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • La bidasse (France)
  • Schütze Benjamin (Germany)
  • La recluta Benjamin (Spain, Catalan title)
  • La recluta Benjamin (Spain)
  • Vojín Benjaminová (Czechia)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 109 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $9,500,000 (estimated)
Opening Weekend United States $4,739,769, 12 Oct 1980

Did You Know?

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Trivia Goldie Hawn signed onto Private Benjamin in June 1979 and went through boot camp training for six weeks. See more »
Goofs When the girls are in the war games and capture the Red Team truck the Sgt throws the keys away. Army vehicles do not require keys to start. The ignition is hardwired to a start button on the dash. EDIT: Every vehicle in the Army then required a key. If the vehicle did have a starter button (a switch on floor akin to the old headlight dimmer switches in cars) it would still be secured when parked by a chain welded to the floor and running up through the steering wheel and secured with a padlock. You can start it, but you can't steer it unless you have the key. Throwing away the key isn't a factual mistake. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in Why Would I Lie?, Terror Train, Gloria, Private Benjamin (1980). See more »
Soundtracks Hava Nagila See more »
Crazy Credits Opening credits prologue: When Judy Benjamin was eight years old, she confessed her life's desire to her best friend. "All I want," Judy whispered, "is a big house... nice clothes, two closets, a live-in maid, and a professional man for a husband." Today, all of Judy's dreams come true. See more »
Quotes [after sex]
Judy Benjamin: Now I know what I've been faking all these years.
Henri Tremont: That was your first?
Judy Benjamin: And second.
See more »
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