Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story (1995) (TV)

Director:

Jeff Bleckner

Writer (WGA):

Alison Cross (written by)

Release Date:

6 February 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

There is no greater right than the freedom to love.

Plot:

The true story of a decorated officer's legal challenge to her involuntary discharge when she admitted she was homosexual.

Plot Keywords:

Military | Women Soldiers | Father Daughter Relationship | Homophobia | Gay Rights

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 6 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Glenn Close	...	Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer
Judy Davis	...	Diane
Jan Rubes	...	Far
Wendy Makkena	...	Mary Newcombe
Susan Barnes	...	Capt. Kern
William Converse-Roberts
Colleen Flynn
William Allen Young
Kevin McNulty
Vic Polizos	...	Jim
Eric Dane	...	Matt
Molly Parker	...	Lynette
Trevor St. John	...	David
Ryan Reynolds	...	Andy
Lance Robinson	...	Tom

Also Known As:

Serving in Silence (USA) (short title)
Serving in Silence: The Colonel Grethe Cammermeyer Story (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Barwood Films

Trivia:

Colonel Cammermeyer's son Andy, portrayed by Ryan Reynolds in the movie, was killed in a snowmobiling accident in Washington State on March 02, 2007.

Goofs:

Continuity: Diane picks up a light blue shirt to fold. The shot changes and she's folding a bark blue shirt, then picks up the light blue shirt again.

Quotes:

Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer: People ask, "Who are you?" We are their daughters, their sisters, their sons, their nurses, their mechanics, their athletes, their police. We're your doctors, your fathers, your politicians, your solidiers, your mothers, your friends. We live with you, we care for you, protect you, teach you, love you and need you. All we ask is that you let us.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Silent No More: Behind the Scenes of 'Serving in Silence' (2006) (V)

fighting your own

This film is destined to be stuck in USA cable cycle. It doesn't have the glamorous edge to interest a mass audience or a big movie budget. Which is often the case with classics. Excellently acted by Glenn Close using Alan Cross's intelligent and paced script this film is a true story made with sympathy and understanding showing their are craftspeople in the industry who are sidelined in favor of short attention span blockbusters. The film however does not enter the depths of emotion and passion it could have. Grethe Cammermeyer (the central character) is a more forceful person than portrayed in the film. This is unusual since films' often have to inject more glamor and passion into a character. She had to fight discrimination against gays in the military and made a benchmark case against military law at the very time that Bush Sr was pushing to maintain this discrimination. Grethe was forced to defend her feelings which like anyone else's were natural and instinctive before a court martial she was presenting as a freak and an enemy to the USA which she was loyally serving.