A Few Good Men (1992)

***A Few Good Men*** is a 1992 American legal drama film based on Aaron Sorkin's 1989 play. It was written by Sorkin, directed by Rob Reiner, and produced by Reiner, David Brown and Andrew Scheinman. It stars an ensemble cast including Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon, Kevin Pollak, J. T. Walsh, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Kiefer Sutherland. The plot follows the court-martial of two U.S. Marines charged with the murder of a fellow Marine and the tribulations of their lawyers as they prepare a case. Produced by Castle Rock Entertainment, the film was released by Columbia Pictures on December 11, 1992, and premiered on December 9, 1992, at Westwood. It received acclaim for its screenwriting, direction, themes, and acting, particularly that of Cruise, Nicholson, and Moore. It grossed more than $243 million on a budget of $40 million, and was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

## Plot:

At the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba, Private William Santiago is a weak Marine, has poor relations with other Marines, and has broken the chain of command to ask to be transferred away. Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Markinson advocates that Santiago be transferred; however, Base Commander Colonel Nathan Jessup orders Santiago's platoon commander, Lieutenant Jonathan James Kendrick, to "train" Santiago. Santiago dies shortly afterwards. Marines Harold Dawson and Louden Downey are accused of his murder and face a court-martial.

While it is believed that the motive in Santiago's murder was retribution for naming Dawson in a fenceline shooting into Cuba, Naval investigator and lawyer Joanne Galloway suspects Dawson and Downey carried out a "code red" order: a violent extrajudicial punishment. Galloway wants to defend them, but the case is given to lieutenant Daniel Kaffee, a callow lawyer with a penchant for plea bargains. Galloway is bothered by Kaffee's blasé approach, and Kaffee resents Galloway's interference.

Kaffee and Galloway question Colonel Jessup and others at Guantanamo Bay. Under questioning, Jessup claims Santiago was set to be transferred the next day. When Kaffee negotiates a plea bargain with the prosecutor Captain Jack Ross, Dawson and Downey refuse, insisting that Kendrick gave them the "code red" order and that they never intended Santiago to die. Dawson sees Kaffee as dishonorable by pursuing a plea bargain over defending their actions. Kaffee plans to have himself removed as counsel as he sees the trial as pointless. At the arraignment, Kaffee unexpectedly enters a plea of not guilty. He explains to Galloway that he was chosen to handle the case because he was expected to accept a plea, and the matter would be kept quiet.

Markinson meets Kaffee in secret and says that Jessup never ordered a transfer for Santiago. The defense establishes that Dawson had been denied promotion for smuggling food to a Marine who had been sentenced to go without food, painting Dawson in a good light and proving "code reds" had been ordered before. However, Downey, under cross-examination, reveals he was not actually present when Dawson received the supposed "code red" order. Markinson, ashamed that he failed to protect a Marine under his command, commits suicide before he can testify.

Without Markinson's testimony, Kaffee believes the case lost. He returns home in a drunken stupor, lamenting that he fought the case instead of taking a deal. Galloway encourages Kaffee to call Jessup as a witness, despite the risk of being court-martialed for smearing a high-ranking officer.

Jessup spars with Kaffee's questioning, but is unnerved when Kaffee points out a contradiction in his testimony: Jessup stated his Marines never disobey orders and that Santiago was to be transferred for his own safety. Kaffee asks why Santiago was in danger if Jessup ordered his men to leave him alone. Disgusted by what he sees as Kaffee's impudence towards the Marines, Jessup extols the military's importance, and his own, to national security. Finally, Jessup bellows with contempt that he ordered the "code red". Jessup tries to leave the courtroom but is arrested.

Dawson and Downey are cleared of the murder and conspiracy charges, but found guilty of "conduct unbecoming" and will be dishonorably discharged. Downey does not understand what they did wrong; Dawson explains that they had failed to defend those too weak to fight for themselves, like Santiago. Kaffee tells Dawson that he does not need to wear a patch on his arm to have honor. Dawson sheds his previous contempt for Kaffee, acknowledges him as an officer, and renders a salute. Kaffee and Ross exchange kudos before Ross departs to arrest Kendrick.

## Cast:

* Tom Cruise as Lieutenant (junior grade) Daniel Kaffee, USN, JAG Corps
* Jack Nicholson as Colonel Nathan R. Jessup, USMC
* Demi Moore as Lieutenant Commander JoAnne Galloway, USN, JAG Corps
* Kevin Bacon as Captain Jack Ross, USMC, Judge Advocate Division
* Kiefer Sutherland as First Lieutenant Jonathan James Kendrick, USMC
* Kevin Pollak as Lieutenant (junior grade) Sam Weinberg, USN, JAG Corps
* Wolfgang Bodison as Lance Corporal Harold W. Dawson, USMC
* James Marshall as Private First Class Louden Downey, USMC
* J. T. Walsh as Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Andrew Markinson, USMC
* J. A. Preston as Judge (Colonel) Julius Alexander Randolph, USMC
* Michael DeLorenzo as Private First Class William Santiago, USMC
* Noah Wyle as Corporal Jeffrey Owen Barnes, USMC
* Cuba Gooding Jr. as Corporal Carl Edward Hammaker, USMC
* Xander Berkeley as Captain Whitaker, USN
* Matt Craven as Lieutenant Dave Spradling, USN, JAG Corps
* John M. Jackson as Captain West, USN, JAG Corps
* Christopher Guest as Commander (Dr.) Stone, USN, MC
* David Bowe as Commander Gibbs, USN JAG Corps
* Joshua Malina as Tom, Jessup's clerk
* Harry Caesar as newspaper stand operator Luther
* Arthur Senzy as Robert C. McGuire, Special Agent - NIS

**Cast notes:**

* Joshua Malina is the only actor to reprise his role from the original Broadway production.
* Aaron Sorkin makes a cameo appearance as a lawyer bragging in a tavern