An Officer and a Gentleman
Seen it?1982 | 124 min | Drama, Romance
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It won 2 Oscars, it made about 25 times its budget and it earned strong reviews (79% on Rotten Tomatoes). A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for romantics. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Warm and romantic.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 4 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
Zack Mayo is an aloof, taciturn man who aspires to be a navy pilot. Once he arrives at training camp for his 13-week officer's course, Mayo runs afoul of abrasive, no-nonsense drill Sergeant Emil Foley. Mayo is an excellent cadet, but a little cold around the heart, so Foley rides him mercilessly, sensing that the young man would be prime officer material if he weren't so self-involved. Zack's affair with a working girl is likewise compromised by his unwillingness to give of himself.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
79% on Rotten Tomatoes, 75 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.0 out of 10
- AwardsVery strong
Won 2 Oscars: Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor, Academy Awards: Best Original Song. Won 2 Golden Globes: Golden Globe Awards: Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture, Golden Globe Awards: Best Original Song – Motion Picture. Won 1 BAFTA: British Academy Film Awards: Best Original Song Written for a Film. Also nominated for 4 more Oscars, 5 more Golden Globes and 1 more BAFTA. Plus 4 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerVery strong
$190 million worldwide on a $8 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 311K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Taylor Hackford
- Richard GereZack Mayo
- Debra WingerPaula Pokrifki
- Louis Gossett Jr.Sergeant Emil Foley
- David KeithSid Worley
- Robert LoggiaByron Mayo
- Lisa BlountLynette Pomeroy
- Lisa EilbacherCasey Seeger
- Harold SylvesterPerryman
- David CarusoTopper Daniels
- Grace ZabriskieEsther Pokrifiki