An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)

My Review

Richard Gere plays an undisciplined Navy recruit who must adapt to the military ways while learning to connect with others. He gets more than he bargained for when he falls in love with a local woman in the process. Director Taylor Hackford (“Ray” 2004) and screenwriter Douglas Day Stewart put together a classic romantic melodrama with good production values, interesting character development, and engrossing performances.

The cast includes Richard Gere as the officer trainee, Debra Winger as the girl friend, Louis Gossett Jr. as the drill sergeant, David Keith, Lisa Blount, Robert Loggia, Lisa Eilbacher, David Caruso, Victor French, Tony Plana, Grace Zabriskie, and Ed Begley Jr. in a voice role. The watchable “An Officer and a Gentleman” was the third highest grossing movie of 1982 for Lorimar Productions and Paramount Pictures.

The film was nominated for six Oscars, winning two: Best Original Song (“Up Where We Belong,” music by Jack Nitzsche & Buffy Sainte-Marie, lyrics by Will Jennings, performed by Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warren) and Best Supporting Actor (Gossett, the first African-American male Oscar winner). The non-winners were Best Actress (Winger), Best Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Score (Nitzsche). It was filmed in Port Townsend, Washington.