Stripes (1981)

My Review

“Stripes” is a comedy film about a man who decides to enter the Army after a series of setbacks in his personal and professional life. He discovers that his personality and attitudes conflict with military life, which brings on comedic situations roughly in the traditions of Goldie Hawn in “Private Benjamin” (1980) and Jim Nabors in CBS-TV’s “Gomer Pyle” (1964-1969). Director Ivan Reitman (“Meatballs” 1979) was thorough in his professionalism at the helm of this movie, from a good screenplay by Lee Blum, Dan Goldberg, and Harold Ramis.

Bill Murray heads a cast including Harold Ramis, Warren Oates, P. J. Soles, Sean Young, John Candy, John Larroquette, John Diehl, Judge Reinhold, Bill Paxton, Timothy Busfield, Judge Reinhold, and Dave Thomas. “Stripes” was a big hit at the box office for producer Ivan Reitman and Columbia Pictures. Elmer Bernstein composed the musical score. It was filmed in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and Los Angeles, California.