Hard-nosed, hard-living Marine Gunnery Sergeant Tom Highway clashes with his superiors and his ex-wife as he takes command of a spoiled recon platoon with a bad attitude.Hard-nosed, hard-living Marine Gunnery Sergeant Tom Highway clashes with his superiors and his ex-wife as he takes command of a spoiled recon platoon with a bad attitude.Hard-nosed, hard-living Marine Gunnery Sergeant Tom Highway clashes with his superiors and his ex-wife as he takes command of a spoiled recon platoon with a bad attitude.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 2 wins & 1 nomination total
- Aponte
- (as Ramon Franco)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe use of a credit card to place a long-distance landline fire support is based on an actual event in the Operation Urgent Fury Grenada action. A U.S. Navy S.E.A.L. rescuing the Governor General placed a calling card call to S.O.C.O.M., which brought an AC-130 gunship to bear on an A.P.C. that was firing on them.
- GoofsEven if he did not like the individual, it is extremely unprofessional for a Marine officer like Major Powers to not render the proper courtesies towards a Medal of Honor recipient, which Highway was.
- Quotes
Jail Binger: I don't like soldier boys.
Highway: Say what?
Jail Binger: If you wanna pop that puppy's can you don't have to grease him so hard, jarhead.
Highway: Well, it sounds like you're a man of experience.
Jail Binger: What the hell's that supposed to mean, grunge shit.
Highway: It means: Be advised. I'm mean, nasty and tired. I eat concertina wire and piss napalm and I can put a round in a flea's ass at 200 meters. So why don't you go hump somebody else's leg, mutt face, before I push yours in.
Jail Binger: Ain't gonna be so smart with your balls stuffed in your mouth, jarhead!
Highway: [hands cigar to the young man] Hang on to this, boy. I think war's just been declared.
- Crazy creditsThe opening Warner Bros. logo is black and white.
- Alternate versionsTheatrical version included a scene where Gunny Highway stands in front of one of the Marines at the target practice, forcing him to shoot straight. Reportedly, this scene doesn't appear in the video release.
- SoundtracksSea of Heartbreak
Written by Hal David and Paul Hampton
Performed by Don Gibson
Guitar by Hank Garland (uncredited)
Courtesy of Hickory Records
In 1986, I was 10. I was way too interested in war/military based films/TV/books. (Fun-fact: never enrolled, and don't own any guns. I think i was drawn to the uniforms, haha)
I still remember the night I convinced my parents to rent this, at the video store. Believe it or not, this was the first "Clint" movie I ever watched, lol. I figured it would be like the Chuck Norris/Rambo movies, I had watched. Boy, was I wrong.
Even as a ten year old, I had a fondness for the script and the characters. And now, at 44, I'm still enjoying a rewatch, at least 1-3 times per year, haha
Of course, objectively, this is a unimpressive throwaway 80's flick. It's possibly the only movie to use the 'invasion' of Grenada, as a backdrop-or, it certainly was, at the time. It's overtly jingoistic; on par with the 'Red Dawn's', and 'Top Gun's' of the era. It's more of a comedy, compared to a military action movie.
And certainly, in 2020, the 80's humour comes across as dated-that said, I think it's disingenuous to get offended over how things used to be. Just like I think those still using casual homophobic humour today, are being lazy
Despite all this, Eastwood's passive-aggressive ornery character, has some of my favourite quotable lines. So too, does the Ayatollah of Rock'n'Rolla, 'Slick Jones'-played by the amazing Mario Van Peebles.
His Ying to Eastwood's Yang, never gets old. Nor does the rest of the ensemble cast. Everyone from Eastwood's former flame, to his ultra aggressive superior, is wonderfully cast.
Hard to imagine someone coming across this movie, in today's era-but this is a truly a hidden gem.
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- El guerrero solitario
- Filming locations
- Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, USA(Camp Talega, Recon Quonset Huts)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $15,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $42,724,017
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $8,100,840
- Dec 7, 1986
- Gross worldwide
- $42,724,017
- Runtime2 hours 10 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1