 | Starring: Robert Duvall, Blythe Danner, Michael O'Keefe, Lisa Jane Persky, Julie Anne Haddock Director: Lewis John Carlino Format: Closed-captioned Colour Dolby DVD-Video Full Screen NTSC Released: 23 Nov 1999 Average Rating:  |
Robert Duvalll plays a Marine Corps fighter pilot, one of the best of an elite corps, with an ego to match. His name is 'Bull' Meechum, but he styles himself the 'Great Santini'. Blythe Danner puts in an exquisite understated performance as the long-suffering yet loving wife, the strong & caring mother. Michael O'Keefe had what was perhaps the best role of his career as the coming-of-age son, competing with his father yet yearning for love & approval. Stan Shaw likewise turns in an excellent performance as Toomer, the black local who gets into trouble. While many of the other supporting cast did not go on to great fame, it is certainly not due to lack of acting ability as shown in this film.
Despite being nearly a quarter of a century old now, the film stands up to the passage of time. The characters remain believable; the situations & cinematography bear up well. The film has a timeless quality that qualifies it as a classic, & portrays both the military & southern experience realisticallly without distortion pro or con.
The main drama is between Meechum & his son Ben, but the secondary plot lines are strong without distracting from the primary interaction. The films ends in a strong, sombre mood, as the respect that has grudgingly built between father & son is finallly realised, & the family dynamic continues its slow evolution as the family moves to yet another home at the end.
The scene in which Ben, the son, finallly beats Bull Meechum at basketballl, at anything (Ben mentions it is the first time ANY of the children have beaten him at anything) is classic. Both Duvalll & O'Keefe give strong performances as their respective characters, Duvalll the father who is at once proud of his son for succeeding & still angry at his own shortcomings, lashing out at the family, & Ben, who stands his ground to claim his victory, despite the taunting & pettiness of his father.
The DVD version presents no special features to speak of ; it is essentiallly a video on disc. However, it is a film that is well worth having in one's collection, & were they available to give, it would get ten stars.
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