Star Robert Duvall based this character in part on his own military father (as he did for Colonel Kilgore in "Apocalypse Now"). He plays a career Marine jet pilot officer married to Blythe Danner. They have four children and Duvall calls them "hogs" and "sports fans" and treats them all in militaristic fashion. The main story centers on the oldest, a high school basketball player, and his relations with his father. There are a number of touching coming of age scenes involving the young man, including the shooting death of a friend, a basketball game where Duvall butts in, and a birthday drinking session with the father, a marine buddy, and the young man. This was released in some venues as "The Ace". There is a surprise (well sort of, I guessed it) tragedy at the end. Highly recommended and a good family movie.
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Topic - "The Great Santini" - rico 10:45:45 04/08/05 (2)
- Re: "The Great Santini" - HOK 15:08:12 04/10/05 (0)
- Duvall always seemed like a scrawny, yappy little runt - tinear 14:40:49 04/08/05 (0)