re: Watched "A Few Good Men" for the first time last night. How does this board rate it?

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Caffey did nothing but weaken a country. If we are in a battle I’d prefer to have Jessop fighting for me, not Caffey.

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I don’t necessarily disagree, and it’s something I’ve gone back and forth on.

But you have to remember, as in most cases, the cover up is worse than the crime.

The lengths Jessup went to to cover up a fairly innocent hazing attempt that went horribly wrong, is what really dug his grave.

By ordering the Code Red he probably ruined any chance of getting his star and he would have lost command of Guantanamo, but he wouldn’t have necessarily been arrested or dishonorably discharged if he hadn’t orchestrated this massive cover up and ordered Markinson and Kendrick to lie and break laws as a part of it.

Especially since Santiago deserved discipline for going outside the chain of command, which is actually why the Code Red was ordered, not “because he couldn’t run very fast”, like Weinberg claims (Pollack is great in this as well).


That said, Jessup was definitely the dude you want on that wall, the dude you need on that wall


That’s part of the greatness of the movie though. You can see both sides. There is a ton of gray.


The one part that always annoyed me was the very end when Jessup loses it and charges Caffey yelling like an idiot. He was way too cool for that, and then Caffey says “You’re going to jail you sonofabitch”.

That was definitely over the top and melodramatic in a movie that actually did a great job of keeping things pretty middle of the road.

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In real life, Caffey is hanging out on South Congress now smoking poles and protesting white men.

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I actually disagree with this.

Caffey wasn’t really a crusader. That was Galloway. That’s actually why he got the case. They thought he would plea it out.

But he was a damn smart attorney and he’s a cocky dude that just took it personally when Jessup fricked with him and wanted to take him down out of spite more than anything else, at least at first.

Sure he grew to want to fight for Dawson and Downey, but even Dawson hated him for being such a flake most of the case.


Which is one of my favorite scenes btw. Dawson going off on him. Great job by that actor in that scene

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We joined the Marines because we wanted to live our lives by a certain code and we found it in the Corps. Now you're asking us to sign a piece of paper that says we have no honor. You're asking us to say that we're not Marines. If a court decides that what we did was wrong, then I'll accept whatever punishment they give. I believe I was right. I believe I did my job. But I will not dishonor MYSELF, MY UNIT, OR THE CORPS SO THAT I CAN GO HOME IN SIX MONTHS! Sir.

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It's not like Cuba was going to invade the base. Jessup was a fricking idiot for worrying about some nobody who didn't even want to be in the service. It was dumb as hell for him to act like the he was at war and was the last line of defense for America. Not only was Jessup wrong, he was a shitty leader who was a liability due to his delusions of grandeur.

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Holy shite can’t believe I missed that thread


I agree, Jessup likely wouldn’t have bothered with Santiago as much as did, but he did make the point that it was his job to train him.

But like I said above, he didn’t order the Code Red because he was a shitty marine. He did it because Santiago broke chain of command and tattled to anyone he could address a letter to.

That’s what escalated it and Jessup likely isn’t the only Colenol that would have been pissed enough to do something stupid at that point.


I agree with one poster in that thread that said if he lost his composure in the courtroom he’d be unreliable in the field, as well.

Another reason that scene always annoys me. It’s totally out of character and removes the gray to make it a clear black and white good guy/bad guy scene.


Still, he didn’t just “lose his composure” in the courtroom. Remember what Caffey says the night before he calls Jessup to the stand. “He wants to admit it”.


He was annoyed that he “stood there in his ****y white uniform” and questioned his order and wanted to tell him exactly what he did. That he needs him on that wall.

It’s a superbly constructed interaction between the two of them, and Nicholson and Cruise are outstanding bringing it to life on screen.


The only real loss of composure is Jessup crazily charging and cursing Caffey, which again was the one part of the movie that went overboard and was just silly and not believable.

Jessup only went overboard because he thought his coverup was about to be blown up. If those two airmen aren’t in the room jessup keeps his cool. It was a great bluff.

Galloway looked like she was going to die of shock in that moment

Aaron fricking Sorkin

Terrible. Marines don't salute indoors and uncovered.

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Terrible. Marines don't salute indoors and uncovered.

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Thank you. I know it's nitpicking but that kind of shite in movies always gets on my nerves.

‘I guess you were sick the day they taught law in law school’ or something like that makes me laugh every time