a few good men

Director: rob reiner

Actor: tom cruise,jack nicholson,demi moore,kevin bacon

Data Published: Fri Dec 11 1992

Genres: Drama,Thriller

Key Words: lawyer,judge,famous line,guantanamo bay,honor

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104257/

WIKI: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Few_Good_Men

Description: A Few Good Men is a movie starring Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, and Demi Moore. Military lawyer Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee defends Marines accused of murder. They contend they were acting under orders.

Plot: U.S. Marines Lance Corporal Harold Dawson and Private Louden Downey are facing a general court-martial, accused of killing fellow Marine Private William Santiago at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. Santiago had poor relations with his fellow Marines, compared unfavorably to them, and broke the chain of command in an attempt to get transferred out of Guantanamo. Base Commander Colonel Nathan Jessup and his officers argue about the best course of action: while Jessup's executive officer, Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Markinson, advocates that Santiago be transferred, Jessup dismisses the option and orders Santiago's commanding officer, Lieutenant Jonathan James Kendrick, to 'train' Santiago to become a better Marine. Naval investigator and lawyer Lieutenant commander JoAnne Galloway suspects Dawson and Downey carried out a "code red": a violent extrajudicial punishment. Galloway wants to defend them, but the case is given to Lieutenant (junior grade) Daniel Kaffee, an inexperienced and unenthusiastic lawyer with a penchant for plea bargains. Initially, friction exists between Galloway, who resents Kaffee's apparent laziness, and Kaffee, who resents Galloway's interference. Kaffee negotiates a plea bargain with the prosecutor, Captain Jack Ross (USMC); insisting Kendrick gave the "code red" order minutes after he had publicly ordered the platoon not to touch Santiago, and never intending their victim to die, Dawson and Downey refuse the deal. Dawson shows outright contempt for Kaffee's 'cowardice', even refusing to salute. Kaffee meets with Jessup, who tells Kaffee that Santiago was set to be transferred. Galloway convinces Kaffee to take the case to court; the defense establishes the existence of "code red" orders at Guantanamo, and that Dawson specifically had learned not to disobey any order after a promotion was denied for helping out a Marine who was under what could be seen as a "code red". However, they suffer two major setbacks: Downey, under cross-examination, reveals he was not actually present when Dawson received the supposed "code red" order, and Markinson, ashamed that he failed to protect a Marine under his command, tells Kaffee that Jessup never ordered the transfer, but commits suicide rather than testify. Without Markinson's testimony, Kaffee believes the case lost, lamenting that he fought the case instead of taking a deal. Galloway convinces Kaffee to call Jessup as a witness, despite the risk of a court-martial for smearing a high-ranking officer. Jessup spars evenly with Kaffee's questioning, but is unnerved when Kaffee points out a contradiction in his testimony: Jessup stated Marines never disobey orders and that Santiago was to be transferred off-base for his own safety, but, having ordered his men to leave Santiago alone, then Santiago was in no danger. Irate at being caught in a lie and disgusted by what he sees as Kaffee's impudence towards the Marines, Jessup extols the military's importance, and his own, to national security. When asked point-blank if he ordered the "code red", he bellows with contempt that he did; Jessup tries to justify the order as he is arrested, and Kendrick is later arrested for his part. Dawson and Downey are cleared of the murder charge, but found guilty of "conduct unbecoming a United States Marine" and are dishonorably discharged. Dawson accepts the verdict, but Downey does not understand what they did wrong. Dawson explains they had failed to stand up for those too weak to fight for themselves, like Santiago. As the two are leaving, Kaffee tells Dawson honor doesn't come from a patch on his arm. Dawson stands at attention, recognizing him as an officer and rendering a salute.