Cheap The Great Santini (DVD) (Robert Duvall, Blythe Danner) (Lewis John Carlino) Price

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Customer Reviews of The Great Santini

It is a deep drama. Marion (Blythe Danner) is caught up with Ben's (Michael O'Keefe) coming of age and Bull's aging to come. Mother, Son, and Father adjust to the changes that time brings to any family, and with great difficulty.

It is a sentimental film. Ben's early wakening on his birthday shows a different side the character Duval portrays. The friendship between Ben and Tumor show sentimentality as well, as does Ben's final confrontation with Bull.

It is a fair action film. The fighter plane scenes take a back seat, but the confrontation between Tumor and Red turns deadly. The action scenes make up a small part of this film, but they are an integral part.

It is a penetrating tragedy as well. Ben learns to confront fear and death and comes to understand his father, but quite late. His growth is difficult and untimely.

These elements come together to make a fair storyline into a grand film. The diverse elements of this film work together in a way that takes its' audience on a fascinating trip through the lives of a military family. The varying tone makes it all seem more real- the mood of the film changes from scene to scene, just as our moods change from day to day.

Most importantly, Robert Duvall gives a fine performance. His character is by far the most important. The peculiarity of this man who goofs around with fellow Marines like he is at home and runs his private home like a barracks sets up all the comedy and much of the drama and sentimentality. The tragedy and action revolve around this as well.

The combination of these elements into a single film was masterful. The acting and cinematography of this film matched the brilliance of its' production and choreography. There is hardly a finer film that you could watch.

Make way for a Marine Corps fighter pilot!
This is an astonishing film. As the son of a career military man, I recognised some of the aspects of growing up in such an environment. The constant moving, the impermanence of things, and the general competitiveness that comes with the atmosphere are very accurately portrayed. Fortunately for me, my father was not the domineering Great Santini type!

Robert Duvall 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 and 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 and 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 and cinematography bear up well. The film has a timeless quality that qualifies it as a classic, and portrays both the military and southern experience realistically without distortion pro or con.

The main drama is between Meechum and 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 and son is finally realised, and 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, finally beats Bull Meechum at basketball, at anything (Ben mentions it is the first time ANY of the children have beaten him at anything) is classic. Both Duvall and O'Keefe give strong performances as their respective characters, Duvall the father who is at once proud of his son for succeeding and still angry at his own shortcomings, lashing out at the family, and Ben, who stands his ground to claim his victory, despite the taunting and pettiness of his father.

The DVD version presents no special features to speak of ; it is essentially a video on disc. However, it is a film that is well worth having in one's collection, and were they available to give, it would get ten stars.

WOW
This movie is so touching, words cannot describe it! Rarely movies make me cry but this one did! There was such powerful acting and I was completey drawn to the characters. Robert Duvall was amazing and brilliantly displayed himself as the great santini. A marvelous job for O'Keefe as Billy. He definately moved me, what a great actor. This movie has got to be the most powerful i've seen in awhile! Wow!