Monday Movie Moments: A Few Good Men

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. There are great movies, and then there are great scenes. Ideally, the two come as a package deal, but sometimes there’s just a scene that’s memorable all by itself. Each week, I’ll be taking a look at a formative movie moment that may be notable for its style, content, technique, or something else altogether. Minor spoilers will be alluded to in each edition of the series, so please stop reading if you’ve somehow avoided seeing the movie in question.

This probably ranks as one of the most referenced movie scenes of all time, from Rob Reiner’s 1992 Best Picture nominee “A Few Good Men.” Jack Nicholson earned an obvious Oscar nomination for his portrayal as stern military man Colonel Nathan R. Jessup, who staunchly defends his right to do what he pleases in service of protecting his country. That includes talking to down to the excitable young lawyer portrayed by Tom Cruise, then thirty years old. The implications of this scene, which comes near the end of the film, are enormous for the film’s plot, but it’s also a sterling showcase of characters and dialogue. It’s no surprise that the script was in fact penned by one Aaron Sorkin, who inexplicably missed out on an Oscar nomination for adapting his own play. While this film is a quality military legal drama, this scene is what defines it.