Great Santini [DVD] [1979] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

For those of you who are old enough, you probably know the feeling of disappointment whenever you view a film by which you were impressed many years earlier and find that it has not "aged" well. I was wary that that might be the case with The Great Santini because I had not seen it since it was released over twenty years ago. Instead, I found just the opposite for it remains an excellent film with excellent acting.

Has Robert Duvall ever given a less-than-superior performance? I'm sure not, and I was far more able to appreciate his portrayal of Bull Meechum the martinet head of the family for, with age, comes shades of gray not only in your hair but in your viewpoints. I hated Bull Meechum twenty years ago but am now better able to sympathize with this man who only knows how to express emotion through rage or bravado.

Blythe Danner as the strong-willed mother who is the emotional rock of the family is another excellent actor who is a treat to watch. She has such an enchanting quality. She truly exemplifies her name.

Michael O'Keefe as the older son torn between pleasing his father and acknowledging his own thoughts of independence gives a heart wrenching performance. He is probably best known in today's times as Fred on Roseanne, and a viewing of The Great Santini gives interesting insight into his acting talents.

The DVD is a disappointment in that it is in standard format for one of the many advantages of DVD's is that most are wide-screen format. The sound is nothing special, either. The DVD only costs two dollars more than the VHS version so it is worth the extra cost for improved picture quality, chapter search, etc. The Great Santini is a movie worthy of adding to one's private collection.

I saw "The Great Santini" in the theatre in 1979 when it was first released. I always thought that Warner Brothers did a huge disservice to the film by retaining the original Pat Conroy book title (although the later re-release as "the Ace" also fails to inspire.) Despite the somewhat lackluster title, this is an absolutely superb film when viewed on many levels. I was originally interested in the film because of the aviation context, but that really only provides a medium for Robert Duvall to develop the character of Bull Meechum.

The real story here revolves around family and interpersonal dynamics in an early 1960s military family. Duvall gives a stunning performance in the title role as a hard charging Marine fighter pilot who finds expressions of affection next to impossible. Although a PG rated film, the language and violence (there is no nudity) are not excessive and are only used when necessary to further the plot (largely in the anti-racism subplot.) Despite this some of the scenes are very difficult to watch as they hit very close to home for people familiar with difficult family situations. The scene where Michael O'Keefe beats Duvall in basketball is one of the all-time most amazing scenes in cinema.

I think that the entire cast is perfect in every way. Stan Shaw gives an incredibly effective performance as Toomer in a subplot that addresses the futility of racism better than any other film I have ever seen. I find the scene of Red and Toomer with the bees and the dogs is one of the most poignant and brilliantly acted in history. The subtle complexity of the emotions (especially hatred and sorrow) in that one scene make the film worth watching, and should be required viewing in film schools everywhere. Likewise, Blythe Danner is amazing as the longsuffering military wife and mother.

By far the most important component of the film is the family relationships within the Meechum family, and in particular the conflict between Duvall and O'Keefe. Both were nominated for Oscars for these roles, and I firmly believe that both should have won, as both give brilliant performances. Of the two, though, I actually think that O'Keefe does the better job in the exceptionally difficult role of the 18 year old son. The emotional range that O'Keefe demonstrates in this film put him in the league of truly great actors like Duvall. Every time I have seen this film I have come to admire O'Keefe's portrayal more.

This is one of the best films from the 1970s and deserves more recognition than it has ever received. I give the film five stars (no question about that) although the Warner Brothers packaging leaves a lot to be desired. There are no commentary tracks or other extras on the DVD and that's a real shame. Nonetheless, this is a world class drama with occasionally brilliant comic insights that is as finely done as any other film I have ever seen.

I highly recommend "The Great Santini" to everyone.

Once again Warner Brothers Takes a good film and doesn't bother trying to find a good master copy in order to do a decent transfer. What is it with them? It's bad enough that they have cheap cardboard covers let alone not even bothering trying to at least have decent copies.
This is a good film and deserved better treatment. SHAME ON WARNER BROTHERS AND THEIR CHEAP TREATMENT OF GOOD FILMS!