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Amazon.co.uk Review
A pampered socialite (Goldie Hawn) is so distraught after the wedding-ni ght death of her husband (Albert Brooks) that she up and joins the Army. She whines, she pouts, she brings the corps down, until, of course, she gets with it. Eileen Brennan received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role as the butch Captain Doreen Lewis, Benjamin's nemesis. Funny and winning, the film takes an odd turn when Benjamin is assigned to the international theatre and gets involved with a dour Frenchman (Armand Assante). Of course, it's all part of Benjamin's growth as a person, and the part confirmed that Hawn had gone from a go-go girl to a "you go" girl. --Keith Simanton, Amazon.com
Special Features
1.85 Wide Screen
French\Italian
English\Italian
English
Region 2
Mono English French Italian
Mono
Interactive Menus
Scene Access
Arabic\Dutch\English\French\Italian\Portuguese\Spanish
French\Italian
English\Italian
English
Region 2
Mono English French Italian
Mono
Interactive Menus
Scene Access
Arabic\Dutch\English\French\Italian\Portuguese\Spanish
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The service comedy is a genre almost as old as cinema itself and, whether it's Charlie Chaplin or Victor McLaglen and Edmund Lowe in the trenches, Andy Griffith befuddling his sergeants, the Carry On team on the assault course or Steve Guttenberg and co at the Police Academy, has an almost immutable formula that is never, ever departed from: through mildly comic misadventure misfit(s) find themselves in the army/navy/air force/police force, are hopelessly unprepared for the harsh realities of basic training, fumble every task yet somehow come out of it all as the perfect soldier/sailor/airman/cop and prove themselves in a mildly comic baptism of fire. Private Benjamin does absolutely nothing to fix what ain't broke, contenting itself to offer the odd slight tweak and flavoring with a mild dose of Jewish humor as Goldie Hawn's sheltered princess finds herself talked into joining the `new' army by Harry Dean Stanton's smooth-talking recruiting sergeant after husband Albert Brooks dies in the throes of passion before the honeymoon even starts ("Do you remember what the last thing he said was?" asks his distraught mother, eliciting the reply "I'm coming.").
While it's a given that there are no surprises whatsoever, it's one of those comedies that manages to be pretty consistently funny throughout even if there aren't many really big laughs out of sheer likeability. Hawn's character is not too bright but not too Hilton with it - her character arc is not just from dependence to self-reliance but more importantly from not being able to understand why Jill Clayburgh walked out on Alan Bates in An Unmarried Woman to being able to make the same choice herself, in the process tackling sexism rather more effectively than G.I. Jane did 17 years later. Eileen Brennan is clearly having a ball as the obligatory sadistic training officer out to make her life hell and there's a quietly impressive supporting cast filling out the ranks as well as a memorable Bill Conti score. It only really misses its step slightly in the scenes where her Monsieur Right (Armand Assante) rather clumsily turns out to be Monsieur Wrong at the end, as if afraid of losing the audience's sympathy long after she's won them over, but not enough to squander the goodwill it's earned by then.
While it's a given that there are no surprises whatsoever, it's one of those comedies that manages to be pretty consistently funny throughout even if there aren't many really big laughs out of sheer likeability. Hawn's character is not too bright but not too Hilton with it - her character arc is not just from dependence to self-reliance but more importantly from not being able to understand why Jill Clayburgh walked out on Alan Bates in An Unmarried Woman to being able to make the same choice herself, in the process tackling sexism rather more effectively than G.I. Jane did 17 years later. Eileen Brennan is clearly having a ball as the obligatory sadistic training officer out to make her life hell and there's a quietly impressive supporting cast filling out the ranks as well as a memorable Bill Conti score. It only really misses its step slightly in the scenes where her Monsieur Right (Armand Assante) rather clumsily turns out to be Monsieur Wrong at the end, as if afraid of losing the audience's sympathy long after she's won them over, but not enough to squander the goodwill it's earned by then.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Goldie Hawn is absolutely adorable in this, perhaps her signature role. Goldie plays Judy Benjamin, a spoiled young Jewish woman who we first see at her second wedding. Judy is in her late twenties, and has done seemingly nothing of importance in her life. Her father is only interested in her finding the right guy so he doesn't have to support her anymore. It seems she has found at least a successful husband in a man named Yale. (Albert Brooks) Yale seems like kind of a sleaze, but at least he has a good job as a divorce attorney, and Judy will at least be able to live off him for the rest of her life... it would originally appear. Those plans are shattered 15 minutes into the film when Yale dies while the two are having sex on their bathroom floor. Having nowhere else to turn, after an eight day bought of self-pity, Judy lets a charming army recruiter talk her into enlisting. Quite simply put, things are never the same for Judy Benjamin ever again.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Goldie Hawn plays the part of Judy Benjamin, a young socialite who is widowed on her wedding night. Distraught and with no purpose to her life and no skills to speak of she appeals to the listeners of a radio show to help her. One of the respondents is an army recruitment officer who, having convinced Judy that army life really consisted of yachts and condo's and sunbathing in California, manages to get her to sign up for 3 years. This is where the comedy really starts as Judy, who has never had to lift a manicured finger, gets a reality check and discovers that being in the army is not like being on holiday. Goldie Hawn is made for this kind of role, and as usual delivers the goods. There are some genuinely 'laugh out loud' moments as she struggles to adapt and make friends. Unfortunately the film seems to run out of steam half way through. Whereas the first half is true comedy, the second half has very little in the way of humour to offer. Having met a French gynaecologist who she falls for, she wangles a posting to Paris to be with him. This is where the humour disappears as Judy leaves the army to be with him and he turns out to be a control freak that turns Judy into a clone of his ex girlfriend. It's almost like watching two separate films.
This is a film that has stood the test of time and is still worth watching for the hilarious first half, just be prepared for the laughs to disappear.
This is a film that has stood the test of time and is still worth watching for the hilarious first half, just be prepared for the laughs to disappear.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Ben
I loved it.Girl power if not glamourised by hollywood.Just a bit of fun.Good film for a night in.Take it for what it is,classic comedy.
Published 7 months ago by ujamaflip
PRIVATE BENJAMIN
thank you for my dvd it arrived promptly and I enjoyed watching this film it is still so funny after all these years.
Published 14 months ago by tina
an OK Goldie Hawn film
Goldie Hawn is always an adorable actress and fun to watch, however the story is somewhat thin, therefore I give this film only 3 stars. Goldie is the best part of the story. Read more
Published 18 months ago by A. Ovall
Brilliant Goldie Hawn vehicle
Of all comediennes, my wife adores Goldie Hawn and her zany, wacky sense of humour. She particularly loves her in this film which shows her talents off to her best. Read more
Published on 13 Dec 2009 by R. R. Adams
A smash hit!
A most beautifully produced film that does not disappoint!
Goldie Hawn plays a very elegant yet comical role in the women's army. Read more
Goldie Hawn plays a very elegant yet comical role in the women's army. Read more
Published on 17 Aug 2009 by World Reader
still great
This might be an oldy but it stiil holds up,Goldie Hawn once again proves her acting skills,and gives us plenty to laugh about. Read more
Published on 10 April 2009 by Michael Wilden
Goldie Hawn at her best!
If you like Goldie Hawn this is the movie for you!
Goldie plays a relatively young woman who's second husband died on their wedding night. Read more
Published on 19 Oct 2003 by "zitsuk"
Brilliant film - Goldie Hawn is superb
Goldie Hawn's film really is about male and female rivalry, and then about the pressure of male dominance. Read more
Published on 23 Mar 2001
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