A Few Good Men is a 1992 military court room drama produced and directed by Rob Reiner, screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and starring, among others, Jack Nicholson. The film received four Academy Award nominations (winning none) including Best Picture (won by Unforgiven) and Best Supporting Actor (Nicholson, but won by Gene Hackman in Unforgiven).
Nicholson portrays Colonel Nathan Jessep, United States Marine Corp., stationed at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. He has a sub-standard soldier in his unit, Private First Class William Santiago. Jessep orders a "Code Red," an illegal violent punishment of Santiago intended to improve his performance.
Unfortunately, the Code Red, administered by Lance Corporal Harold Dawson and Private First Class Loudon Downey, turns fatal. Jessep then concocts a cover-up leading to a general court martial of only Dawson and Downey, charging them with murder.
At the court martial, Jessep is called as a witness by the defense. Instead of pleading the Fifth Amendment, Jessep attempts to convince the court as to the correctness of his decision to issue the Code Red.
"We live in a world that has walls and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?
I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives.
You don't want the truth, because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall.
We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you."
In other words, according to Jessep, the ends justify the means. Do they?
You can't handle the truth!
ReplyDeleteSon, we live in a world that has walls. And those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?
I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives...
You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall.
We use words like honor, code, loyalty...we use these words as the backbone to a life spent defending something. You use 'em as a punchline.
I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it! I'd rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you're entitled to!
That is the entire monologue, and I performed it in acting class.
You and most people believe the ends do not justify the means, but you and most people actually believe they DO, for the ends I believe in.