LIFE GAVE HIM NOTHING, EXCEPT THE COURAGE TO WIN… AND  A WOMAN TO LOVE. 

When Zack Mayo (Richard Gere) joins the Navy to become an aviator, his gunnery sergeant (Louis Gossett, Jr.) makes sure he learns to fight, but he also meets an attractive small-town girl (Debra Winger). One of the classic romantic movies of the 1980s does have certain ambitions; the cinematography has a stark quality and the screenwriter tries to give the Gere character complexity. Just like the girl he falls in love with, he’s running away from something. The movie is ultimately too slow and predictable, but Winger and Gossett, Jr. give strong performances and who can resist that shamelessly emotional final scene?

1982-U.S. 125 min. Color. Directed by Taylor Hackford. Screenplay: Douglas Day Stewart. Cinematography: Donald E. Thorin. Song: ”Up Where We Belong” (Jack Nitzsche, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Will Jennings). Cast: Richard Gere (Zack Mayo), Debra Winger (Paula Pokrifki), David Keith (Sid Worley), Louis Gossett, Jr. (Emil Foley), Robert Loggia, Lisa Blount… David Caruso.

Trivia: John Travolta, Jeff Bridges and Eric Roberts were allegedly considered for the part of Zack. R. Lee Ermey coached Gossett, Jr. for his part as the gunnery sergeant.

Oscars: Best Supporting Actor (Gossett, Jr.), Original Song. Golden Globes: Best Supporting Actor (Gossett, Jr.), Original Song. BAFTA: Best Original Song.

IMDb