The Lords of Discipline (film)

  • David Keith: Will McLean
  • Robert Prosky: Colonel " The Bear " Berrineau
  • Judge Reinhold: Macabbee
  • Bill Paxton: Gilbreath
  • William Hope: Senior
  • Mark Breland: Pearce
  • G. D. Spradlin: General Bentley Durrell
  • Michael Biehn: Cadet Lieutenant Colonel John Alexander
  • Rick Rossovich: Cadet Dante Pignetti
  • Sarah Brackett: Mrs. Durrell
  • Mitchell Lichtenstein: Tradd St. Croix
  • Malcolm Danare: Poteete

Cursed is what makes us strong ( original title: The Lords of Discipline ) is an American feature film from 1983, which deals with the issue of racism and inhumane treatment of cadets. It is based on the novel The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy and directed by Franc Roddam. David Keith, Robert Prosky, Judge Reinhold, Bill Paxton, William Hope, Michael Biehn and the former boxer Mark Breland play the lead roles. The film was entirely in England, essentially rotated at Wellington College in Berkshire - not an American military academy was willing to allow filming, as the film dealing critically with racism in the American military.

Action

Year of action in 1964, the scene a military academy in the South: The Carolina Military Institute. This Institute will for the first time in history an African American, Pearce, admitted as a cadet. Will McLean, a " Senior Private ", was commissioned to observe the black cadets and to ensure that it passes the test. The tradition of the Academy heard the humiliation of young cadets. They are for the senior cadets fair game, the black cadet becomes extremely offended and humiliated. This harassment often include risk of life and limb, and it is called a " nigger ", " Niggerboy " or " Boy". The head of the Academy, Durrell, complained in a sermon the moral decline of the United States and requires the adherence to ethical principles. Among the cadets to a secret compound has formed: " The Ten ": This act illegally and try their opinion, inferior to accommodate cadets to leave the academy. An obese applicants is driven to suicide. Furthermore, they try by all means, herauszuekeln African American because they do not view him as a full-fledged human beings. He is first punished with ignorance gets hidden death threats and being attacked obscured. In these cases, there is no comrade who turns to his side. The academy and the cadets maintain outwardly a comradely, Christian and patriotic lifestyle. Here the troops of the Southern States be glorified.

After Pearce despite the harassment does not want to go, kidnap and torture him the members of the "Ten ". A friend McLean, who noticed the racists will be dismissed from the academy due to a academy internal judicial farce. McLean, however, it is possible to elucidate the conspiracy. He noted that his friends are racists, which frustrated him. It turns out that even Durrell is involved in the conspiracy. Ultimately forcing McLean those responsible to resign, but promises not to hang the scandal from the rooftops.

Remarkable

  • The author of the novel, Pat Conroy was himself a graduate of the Military Academy The Citadel ( officially: The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina), South Carolina, who had served as a model for the Academy in the film.
  • The film had a remarkable commercial success. It cost U.S. $ 3,011,932, started with 800 copies and played in the U.S. gross U.S. $ 11.787127 a.
  • Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, William Hope Rick Rossovich and later played with in numerous films James Cameron. Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton and Rick Rossovich were together in 1990 in the movie Navy Seals - to see the hardest elite force in the world.

Criticism

  • Janet Maslin at the time was not enthusiastic in their criticism in the New York Times. She mentioned the outstanding performances by Keith and Breland positive, keeps the movie but for too shallow and somewhat implausible. The torture scenes they felt was too brutal.
  • James Kendrick praises in a critical review of the imdb.com acting performance by Keith and Rossovich. Bothers him that all the characters in the film are racists and the director does not dissociate credible by racism. Kendrick provides a number of military films early 80s as The cadets of Bunker Hill (1981 ) or An Officer and a Gentleman (1983 ) the movie. Neither possessed Cursed is what makes us strong idealism of the former nor the romance of the second-mentioned film.

Publication

Cursed is what makes us strong had its U.S. premiere on 18 February 1983. In the Federal Republic of Germany, the film was released in January 1986 on video and was first performed on 30 July 1987.

1983 in film Screenplay Herb Jaffe Film score Howard Blake William Hope (actor) Taps (film)
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