The Great Santini

Orion. Director Lewis John Carlino; Producer Charles A. Pratt; Screenplay Lewis John Carlino; Camera Ralph Woolsey; Editor Houseley Stevenson; Music Elmer Bernstein; Art Director Jack Poplin

Robert Duvall
Blythe Danner
Michael O'Keefe
Lisa Jane Persky
Julie Anne Haddock
Stan Shaw

Robert Duvall gives an excellent portrayal of a semi-psychotic, softened with a warmer side. But Duvall has to fight for every inch of footage against the overwhelming performances by several others in the cast - and that's the strength of The Great Santini.

Title is a nickname Duvall picks up as the finest fighter pilot in the US Marines. But this isn't a war picture. Quite the contrary, it's the compellingly relevant story of a super-macho peacetime warrior with nobody to fight except himself and those who love him.

As the sensitive son who strives to meet all of his father's supermasculine standards, Michael O'Keefe is terrific and emerges as the major star of the picture.

Blythe Danner is also strong as the wife who suffers Duvall's excesses.

1980: Nominations: Best Actor (Robert Duvall), Supp. Actor (Michael O'Keefe)

(Color) Available on VHS. Extract of a review from 1980. Running time: 115 MIN.

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