One of the big hits of 1982 offers a perfect example of the artfully packaged hokum passing for entertainment in Hollywood at the time. The story supposedly relates the triumph and transfiguration of white trash Richard Gere into the naval aviator of the film's title, following his introduction to the usual hazards of cadet life: punishing training exercises, antagonistic drill sergeants, conniving debutantes, and so forth. Debra Winger is one of the latter, and the uncomplicated blue-collar appeal of her character helps to alleviate the often tortured exposition of the hero's rite of passage. The film's most obvious shortcoming is its unfocused script (which needs to develop a second, parallel love story to throw the first into relief), followed by Richard Gere's total inability to appear sensitive or insecure. The enormous success of the movie can be traced to the marketing skills of its producers, who wisely sold it as a slice of glossy, inspirational junk food. Enjoy it as such, but don't expect the memory to linger.
Review of An Officer and a Gentleman
