“An Officer and a Gentleman” stands in distinction to Kubrick’s cynical portrait of the American battle machine. Richard Gere performs Zack Mayo, a naval candidate below Foley’s coaching. Foley is simply as demanding and foul-mouthed as Hartman; “Full Metallic Jacket” even reuses Foley’s line that solely “steers and queers” come out of Oklahoma (albeit with the state in query stopped for Texas). Nevertheless, Foley’s relationship with Mayo is not purely adversarial; the sergeant encourages the cadet to not stop and so they half on respectful phrases. Hartman deconstructs Foley’s character, displaying the ruinous penalties such demeaning habits may carry.
Because the characters have been so related, Modine felt that left no room for Ermey to be honored (by way of the Guardian):
“Had Lou Gossett Jr. not received the Oscar for ‘An Officer and a Gentleman,’ Lee would have received for that efficiency. However the best way the Academy works is, ‘Oh, we already gave it to a man who performed a drill teacher. Let’s give it to anyone else.'”
That is to not diminish Gossett’s efficiency, although. he is essentially the most memorable a part of “An Officer and A Gentleman” and supplied a mannequin for Ermy’s efficiency (as Modine additionally notes, Ermey wasn’t a educated actor and needed to spend lengthy hours working with casting director Leon Vitali). Gossett additionally made historical past, being the primary black man to win Finest Supporting Actor.
Had Ermey been nominated on the sixtieth Oscars, his victory wasn’t assured both. He would’ve been going through off towards the eventual winner: Michael Douglas, who’d performed Gordon Gekko in “Wall Street.” Gekko is about as well-remembered a personality/efficiency as Hartman.
Is there a lesson right here on this historical past of snubs? Cherish performances on their very own deserves, not by the awards they rack up.
