Review of An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) by Dg J — 15 Aug 2011

Zachary "Zack" Mayo (Richard Gere) has been living with his father Byron (Robert Loggia), a U.S. Navy boatswain's mate, since early adolescence, after Zack's mother committed suicide. Hoping to put his life on a different path, Zack signs up for the Navy's Aviator Officer Candidate School.

Zack and his fellow OCs are "welcomed" by their head drill instructor, Marine Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley (Louis Gossett, Jr.). Foley makes it clear that the program is designed to eliminate as many cadets as possible, and that only the best will earn their "prize", a commission in the Navy and a $1,000,000 flight education. Zack hits it off with fellow recruit Sid Worley (David Keith) and female recruit Casey Seeger (Lisa Eilbacher).

Zack and Sid meet two local girls at a Navy-hosted dance - factory workers Paula Pokrifki (Debra Winger) and Lynette Pomeroy (Lisa Blount), with whom each begins a romantic relationship.

Foley rides Zack mercilessly, believing that he could be an outstanding officer but lacks motivation and self discipline. When Zack's side business of selling preshined shoes and belt buckles is discovered, Foley hazes him for an entire weekend in an attempt to make him DOR (drop on request), but Zack refuses to give in. Foley then tells Zack that he will simply have him thrown out; Zack finally breaks down, telling Foley that he has nowhere else to go and has nothing else in his life. Satisfied that Zack has come to a crucial self-realization, Foley lets up on him.

While Zack and Paula spend the next weekend together, she takes him home to meet and have dinner with her family. After dinner, she shows Zack an old picture of her real father. He was an Officer Candidate who had refused to marry her mother when she became pregnant with her.

Later, Zack has a chance to break the record time for negotiating the obstacle course; meanwhile, Seeger will be disqualified if she can't negotiate the Wall that's been giving her so much trouble. Zack abandons his attempt to break the course record in order to coach Seeger over the wall, and she makes it.