‘You’re looking at Bull Meechum now, and this is the eye of the storm!‘
What does a soldier do when there is no war to fight? Well, according to The Great Santini, he drinks and attempts to run his home like a military base. Despite being nominated for two Oscars, The Great Santini has slipped from the public consciousness, but for those willing to seek it out (I had to pay to rent it from Amazon – something that is almost unheard of for me) there is a lot here to enjoy…
Bull Meechum (Robert Duvall), or The Great Santini to use his call sign, is a pilot in the marines and the ultimate alpha male. He hates losing. He sports a crew cut and a neat moustache. He terrorises his family. When his eldest son Ben (Michael O’Keefe) reaches manhood, the two begin to butt heads in a way that threatens to jeopardise their entire relationship.
The supporting cast does a great job here it should be said. Blythe Danner is excellent as Bull’s long-suffering wife, as is Lisa Jane Persky as his garrulous daughter Mary Anne. But it must also be acknowledged that this is essentially a two-hander between Duvall and O’Keefe, something that is reflected in the fact that both were nominated for their acting in this movie by the Academy. Duvall’s Bull Meechum is a wonderful creation. Part R. Lee Ermy and part black bear, he prowls his household like a mountain lion, pushing Ben with everything he has. While the much-vaunted scenes of conflict are incredibly powerful and fantastically acted, it is the more affectionate moments that ensure that this is a great film rather than just a good one. Light and shade are vital in a story like this, the characters must be complex and nuanced. Luckily, writer-director Lewis John Carlino does a great job in adapting Pat Conroy’s novel for the screen and it is curious that this film hasn’t endured as much as it should have.
The Great Santini is yet another film in which Robert Duvall confirms that he is one of the most underrated actors of his generation. A stunning performance in a great film.