Taps (1981)

[The Great Owl]

Apologies if there is already a thread for this disc, but I could not find one in the searches.



After 141 years of molding young men into soldiers and instilling them with the values of honor and discipline, the prestigious Bunker Hill Military Academy is on the verge of closing its doors, in light of a decision by its board of trustees to sell the property for real estate. The school’s commandant, Brigadier General Bache, played by George C. Scott, has no intention of going quietly, and, during a meeting with the newly promoted Cadet Major Brian Moreland, played by Timothy Hutton, he rails against the soft nature of civilians, and states with conviction that, after a lifetime of distinguished service in the armed forces, he is determined to win the battle to keep the institution open. After an unexpected tragedy, however, the General is removed from the campus and suffers a heart attack. Under the leadership of Moreland, the cadets take matters into their own hands to protect their home. After assuming control of the weapons and ammunition in the school armory, they barricade the academy walls and set up patrol stations around its perimeter. With the reasoned and hesitant Alex, played by Sean Penn in his first feature film role, and the recklessly gung-ho Shawn, played by Tom Cruise in his second movie appearance, at his side, Moreland prepares for a fierce standoff as the local police, concerned parents, and the National Guard gather outside the gates.

The 1981 drama, Taps, which was directed by Harold Becker (The Onion Field, Vision Quest) and based on a 1979 novel by Devery Freeman, had quite an impact on me when it aired on HBO during my childhood, and I was not prepared at my young age for its unrelentingly bleak conclusion. Like Hutton’s serious-minded protagonist, I was awed and inspired by the dignified manner of George C. Scott’s elderly General, but the story provided me with my first clue that I may not be destined for the strict regimens of a military life. These days, when I revisit this movie with the scrutiny of an adult perspective, I find certain aspects of the narrative to be laughably contrived and cloyingly earnest. Nonetheless, I believe that it is a masterfully affecting tale of what could happen when impressionable children, who are brought up in an austere academic setting to embrace unyieldingly idealistic concepts of honor, are left to their own devices in a volatile scenario.

Hutton, who was fresh off of an Academy Award win for his acting in the 1980 Robert Redford film, Ordinary People, conveys the perfect blend of toughness and conflicted resolve. Scott, who could play this type of character in his sleep after his acclaimed work in Patton (1970), makes the most of his limited screen time. Cruise shines in an early example of his more zealous dramatic tendencies. Penn, however, steals the show at every turn in a performance that would pave the way for marvelously intense parts in subsequent movies.

Be on the lookout for Ronny Cox (Deliverance, Robocop) as a National Guard colonel who attempts to diffuse the situation.

This 20th Century Fox Blu-ray delivers a pleasant transfer, although I would not be surprised if an updated presentation were to come down the pipes in the future. A couple of retrospectives, featuring input from Hutton, are engaging and informative, as is the director commentary track.