Private Benjamin
1980 film by Howard Zieff
Private Benjamin is a 1980 film about a spoiled, wealthy woman who joins the US Army after her husband dies of a heart attack on their wedding night. She finds out that life in the Army is not the glamorous job she expected it to be.
- Directed by Howard Zieff. Written by Nancy Meyers, Charles Shyer, and Harvey Miller.
The Army was no laughing matter. Until Judy Benjamin joined it!
Pvt. Judy Benjamin
edit- What, the Army couldn't afford drapes? I mean, I'll be up at the crack of dawn here!
- Has anyone ever died from basic?
- [After being issued with an Army uniform] Excuse me, sir, is green the only color these come in?
Dialogue
edit- [First day of recruit training. Sergeant Ross is doing roll call.]
- Sgt. Ross: Benjamin? Where is Benjamin?
- Pvt. Winters: She is still on the bus, asleep!
- [Sgt. Ross finds a sleeping Judy on the bus]
- Sgt. Ross: [softly] Benjamin. Oh, Benjamin, are you awake?
- Pvt. Benjamin: [drowsily]Are we at the camp?
- Sgt. Ross: Yes, you have arrived at the camp.
- Pvt. Benjamin: That bus ride was harrowing! I'll sleep it off.
- Sgt. Ross: [roaring] Off the bus! NOW!
- Pvt. Benjamin: I think they sent me to the wrong place.
- Capt. Lewis: Uh-huh.
- Pvt. Benjamin: See, I did join the army, but I joined a different army. I joined the one with the condos and the private rooms.
- Cpt. Lewis: I got news for you, Princess. THERE IS NO OTHER ARMY!
- Pvt. Benjamin: To be truthful with you, I can't sleep in a room with 20 strangers.
- Capt. Lewis: Oh dear.
- Pvt. Benjamin: And I mean look at this place. The army couldn't afford drapes? I'll be up at the crack of dawn here!
- Pvt. Benjamin: Have you seen the bathroom?
- Capt. Lewis: Do you think that the latrine... do you think that it's unsanitary?
- Pvt. Benjamin: It's disgusting! There are urinals in there!
- Sgt. Ross: Everybody up! Everybody, Benjamin.
- Judy: Oh God, you can't mean me. I worked the night shift. Go check out the bathroom, it's fabulous!
- Cpt. Lewis: BENJAMIN! You are unfit to wear this uniform!
- Pvt. Benjamin: No shit!
- Pvt. Benjamin: What do you want from me? I didn't ask her to punish everybody! Do you think I like schlepping in the rain all day and all night?
- Pvt. Winter: Just keep marching, Benjamin.
- Pvt. Benjamin: My name is Judy! J-U-D-Y Judy and I'd like somebody to call me by my name! Oh, okay I took my life in my own hands, I made a mistake fine I'm sorry! I'll never do it again! I wanna wear my sandals... I wanna go out to lunch. I wanna be NORMAL again!
- [Judy is escorted to a soldier's lounge where she is surprised to see her parents]
- Pvt. Benjamin: Mom, Daddy?
- Harriet Benjamin: Oh, sweetheart!
- Teddy Benjamin: What happened, Judy? We did not hear from you since Yale's funeral. Then out of the blue we get a call from some man who tells us you joined the United States Army?!
- Cpt. Lewis: Just sign these papers and you are as good as home. [to her parents] It is a pity we are losing her. She was such a delight to have in our company.
- Teddy Benjamin: Well that is it. From now on we never let Judy out of our sight. We decide what to do.
- Pvt. Benjamin: I am sorry, but I must go back and graduate. Mom, Daddy, I will see you then. Captain Lewis.
- [Judy renders a sharp salute and returns to barracks, leaving all three people with an astonished expression]
Cast
edit- Goldie Hawn - Pvt. Judy Benjamin
- Eileen Brennan - Capt. Doreen Lewis
- Armand Assante - Henri Alan Tremont
- Robert Webber - Col. Clay Thornbush
- Sam Wanamaker - Teddie Benjamin
- Barbara Barrie - Harriet Benjamin
- Mary Kay Place - Pvt./2LT. Mary Lou Glass
- Harry Dean Stanton - 1Sgt. Jim Ballard
- Albert Brooks - Yale Goodman
- Alan Oppenheimer - Rabbi
- Lee Wallace - Mr. Waxman
- Hal Williams - Sgt. L.C. Ross
- P. J. Soles - Pvt. Wanda Winter
- Craig T. Nelson - Capt. William Woodbridge
External links
edit
- Private Benjamin quotes at the Internet Movie Database
- Private Benjamin at Rotten Tomatoes
