Private Benjamin (1980 film)
| Private Benjamin | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Howard Zieff |
| Produced by |
Nancy Meyers Harvey Miller Charles Shyer Goldie Hawn |
| Written by | Nancy Meyers Charles Shyer Harvey Miller |
| Starring |
Goldie Hawn Eileen Brennan Armand Assante |
| Music by |
Bill Conti Barry De Vorzon |
| Cinematography | David M. Walsh |
| Edited by | Sheldon Kahn |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
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Release date
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Running time
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109 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $15 million |
| Box office | $69,847,348 |
Private Benjamin is a 1980 American comedy film starring Goldie Hawn. The film was one of the biggest box office hits of 1980, and also spawned a short-lived television series. The film is ranked 82 on the American Film Institute's "100 Funniest Movies" poll, and 59 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies".
Judy Benjamin (Goldie Hawn) a 28-year-old from a rather sheltered wealthy upbringing whose lifelong dream is to "marry a professional man", joins the U.S. Army after her new husband (Albert Brooks) dies on their wedding night during sex. Adrift, Benjamin realizes that she has never been independent in her entire life when she meets a sneaky recruiting sergeant, Jim Ballard (Harry Dean Stanton), who leads her to believe military life will provide the "family" she seeks. He also tells her that the service is glamorous, comparing it to a spa vacation. She has a rude awakening upon arriving in boot camp. Judy wants to quit almost immediately, and is astonished to learn that she cannot, contrary to the assertions of her recruiting sergeant.
Army regulations and the continuing disapproval of Captain Lewis (Eileen Brennan) frustrate her, but when Judy's parents arrive at Fort Biloxi to take her home, she decides to stay and finish basic training, which she does with distinction after a wargames exercise. Upon completion of basic training, Judy meets Henri Tremont (Armand Assante), a dashing French doctor, who is in Biloxi for a medical conference. They separate after a brief romance, Henri returns to Paris and Judy enters training for the Thornbirds, an elite paratrooper unit after basic training.
She quickly finds that she was chosen because the unit's commander finds her attractive; he attempts to sexually assault her. When she refuses, he attempts to have her transferred as far away from Biloxi as possible. Rather than accept what she sees as an undesirable post in Greenland or Guam, she negotiates an assignment to SHAPE in Belgium, and meets up with Henri again on a visit to Paris. He proposes marriage and she accepts, but when Capt. Lewis discovers that Tremont is a communist, Judy is forced to choose either her Army career or love.
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