# An Officer and a Gentleman

> 1982 film by Taylor Hackford

**Wikidata**: [Q1132575](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1132575)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Officer_and_a_Gentleman)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/an-officer-and-a-gentleman

## Summary
An Officer and a Gentleman is a 1982 American romantic drama film directed by Taylor Hackford. The film stars Richard Gere and Debra Winger and tells the story of a U.S. Navy aviation officer candidate who falls in love with a local factory worker while undergoing rigorous training.

## Key Facts
- Release date: January 1, 1982 (general release), March 25, 1983 (specific date)
- Director: Taylor Hackford
- Production companies: Paramount Pictures, Lorimar Television
- Country of origin: United States
- Genre: Romance film, drama film
- IMDb ID: tt0084434
- Rotten Tomatoes rating: 75/100, 79%
- Metacritic score: 73
- Runtime: 125.0 minutes
- Box office gross: $130,648,000
- Budget: $7,244,000
- Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor: Won by Louis Gossett Jr.
- Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture: Won by Louis Gossett Jr.
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
- Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Foreign Language Film: Won
- Wikipedia sitelink count: 38
- Wikidata description: "1982 film by Taylor Hackford"

## FAQs
**What is the plot of An Officer and a Gentleman?**
The film follows Zack Mayo (Richard Gere), a young man who enlists in the U.S. Navy's Aviation Officer Candidate School. Under the strict tutelage of Drill Sergeant Emil Foley (Louis Gossett Jr.), Mayo struggles with the demanding training while developing a romantic relationship with local factory worker Paula Pokrifki (Debra Winger).

**Who are the main cast members?**
The principal cast includes Richard Gere as Zack Mayo, Debra Winger as Paula Pokrifki, and Louis Gossett Jr. as Drill Sergeant Emil Foley. Supporting roles feature David Keith as Sid Worley and Lisa Blount as Lynette Pomeroy.

**What awards did the film win?**
An Officer and a Gentleman won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (Louis Gossett Jr.) and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (Louis Gossett Jr.). It also received the Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Foreign Language Film and was named to the National Board of Review's Top Ten Films list.

**What is the significance of the song "Up Where We Belong"?**
"Up Where We Belong," performed by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes, was written for the film by Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte-Marie. The song became a major hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and winning both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Song.

**Where was the film primarily shot?**
Principal photography took place in Port Townsend, Washington, and at the former Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Oak Harbor, Washington. The location provided authentic naval training facilities and the small-town atmosphere depicted in the film.

## Why It Matters
An Officer and a Gentleman matters as a defining romantic drama of the 1980s that captured the cultural zeitgeist of its era. The film's success helped establish Richard Gere as a major Hollywood leading man and launched Debra Winger's career to new heights. Its portrayal of military training and personal transformation resonated with audiences, while the chemistry between the lead actors created one of cinema's most memorable romantic pairings. The film's commercial success ($130 million box office on a $7.2 million budget) demonstrated the viability of adult-oriented romantic dramas in an era increasingly dominated by blockbuster action films. Its themes of discipline, love, and personal growth continue to resonate with audiences, making it a lasting cultural touchstone that has influenced subsequent military-themed romantic dramas.

## Notable For
- Launching Richard Gere's career as a major Hollywood leading man
- Winning Louis Gossett Jr. the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
- Featuring the Academy Award-winning song "Up Where We Belong"
- Achieving significant box office success ($130.6 million) relative to its modest budget ($7.2 million)
- Depicting authentic U.S. Navy Aviation Officer Candidate School training
- Creating one of cinema's most iconic romantic pairings
- Influencing the romantic drama genre throughout the 1980s
- Being selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry

## Body
### Production and Development
An Officer and a Gentleman was produced by Paramount Pictures and Lorimar Television, with principal photography beginning in 1981. The film was directed by Taylor Hackford, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Douglas Day Stewart. The production budget was $7,244,000, a modest sum that yielded significant returns at the box office. Filming took place primarily in Washington state, utilizing the authentic naval training facilities at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and the picturesque coastal town of Port Townsend to create the film's setting.

### Cast and Characters
The film stars Richard Gere as Zack Mayo, a troubled young man seeking direction through military service. Debra Winger portrays Paula Pokrifki, a local factory worker with dreams beyond her small-town life. Louis Gossett Jr. delivers an Academy Award-winning performance as Drill Sergeant Emil Foley, the demanding instructor who pushes Mayo to his limits. The supporting cast includes David Keith as Sid Worley, Mayo's fellow candidate and friend, and Lisa Blount as Lynette Pomeroy, Paula's best friend.

### Critical Reception and Awards
Upon its release, An Officer and a Gentleman received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances, particularly those of Gere, Winger, and Gossett Jr. The film's commercial success was matched by its critical acclaim, earning six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. Louis Gossett Jr. won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, becoming the first African American man to win in this category since 1963. The film also received Golden Globe nominations and won several other industry awards.

### Cultural Impact and Legacy
The film's cultural impact extends beyond its initial release, with several elements becoming iconic in popular culture. The final scene, featuring Gere's character arriving at Winger's factory in his naval dress whites, has been widely parodied and referenced in subsequent films and television shows. The song "Up Where We Belong" became a chart-topping hit and has since been covered by numerous artists. The film's portrayal of military training and personal transformation has influenced subsequent military-themed films and television series.

### Box Office Performance
An Officer and a Gentleman was a significant commercial success, grossing $130,648,000 at the box office against its $7,244,000 production budget. This represents a return of nearly 18 times the initial investment, making it one of the most profitable films of 1982. The film's success helped establish the viability of adult-oriented romantic dramas during a period when the industry was increasingly focused on blockbuster action films and special effects-driven productions.

### Music and Soundtrack
The film's soundtrack, featuring "Up Where We Belong" by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes, became one of the most successful of the 1980s. The song spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Song. The soundtrack album also included other popular tracks that contributed to the film's emotional resonance and commercial appeal.

### Technical Specifications
The film has a runtime of 125.0 minutes and was shot in color using traditional 35mm film stock. The cinematography by Donald McAlpine captured both the stark beauty of the Pacific Northwest locations and the intensity of the naval training sequences. The film's editing, by Mark Conte and Marion Rothman, helped maintain the dramatic tension throughout the narrative while allowing for the development of the central romantic relationship.

### Distribution and Home Media
Following its theatrical release, An Officer and a Gentleman has been distributed through various home media formats including VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray. The film has maintained a consistent presence in home entertainment markets, with multiple re-releases and special editions featuring additional content and restored video quality. Its continued availability has helped maintain its cultural relevance across generations of viewers.

### Related Works and Connections
The film is connected to various other entities within the film industry and broader cultural landscape. It shares thematic and stylistic connections with other military-themed romantic dramas of the 1980s, while its success influenced the development of similar films in subsequent decades. The film's production companies, Paramount Pictures and Lorimar Television, have extensive histories in the entertainment industry, with Paramount being one of the oldest surviving film studios in Hollywood.

### Preservation and Recognition
An Officer and a Gentleman has been recognized for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance. The film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, ensuring its availability for future generations. This recognition places it among a select group of films deemed to be "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the nation's film preservation authorities.

### Industry Impact
The film's success had a notable impact on the careers of its principal participants. For Richard Gere, it established him as a leading man capable of carrying major studio productions. For Taylor Hackford, it demonstrated his ability to direct commercially successful mainstream films. The film also contributed to the ongoing evolution of the romantic drama genre, showing that stories about adult relationships could achieve both critical acclaim and commercial success in an era increasingly dominated by youth-oriented entertainment.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1983)
2. The Movie Database
3. An Officer and a Gentleman. Rotten Tomatoes
4. [IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084434/releaseinfo)
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. Kinopoisk
7. [Source](https://www.kijkwijzer.nl/films/officer-and-a-gentleman-an/)
8. [Source](http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=28198.html)
9. List of film licenses issued from 1945 to 2020
10. [Source](https://www.eirin.jp/list/index.php?s_year=2019&s_month=4&e_year=2019&e_month=4&pageID=2)
11. [Source](https://www.cnc.fr/professionnels/visas-et-classification/56401)
12. Online-Filmdatenbank
13. [Source](http://www.mecd.gob.es/cultura-mecd/areas-cultura/cine/industria-cine/calificacion/calificacion-por-meses.html)
14. Bechdel Test Movie List
15. mymovies.it
16. [Source](https://ui.eidr.org/view/content?id=10.5240/8254-4DFE-B78A-8CE8-491A-O)
17. [Source](https://www.acmi.net.au/works/92810)
18. Kanopy
19. Trakt.tv
20. FilmVandaag.nl