THE LORDS OF DISCIPLINE

US, 1983, 102 minutes, Colour.
David Keith, Robert Prosky, G.D. Spradlin, Barbara Babcock, Michael Biehn, Rick Rossovich, Bill Paxton, Judge Reinhold.
Directed by Franc Roddam.

The Lords of Discipline is a story about a military academy in the south, during the '60s. It focuses on traditions, discipline, the status of a military establishment. It also takes up themes of elitism, secrecy and cover-ups, racism.

The film is based on a novel by Pat Conroy, author of Sounder, Conrack, The Great Santini (to which it can be compared for its setting as well as for its focus on military and discipline).

The film was directed by Franc Roddam (Quadraphenia, The Bride, Aria). David Keith is good in the central role. Robert Prosky has a good role as the Bear; G.D. Spradlin is the severe commander of the establishment. (The film was made in England, British locations stand in for the south.)

1. Impact? Relevance? For American audiences? World audiences? The'60s, later?

2. The Carolina settings (and British locations)? Pat Conroy's sensibility? The 60s, tradition, Dixie? Systems? Racism? The outbreak of the Vietnam war? U.S. honour? Sternness and discipline?

3. The military style of the film? Profiles and action, tracking shots? Audience involvement with characters and the plot? The musical score: modern, classics?

4. The title and traditions, the military, training and the necessity of severity, the results? An elite or a soft and immoral United States? Virtues and stoicism (the death of the general's son)? The bad outcomes: lies, cruelty, death? The Hell Night? The role of the Ten? Brutality towards the students, abuses and cover-up, secrecy? The implication of the lords?

5. The United States in the '60s? Vietnam, the tradition of World War Two and other war involvements? The system and presumptions? 'Military control? Epics? The '70s and '80s looking at this period in hindsight? The '70s and exposes of authority?

6. The system and the emphasis on the system? The good leading to bad? Control of the system? Control by the system? The purpose of the Hell Night? The buddy system? The hero, ordinary young man, critical, bucking the system? Commitment? Submission? Seen as something of a saint - and the jokes? Motivation, challenge, change, heroism, stances and confrontation? Questions of integrity?

7. The portrait of Will: casual arrival, dress and car, the guard? His friendship with the Bear, joking relationship? Friendly, father figure? The final year? Visiting Trad, at home in his home, appreciation, the key, his father, mother? The room? Money, sharing? The new cadets, the drills? Taking the system for granted? The general's speech? The Bear's presence? The details of the Hell Night, in relationship to Pearce? The fat boy, his fears, standing on the ledge. terror, ultimately his death? Returning to ordinary life? The jokes. for example Teresa's photo? Brutality, the library, racism and Pearce? Bobby Bentley and his being put on the train tracks, his terror and the veering train? The house where the Ten operated? Will and his fight, stopping it? The trial, the shame procession and his not wanting to turn away? The questions of demerits, the cadet belonging to the Ten and his control? The confrontation. speaking straight to the general, bargaining about his resignation? Commerce and the discovery of his diary? The confrontations, with the Bear? The confrontation, his leaving? David Keith's presence and style? A hero for the '80s?

8. The Bear and his years in the academy, his long experience, friendship with the cadets, tough, believing in the system? Asking him to look after Pearce? Ambiguities on racial issues? his relationship with the general? Watching Will, watching the students? The dance, his talking? Will's attack on him? The irony of his not knowing anything? Supporting Will? The confrontation with the general? Giving Will his ring as he left?

9. The general and his toughness, his speech to the cadets, his standards, discipline? The honest code that he presented? His belief that America was flabby? The speech at the social and the story of his son's death? Stoic reaction? Expelling students? Authorising the walk of shame? The end, the confrontation, his unmasking? His saying that the conditions of resignation were acceptable?

10. Pignetti and the roommates: friendship, sharing the room, the fourth year? Trad and Mark and their relationship? Relationship with Pearce? Discovery about the Ten, reactions? Working together, taking the gasoline and Pignetti on trial, the court, the evidence, his expulsion and the walk of shame?

11. Trad and his family background, his father, mother, piano-playing? Friendship, visits? In the room, his cover-up, his role in the trial? The ironies of his unmasking? Will slapping him? The end?

12. Pearce as the first black student, the hazing, the Ten, the torture, Will looking after him, the notes, Pearce being rescued for turning his back on him, the end and the reconciliation?

13. The tradition of the Ten, the status, the code, the secrecy, for so many decades? The brutality of their elitism? The unmasking?

14. The cadet member of the Ten and his authority, tough, his role in the court case, his confrontation with Will, resignation?

15. The fat boy, his fear, on the roof, his death? Pearce and his determination as the first black student?

16. A portrait of a facet of American life, American codes, the military? The '80s unmasking?