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With: Jack Nicholson, Otis Young, Randy Quaid, Clifton James, Carol Kane, Michael Moriarty, Nancy Allen, Gilda Radner, Jim Hohn, Luana Anders, Kathleen Miller, Gerry Salsberg, Pat Hamilton, Don McGovern
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Written by: Robert Towne, based on a novel by Darryl Ponicsan
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Directed by: Hal Ashby
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MPAA Rating: R
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Running Time: 104
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Date: 12/12/1973
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Navy Scenes
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
In the 1970s, director Hal Ashby was arguably the premiere observer of human foibles and fallacies. In other hands, The Last Detail (1973) could have been a typical lowbrow comedy, but thanks to his unique rhythms, Ashby finds moments of great profundity in this story of two U.S. Navy "chasers" (Jack Nicholson and Otis Young) taking a young man, Meadows (Randy Quaid), to prison. Along the way, they drink a great deal of beer, fight, and try to relieve Meadows of his virginity. They overlook a nice restaurant in favor of burgers, and an attempted visit to Meadows' mother turns from sweet to sad. Michael Chapman's cinematography emphasizes urban cold, and Ashby's random leaps in time show the progression of events from uproarious to introspective. Robert Towne received an Oscar nomination for his great screenplay. Nicholson and Quaid received acting nominations. Look quick for Gilda Radner in the chanting meeting. In 2017, Richard Linklater adapted the novel's sequel into the equally terrific film, Last Flag Flying, although the characters are different.
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