An Officer and A Gentleman

This 1982 movie stars Richard Gere, Debra Winger, and Louis Gossett, Jr., who won an best supporting Oscar for his role as a tough drill Sergeant. Richard Gere plays a man who enlists in the Navy to become an aviator. While attending school, he meets and falls in love with Debra Winger. He also becomes best friends in a role played by actor David Keith.

Richard Gere intends to date and only have fun with Debra Winger while he is struggling to get through the tough program. She works at a paper mill and is looking for an officer as a ticket to her way out. Richard Gere's friend ultimately DOR (drops out on request) and he ultimately ends up taking his own life when things don't turn out like he planned. Richard Gere leans on Debra Winger to get through the death of his friend. Louis Gossett Jr., comes down on Richard Gere and helps him to find out what he is really made of. He ultimately successfully completes the program becoming an "Officer and a Gentleman."

In the end scene he goes to the paper mill and literally sweeps Debra Winger off of her feet and takes her out of the paper mill to begin life with the two of them together.

This movie slide show is played to the song "Love lifts us up where we belong" which ultimately won an Oscar for best song.



Following is the clip that Richard Gere is probably most remembered for in this movie

Ladder 49

This movie about firefighters in Baltimore came out in 2004. It stars John Travolta and Joaquin Phoenix (before he went off the deep end). Joaquin is a probie under John who teaches him everything that he knows. Joaquin goes on to excel even after John moves on to a higher position with the department.

Joaquin finds a woman he loves, marries her, and has two kids with her. He sees several of his firefighter brothers seriously injured or killed in the line of duty. Even with all that and a wife that wants him to quit, he continues to do the work.

**Spoiler-the interesting thing about this movie is that it does not have the happy ending that we all come to expect. I admire that they actually killed off Joaquin's character, showing what firefighters face in real life on a daily basis. The ending scene is a real tearjerker so be prepared with the hankies.

He Said She Said

This 1991 films stars Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth Perkins. They start off as reporters working at the same newspaper. They are then asked to write an article about a controversial piece of modern dance and surprisingly they have opposing views on it. This starts a column where they write about current events with their opposing views. In the meantime, they fall in love which is surprising considering that Kevin Bacon is a commitment phobe. The success of the column leads to a tv spot which almost tears them apart. But, there is a happy ending for all involved.

This movie is great because it presents both sides of the sexes and how they view the same incidents. I must admit that it is one of my husband and my favorite movies. If you get the chance to watch, it do....

Terms of Endearment

This 1983 movie won Oscars for Shirley McClaine and Jack Nicholson and a best actress nomination for Debra Winger. This movie is about a relationship between a mother and daughter. The daughter feels that she is constantly disappointing her mother with her life choices such as marrying young, having three children, and staying married to a man that cheats on her. The daughter constantly fights to make her mother understand that she is happy with the choices that she has made.

The mother has not experienced love since her husband dies when her daughter was a young child. Jack Nicholson, a has been astronaut moves in next store. After flirting over five years, they finally hook up. However, he is not ready for love.

The event that pulls everything together is when the daughter gets breast cancer and has exhausted all treatments. Her mother moves into the hospital to help take care of her. Jack shows up to help take card of the mother and admits that he loves her. Ultimately she dies, pulling all the family together.