‘A Few Good Men’ (1992)

Stars : Tom Cruise, Demi Moore & Jack Nicholson

Watch on : Prime Video

As a film buff, one of the films I’ve watched many times over is “A Few Good Men” which, based on Aaron Sorkin’s ground breaking play, is an Oscar and Golden Globe nominated film with an all star cast of Tom Cruise, Demi Moore and that amazing actor, Jack Nicholson as the steely and despotic Col. Jessop with his own code of ethics while serving as the Commanding Officer of Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba, set in 1986.  

It tells the story of a group of military lawyers assigned to defend two marines charged with the murder of a junior fellow marine and being held in Washington D.C., awaiting trial. In this explosive military drama, they make a valiant effort to defend their clients and in doing so, put the military mentality and the Marine code of honour on trial.

While obeying and carrying out orders in the forces is sacrosanct forming the core of military discipline what goes in civil services and corporates is quite different. One situation is when new or junior officers are expected to follow instructions from above though policy manuals expect them to use prudence. To get the job done, at times they’re even asked to overlook the rulebook and resistance here means an adverse tick against the name and botching up chances of moving up the ladder. When the big question of accountability arises, it’s that ‘operations’ guy who’s found to be at fault !

Another scenario is being content with playing the second fiddle for as the axiom goes ‘Boss is never wrong’ and will protect if things go awry. Many senior officers ensure their position is not threatened by a competent junior by scuttling his/her chances in not giving key assignments or opportunities. They appear well-meaning but ‘nothing can grow under this banyan tree’ !

Over the last few years many ethical issues like the above have arisen in organizations which have led to entities like ‘whistleblowers’ – persons who expose any kind of information or activity that is deemed illegal, unethical, or not correct within an organization that is either private or public. Yet few have the courage to fight the might of institutions and the powers that be and prefer to remain silent. That’s why a film like ‘A Few Good Men’ leaves you with a sense of justice ! Ironically, it also highlights just a ‘few’ men.