Word: mayo
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While the Navy, in the person of Sgt. Foley drags Mayo towards his officer's stripes. Paula Pokrifki (Debra Winger) lures the man out from behind the James Dean-punk facade. Paula is a factory girl from across the bay, apparently one of a breed specializing in purposely getting knocked-up by pilots-to-be, hoping for a shot-gun wedding and an escape from their dreary existence. But Mayo's motel bedmate turns out to be different sensitive, self-aware, and genuinely in love with an Italian stud tast becoming an admirable person as well. Winger is not only...
...CENTER IS Gere's version of a schmuck making the transition to a mensch Unlike most of his previous performances, and especially his role in the laughable American Gigolo, Gere's Mayo has definition and direction. First, he seeks the pride the could never have achieved living above a cat house with his degenerate father. Second he learns about the price of integrity, avoiding false emotionalism in his early relationship with Paula. Third, he discovers that he can combine these with true friendship and generosity. In a subplot that could have become hokey, but somehow doesn't Mayo provides...
...Mayo never stops to consider Foley's off-hand remark that part of an officer's preparation is coming to grips with "dropping a little napalm on a village where there might even be women and children." Later, in a rather superfluous confrontation with a bar-full of townies, the hero ignores the taunt of "warmonger" and breaks noses only when the locals actually threaten him and Paula...
Perhaps this film's only other flaw is an awkward contrast to the Mayo-Paula duo. Mayo has a buddy, Sid Worley (David Kieth), who enters the service to try fill the shoes of a brother killed in Vietnam. Sid falls for the curves of one of Paula's factory floozy colleagues--but the pairing ends in a rather melodramatic tragedy out of place in an otherwise down-to-earth film...
These shorcomings aside. Hackford's rendition of Douglas Day Stewart's story is tasteful and touching. Zack Mayo never would have thought he'd make it into a cockpit neither would his father nor Foley. But he does, and An Officer and a Gentleman will leave you satisfied and humming quietly to yourself...