The Lords of Discipline (film)

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The Lords of Discipline
Directed by	Franc Roddam
Produced by	Herb Jaffe Gabriel Katzka
Written by	Lloyd Fonvielle Thomas Pope from the novel by Pat Conroy
Starring	David Keith Robert Prosky G.D. Spradlin Barbara Babcock Michael Biehn
Music by	Howard Blake
Cinematography	Brian Tufano
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	February 18, 1983
Running time	103 min.
Country	USA
Language	English
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The Lords of Discipline is a 1983 film based on the novel by Pat Conroy and directed by Franc Roddam. The film stars David Keith, Robert Prosky, Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton and Olympic boxer Mark Breland.. It was filmed entirely in England, as none of the American military academies would allow filming on their grounds.

[edit] The Story

The year is 1964, and Carolina Military Institute is about to do something it's never done in its entire history--allow a black man to become a member of the Corps of Cadets. Will McLean, a senior private, has been assigned to watch over him to ensure that he makes it through the year. But can Will stand tall against the power of "the Ten," a secret gang within the Corps of Cadets sworn to uphold CMI's highest standards--by any and all means necessary?

Although the book's author, Pat Conroy, claims that the fictional Carolina Military Institute was not based on any particular military academy but was an amalgam of several, Roddam was forced to shoot the film at England's premier Public School, Wellington College because no American military academy would allow him access due to its subject matter. Ironically, Wellington College is considered an "army school" due to its origins and founding father, the Duke of Wellington.

[edit] The Cast

David Keith......Will McLean
Robert Prosky.....Colonel Bearano aka The Bear
Mark Breland......Pearce
G. D. Spradlin.....Gen. Durrell
Michael Biehn......Alexander
Rick Rossovich.......Dante Pignetti aka Pig
Judge Reinhold......Maccabee
Bill Paxton.....Gilbreath (credited as "Wild Bill" Paxton)
Barbara Bosson......Mrs. Durrell
Mitchell Lichtenstein......Tradd St. Croix
Malcolm Danare......Poteete

[edit] Notes on the Film Version

Actors Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Rick Rossovich and William Hope would later star in several films by director James Cameron. Paxton and Rossovitch would have brief appearances in the original Terminator film along with Biehn; Biehn, Paxton and Hope starred in Aliens; Biehn also appeared in The Abyss and the extended version of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, while Paxton would show up in True Lies and Titanic.

Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton and Rick Rossovitch also worked together again portraying members of an elite Navy Seal team in the 1990 movie, Navy Seals.