Watch Rob Reiner Reflect on Jack Nicholson’s Explosive Courtroom Scene from ‘A Few Good Men’ (VIDEO)
What To Know
- Rob Reiner directed the acclaimed 1992 film A Few Good Men, which featured Jack Nicholson in a pivotal role.
- The film’s iconic courtroom scene has become a lasting cultural touchstone.
- Reiner recalled that Nicholson delivered his intense performance with equal commitment both on and off camera.
When Rob Reiner died on December 14, Hollywood not only lost a legend, but the film industry lost an important and wide-ranging storyteller. One of Reiner’s many talents was not just his ability to translate a story to the screen, but his remarkable capacity to adapt to any genre, whether comedy, romance, thriller, or horror, and transform each into a spectacle that would be remembered long after the credits rolled.
One of his more celebrated and best-received films was 1992’s A Few Good Men, featuring an all-star cast of Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland, James Marshall, Noah Wyle, Cuba Gooding Jr., Kevin Pollak, and the always remarkable Jack Nicholson.
Columbia/courtesy Everett Collection
Written by Aaron Sorkin, the story follows a military lawyer (Cruise) as he defends two U.S. Marines charged with killing a fellow Marine at Guantanamo Bay. Convinced the accused Marines were most likely carrying out an order from a commanding officer, he takes a risk by calling Col. Nathan R. Jessep (Jack Nicholson) to the stand in an effort to uncover the conspiracy. What then occurs is one of the greatest courtroom scenes ever put to celluloid.
The “You Can’t Handle the Truth!” scene from A Few Good Men is generally perceived as an iconic moment of cinematic confrontation, driven by Nicholson’s explosive, self-righteous performance as Colonel Jessup as he challenges Cruise’s Lt. Kaffee. Audiences find it a powerful depiction of authority, making it a cultural touchstone that is often quoted and parodied.
Back in 2017, when Reiner was a guest on The Rich Eisen Show, the director talked about directing the Oscar-winning actor in that memorable scene. “Casting Jack Nicholson in that role, and watching him do his thing…we’ve had Kevin Bacon and Noah on this show and talk about that big scene, and we’ve heard it from their perspective. Watching it as an actor and a director, what was it like from your perspective?,” asked Eisen.
Columbia/courtesy Everett Collection
“Well, it was interesting because you know we have a big courtroom and Jack has this long, long monologue. I said to him, ‘Look, I’ll give you a choice: If you are ready, I’ll shoot you right now. If you want some time to work on it, rehearse it, I will shoot all the reaction shots first, and then we turn the camera around on you.’ He says, ‘Why don’t you shoot the reaction shots?'” said Reiner.
“So, I got Tom Cruise cutaway, more Kevin Bacon, Kevin Pollak, the judge, the jury, I’m doing all the reaction shots, and every time he’s off camera, he gave exactly the same performance that you see that is on camera,” recalled Reiner.
“After two or three, I go up to him and say, ‘Jack, maybe you want to save a little bit.’ Because he’s full out in every one! And he’s off camera!” Then, in his best Nicholson impression, Reiner recalls what Jack told him: “Rob, you don’t understand: I love to act. I don’t get that much of a chance to do a great part.”
“And then we turned the camera around on him, and it was the same. The same. Every time.”
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