''Taps'' is a 1981 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

starring

George C. Scott George Campbell Scott (October 18, 1927 – September 22, 1999) was an American actor, director, and producer who had a celebrated career on both stage and screen. With a gruff demeanor and commanding presence, Scott became known for his port ...

and

Timothy Hutton Timothy Tarquin Hutton (born August 16, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He is the youngest recipient of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, which he won at age 20 for his performance as Conrad Jarrett in ''Ordinary People ...

, with

Ronny Cox Daniel Ronald Cox (born July 23, 1938) is an American actor, singer and songwriter. His best-known roles include Drew Ballinger in ''Deliverance'' (1972), George Apple in ''Apple's Way'' (1974–75), Ozark Bule in '' Bound for Glory'' (1976), Co ...

Tom Cruise Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962), known professionally as Tom Cruise, is an American actor and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actors, he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Gol ...

Sean Penn Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He has won two Academy Awards, for his roles in the mystery drama ''Mystic River'' (2003) and the biopic ''Milk'' (2008). Penn began his acting career in televisi ...

, and

Evan Handler Evan Handler (born January 10, 1961) is an American actor who is best known for playing Harry Goldenblatt, a divorce attorney and later husband of Charlotte York on ''Sex and the City'' (2002–2004) and its revival series ''And Just Like That…' ...

in supporting roles. Hutton was nominated for a

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

award in 1982. The film was directed by

Harold Becker Harold Becker (born September 25, 1928) is an American film and television director, producer, and photographer from New York City, associated with the New Hollywood movement and best known for his work in the thriller genre. His body of work i ...

from a screenplay by

Robert Mark Kamen Robert Mark Kamen (born October 9, 1947) is an American screenwriter, best known as creator of '' The Karate Kid franchise'', as well as for his later collaborations with French filmmaker Luc Besson, which includes the screenplay for ''The Fifth ...

, James Lineberger, and

Darryl Ponicsan Darryl Ponicsan (; born May 26, 1938) is an American writer. He is best known as the author of the 1970 novel ''The Last Detail,'' which was adapted into a 1973 film starring Jack Nicholson. A sequel, ''Last Flag Flying'', based on his 2005 nov ...

, based on

Devery Freeman Devery Freeman (February 13, 1913 – October 7, 2005) was a screenwriter, short-story writer, novelist, television producer, and union activist, who helped to establish the Writers Guild of America. His negotiations with studios resulted in the ...

's 1979 novel ''Father Sky''. The original music score was composed by

Maurice Jarre Maurice-Alexis Jarre (; 13 September 1924 – 28 March 2009)allmusic Biography/ref> was a French composer and conductor. Although he composed several concert works, Jarre is best known for his film scores, particularly for his collaborations with ...

. It was filmed at

Valley Forge Military Academy and College Valley Forge Military Academy and College (VFMAC) is a private boarding school (grades 7–12) and military junior college in Wayne, Pennsylvania. It follows in the traditional military school format with army traditions. Though military in tr ...

. The film follows a group of

military school A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps. It normally provides education in a military environment, the exact definition depending on the country concerned. ...

students who decide to take over their school to save it from closing. It was Penn's first film role, and Cruise's second and his first major role following a brief appearance in '' Endless Love'' a few months earlier.

Plot

Cadet Brian Moreland meets privately with Bunker Hill Military Academy commander General Harlan Bache, who promotes him to Cadet Major, the highest cadet rank. The next day Bache announces that the school's board of trustees will sell the school to

real estate Real estate is property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this (also) an item of real property, (more general ...

developers but that they will remain open for one more year to allow the seniors to graduate and the underclassmen to find other schools. Bache and the cadets hope this will be a chance to save the school. A dance is held at the academy after commencement. Local teenagers outside the gates harass some cadets and a brawl breaks out. When Bache attempts to end the fight, his service pistol is seized by one of the local boys and the weapon discharges, killing one of the local boys. Although the

magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...

was removed, a

round Round or rounds may refer to: Mathematics and science * The contour of a closed curve or surface with no sharp corners, such as an ellipse, circle, rounded rectangle, cant, or sphere * Rounding, the shortening of a number to reduce the number ...

was still in the chamber. Bache is held responsible and after he is arrested has a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

which leaves him in critical condition at the hospital. The board decides to close the school immediately. Moreland meets with his officers and they unanimously decide to take control of the campus. When the

Dean of Students Dean is a title employed in academic administrations such as colleges or universities for a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, over a specific area of concern, or both. In the United States and Canada, deans are usua ...

arrives with the local Sheriff to empty the

armory Armory or armoury may mean: * An arsenal, a military or civilian location for the storage of arms and ammunition Places *National Guard Armory, in the United States and Canada, a training place for National Guard or other part-time or regular mili ...

they find that the weapons are already gone. They are confronted by an armed cadre of cadets led by Major Moreland, who demand to meet with Bache and negotiate with the board of trustees to keep the school open. The Dean and Sheriff are escorted off the academy and armed cadets secure the perimeter. Meanwhile another group of cadets have been sent to a local food supply warehouse to restock their provisions but one of their trucks breaks down on the way back. As Cadet Captain Dwyer attempts to fix the engine a group of local boys threaten them and surround the truck until hotheaded Cadet Captain David Shawn opens fire with his M16, shooting several bursts into the air. The locals scatter and the cadets abandon the stalled truck, fleeing the scene in the second truck and ramming a police car in the process. The police surround the campus and a delegation of parents led by Moreland's father arrives but does not change the cadets' minds. To demonstrate to the police and parents that none of the boys are being held against their will, Moreland assembles the cadets and offers them a chance to walk out. All of them choose to stay. The siege grows more tense when the

National Guard National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. Nat ...

arrives. Colonel Kerby, their commander, also fails to unsuccessfully negotiate. At the next morning muster the officers report that some cadets have fled the campus. Moreland assembles the entire battalion and again offers cadets the opportunity to leave. Led by Moreland’s friend, Lieutenant Edward West, at least half of the remaining cadets drop their weapons and leave. After the electricity and water are turned off, one of the cadets is severely burned as they attempt to restart the school's old gasoline powered generator. They permit an ambulance to enter and take the injured boy to a hospital and, afterwards, Moreland offers to stand down if the order comes from General Bache. Kerby replies that Bache had died the previous night. The cadets, deeply hurt by Bache's death, hold a military memorial service in his honor, of which even the Guardsmen salute. The next night an

M48 Patton The M48 Patton is an American List of main battle tanks by generation#First generation, first-generation main battle tank (MBT) introduced in February 1952, being designated as the 90mm Gun Tank: M48. It was designed as a replacement for the M2 ...

tank rolls up to the main gate. One of the younger cadets, on sentry duty, panics and runs out to surrender. He drops his weapon which fires upon hitting the ground. The National Guard return fire and kill another cadet. The boy's death weakens Moreland’s resolve considerably and he decides to end the occupation. He calls all the cadets to muster and orders them to surrender. But the rebellious David Shawn starts shooting and the campus is overrun by the authorities as a firefight ensues. Moreland runs to Shawn's room to stop him, but both young men are killed by suppressing fire and the siege ends abruptly. A montage of scenes from the Academy's proud past flash across the screen in the aftermath.

Cast

as Brigadier General Harlan Bache *

as Cadet Major Brian Moreland *

as Colonel Kerby *

as Cadet Captain Alex Dwyer (in his debut film role) *

as Cadet Captain David Shawn * Brendan Ward as Cadet Plebe Charlie Auden *

as Cadet First Lieutenant Edward West *

John P. Navin, Jr. John P. Navin Jr. (born July 24, 1968) is an American film and television actor from Philadelphia. He is well known for his roles in the 1981 drama film ''Taps (film), Taps'' and the 1983 movie ''Losin' It'', both of which co-starred Tom Cruise. ...

as Cadet Plebe Derek Mellot *

Billy Van Zandt William Van Zandt (born December 13, 1957) is an American playwright and actor, and the author of the best-selling TV memoir ''Get in the Car, Jane (Adventures in the TV Wasteland).'' Early life Van Zandt was born in Red Bank, New Jersey, to Ma ...

as Cadet Bug *

Giancarlo Esposito Giancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito (; born April 26, 1958) is an American actor and director. He is best known for portraying Gus Fring in the AMC crime drama series ''Breaking Bad'', from 2009 to 2011, and in its prequel series ''Better Ca ...

as Cadet Captain J.C. Pierce *

Earl Hindman Earl John Hindman (; October 20, 1942 – December 29, 2003) was an American actor, best known for his role as the kindly unseen neighbor Wilson W. Wilson, Jr. on the television sitcom ''Home Improvement'' (1991–99). Early years Hin ...

as Lieutenant Hanson * Jeff Rochlin as Cadet Shovel *

Jess Osuna Jess Osuna (May 28, 1928 – April 2, 2011) was an American character actor whose credits included '' Three Days of the Condor'' and '' My Old Man''. Osuna had a successful film, television and stage career, including the films '' A New Leaf'', ...

as Dean Ferris

Reception

Film review aggregator

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

reported that 68% of the 25 sampled critics gave the film a positive review and that it got an average score of 6.2/10. Film critic

Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...

gave the film 3 stars (out of four), comparing the film to the classic novel ''

Lord of the Flies ''Lord of the Flies'' is a 1954 novel by the Nobel Prize-winning British author William Golding. The plot concerns a group of British boys who are stranded on an uninhabited island and their disastrous attempts to govern themselves. Themes i ...

'' (1954). The film earned North American rentals of $20.5 million.Solomon p 235.

Home media

The film was released on DVD on March 5, 2002 and also was released on Blu-ray on May 3, 2011.

References

External links