A pretty funny and quite likable 1980 comedy, with Goldie Hawn (who was never better) as a spoiled princess who, at a low point in her life, gets talked into joining the Army by a slick recruiter. It loses a bit of edge toward the end, but it's still well worth a rental or look on cable.
Private Judy Benjamin....Goldie Hawn
Capt. Lewis..............Eileen Brennan
Henri Tremont............Armand Assante
Sgt. Ross................Hal Williams
Recruiter................Harry Dean Stanton
Mr. Benjamin.............Sam Wanamaker
Mrs. Benjamin............Barbara Barrie
Private Gianelli.........Toni Kalem
Private Moe..............Damita Jo Freeman
Col. Thornbush...........Robert Webber
Rated "R" for language, adult content and situations, and a scene of drug use. Run time - 109 minutes.
This film spawned an early 1980's sitcom. Williams, Brennan and Freeman returned; Benjamin was played by Lorna Patterson.
I may be a bit sexist in this nitpick, but...The night before graduation from basic training, the recruits pull a prank on Capt. Lewis by putting blue dye in her showerhead. Benjamin does the actual dirty work of unscrewing and replacing the showerhead. I find it a bit difficult to buy that a pampered princess like Judy Benjamin was supposed to be even knew how to use a wrench, much less remove and replace a showerhead. (I know it's not difficult; I've done it plenty of times. Still, though, I've known women who don't, or wouldn't do that. Even my own girlfriend [sorry, Sue.])
Also, Hawn's Benjamin gains strength, independence and self-reliance from the Army. So, (Spoiler Alert) I found it difficult to believe she'd throw it away for a guy. Especially since Benjamin had been married twice by the time she was recruited.
And, many of the female recruits (including Benjamin) still have long hair. Isn't short hair required for all inductees?
Kate Hudson's voice now is almost identical to her mom's voice in this pic. And others as well.
I think the showerhead nit is a valid one, and is correctly based on her sheltered life, and not her gender, so it's not sexist at all. Someone could've shown her how to do it, I guess, but then why would it have had to be her?
In the scene of the Thornbirds jumping out of the airborne plane, the sky from the open door looks like a matte shot or rear projection.