Tom Cruise's Jack Nicholson impersonation (when his character is quoting Col. Jessup) was not scripted.
When searching for an appropriate setting for the trial, the producers learned that regular military courtrooms are plain and featureless offices. In order to create a more photogenic setting, they settled on a vacant courtroom in an empty courthouse.
Two "Misery" novels can be seen beside Danny's typewriter while he watches a ball game. Misery (1990) was also directed by Rob Reiner.
Kaffee refers to Ross as "Smilin Jack Ross", a reference to one of Kevin Bacon's previous films, Quicksilver (1986) where his hot shot stockbroker character was referred to as "Smilin Jack Casey".
The role of Lt. Cmdr. Galloway was originally written for a man.
The first baseball clip shown on the TV in Kaffee's apartment was from a Pirates at Braves game played 13 May 1992, won 11-10 by the Pirates.
While filming the scene in which Kendrick (played by Kiefer Sutherland) is driving Kaffee's group around the base in a Humvee through two rows of marching soldiers, Sutherland had trouble driving the extra wide vehicle and actually hit soldiers on multiple takes.
Jack Nicholson repeated his famous courtroom monologue as Col. Jessep off-camera several times so Rob Reiner could film the reactions of other actors from various angles. Nicholson's memorable on-camera performance was filmed last, but according to Reiner and the other cast members, Nicholson gave it his all every take as if he was on camera.
Wolfgang Bodison was working for Rob Reiner on A Few Good Men (1992) as a location scout when Reiner decided he was perfect for the part of Corporal Harold Dawson. Reiner said he looked like a marine.
The movie rights for the play "A Few Good Men" were sold before it even premiered.
A love scene between Demi Moore and Tom Cruise was planned but was not done because the movie didn't really call for it.
The word "sir" is used 164 times during the movie. That's an average of once every 50 seconds.
The Marine Corps drill team was portrayed by Texas A&M University's Corps of Cadets Fish Drill Team.
Jason Laymon, a member of Texas A&M's Fish Drill Team, gave live performances of his rifle techniques to audiences at the premier showing in Bryan, Texas (near A&M).
The Aaron Sorkin trademark of showing two characters walking down a hallway toward a moving camera talking sidelong to one another (as seen in The American President (1995), "Sports Night" (1998) and "The West Wing" (1999)) originated on this movie. A scene between Kaffe and Ross was written as being set in an office, but Rob Reiner, in an effort to create more action on screen, suggested that it be changed so that they were walking down a hallway... and the rest is history.
|