The Great Santini
A Marine family’s disciplined patriarch turns his son’s final high-school year into a painful struggle for independence, dignity, and love.
Overview
A family's struggle for respect and identity under the shadow of a domineering patriarch.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- tense
- intimate
- melancholic
- reflective viewing
- classic drama night
What critics said
Critics broadly praise the film as a compelling, character-driven family drama anchored by Robert Duvall’s vivid performance, despite some unevenness.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Bull Meechum governs Lillian and the children as though the household were a Marine unit, insisting that obedience builds character.
Ben seeks Bull's respect while questioning whether affection can survive his father's relentless demands and humiliation.
Ben's friendship with Toomer Smalls and the confrontation involving racist Red Petus alter the family and community dynamic.
Bull is celebrated as an exceptional Marine pilot while his sophomoric conduct and self-centered control destabilize his family.
Films like The Great Santini, and why
Kramer vs. Kramer
intense father son conflict, dysfunctional family dynamics, and emotionally grounded coming of age
The Last Picture Show
volatile patriarchal authority, family pressure, and serious domestic drama centered on a son's maturation
The Lords of Discipline
military family tension, adolescent identity, and a commanding father whose authority damages those closest to him
Movie Details
- Director
- Lewis John Carlino
- Release Date
- 1979-10-26
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (77)
Cast
- Robert Duvall
- Blythe Danner
- Michael O'Keefe
- Lisa Jane Persky
- Julie Anne Haddock
- Brian Andrews
- Stan Shaw
- Theresa Merritt
- David Keith
- Paul Mantee
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Great Santini about?
- A Marine family’s disciplined patriarch turns his son’s final high-school year into a painful struggle for independence, dignity, and love.
- What is The Great Santini like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Great Santini as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Great Santini violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Great Santini as mild.
- What did critics think of The Great Santini?
- Critics broadly praise the film as a compelling, character-driven family drama anchored by Robert Duvall’s vivid performance, despite some unevenness.
- Which films are like The Great Santini?
- Films with a similar feel include Kramer vs. Kramer, The Last Picture Show, and The Lords of Discipline.
- How long is The Great Santini?
- The Great Santini runs 115 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Great Santini?
- In United States, The Great Santini is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
