The Great Santini (1979)

Deliberate mistake: After having wrestled with Santini in his office, Col. Virgil Hedgepath tells Santini, "And no more assaulting corporals in the latrine." Marines use the naval term "head" in refering to the restroom, and would never call it "the latrine." However, since "latrine" is better known to civilians, this could be a deliberate mistake by the film makers.

Factual error: When Santini is reporting into Beaufort, he refers to the Marine behind the desk as "sergeant." However, the rank on the Marine's sleeve indicates he is a Master Gunnery Sergeant. Unlike in the Army, referring to any rank other than E-5 as "sergeant" is considered an insult in the Marine Corps, and no Marine would ever refer to a Master Gunnery Sergeant as "sergeant." The proper form of address would be "Master Guns," "Master Gunny" or "Top."

Factual error: When Ben and Mary Ann are leaving for the prom, their little brother Brian is wearing a vest adorned with various fighter squadron and jet fighter emblems. When he leans around the pillar to tell Mary Ann she looks pretty, you can see that the patch on the lower left is for the F-14 Tomcat. While the movie is set in 1962, the Tomacat didn't have its maiden flight until 1970, and was not put into service until 1974.

Trivia: Although Blythe Danner plays Michael O'Keefe and Lisa Jane Persky's mother in the film, she is only 12 years older than them.

Bull Meechum: I am Santini, the Great Santini.
Bull Meechum: I come from behind the moon, out of the dark, unannounced.
Bull Meechum: Watch out.

Bull Meechum: I'd like to propose a toast, to my son. He is eighteen today. He has just ordered his first drink. Before he drinks it, I'd like to wish him a long life, a wife as fine as his mother, and a son as fine as he's been. To my son.

Ben Meechum: Would you like to die in action, Dad?
Bull Meechum: It's better than dying of piles.