In 1992, movie-going audiences witnessed the release of the Rob Reiner-helmed Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, and Demi Moore starrer A Few Good Men. Hailed by Rotten Tomatoes’ critics’ consensus as an “old-fashioned courtroom drama with a contemporary edge,” the film is based on a 1989 stage play penned by renowned award-winning playwright and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin. The screenplay for the movie was written by both Reiner and Sorkin over a period of eight months.
The movie generated success on both the commercial and critical front. It was nominated for multiple Golden Globes and Academy Awards. Even though the Reiner-directed film failed to win those accolades, it’s still considered an iconic masterpiece among cinephiles. The lines, dialogues, and performances are simply unforgettable.
The intriguing aspect of the movie is how the plot came into existence. It highlights Sorkin’s humble yet unconventional approach to bringing the original play to reality. The playwright, who worked as a bartender when he came up with the concept for the legal drama, utilized a fascinating method of jotting down his ideas. Take a look.
Tom Cruise’s 1992 Courtroom Drama Was Written On Cocktail Napkins
Aaron Sorkin‘s 1989 play, which had the same name, sought its foundation through a phone conversation the playwright had with his sister, Deborah. The latter had committed to a three-year term with U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Having received the inspiration for the story, it was time for it to be written down. Sorkin, who bartended at Palace Theatre on Broadway, used an uncommon method to jot down his ideas—he penned his trial drama narrative on cocktail napkins!
In an old interview, Sorkin explained the details behind his utilization of the unconventional technique:
“‘A Few Good Men’ — I wrote on cocktail napkins during […] Broadway shows where I was serving as a bartender […] I’d go home with my pockets filled with cocktail napkins; I’d dump them out. I had a Mac 512K which was the second generation Macintosh computer that my roommates and I, we pooled our money and we bought it. And I’d start to type it and that would be my first polish that I was doing.”
From cocktail napkins to a typed-out script—Sorkin’s efforts marked the inception of the Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson starrer. However, these reports detail the origin of the 1989 source play. In that context, one may wonder how the film adaptation came to be. Surprisingly enough, the play’s film rights were sold by Sorkin even before its official premiere. It was then with the efforts of producer David Brown that the 1992 movie was brought to life.
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Aaron Sorkin Sold The Film Rights For A Few Good Men Before Its Debut
David Brown, who had produced Sorkin’s play on Broadway, also bought its film rights from the acclaimed playwright in 1988. Brown had found out about Sorkin through an article published in The New York Times that shed light on a one-act play of his, titled Hidden in This Picture. This intrigued the producer and ultimately led him to produce not only the 1989 play but its subsequent film adaptation.
Brown’s proposal to have the film produced was initially rejected by TriStar Pictures due to a “lack of star actors.” Later on, the producer received word from Castle Rock Entertainment’s Alan Horn who was eager to have the premise adapted for the big screen. Rob Reiner, who was associated with the production company, decided to helm the endeavor.
The cinematic pursuit turned out to be a great success. Against a budget of $33–40 million, the Tom Cruise starrer amassed an astounding $243.2 million at the box office. When it comes to the film’s performances, Jack Nicholson‘s memorable, uber-impactful monologue, with the line, “You can’t handle the truth!” amazed the movie-going audiences.
Aaron Sorkin’s A Few Good Men turned out to be stunningly remarkable. The fact that he was able to craft a captivating narrative on something as simple as cocktail napkins is a testament to his storytelling capabilities.
Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, and Demi Moore’s A Few Good Men (1992) is available for streaming on AMC+.
Source: Yardbarker
