The comedy Biloxi Blues is one of Mike Nichols’ more commercial films, but also one of his weakest, artistically. a tale that’s too familiar, shallow, and predictable.
Grade: C+ (** out of *****)
Biloxi Blues | |
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![]() Original poster
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Prolific playwright Neil Simon adapted to the big screen his 1985 semi-autobiographical play, which is the second chapter in what he has called the “Eugene Trilogy,” the first of which is “Brighton Beach Memoirs” and the third Broadway Bound.
Matthew Broderick plays Eugene Morris Jerome, a naive Jewish kid, age 20, from Brooklyn who is drafted into the army during the last year of World War II.
He is sent to Biloxi, Mississippi for basic training, where he encounters for the first time soldiers from all walks of life. He also falls in love, and loses his virginity. The longest sequence depicts his relationship with an eccentric drill instructor (played by the eccentric actor, Christopher Walken).
Nichols’s direction is functional and precise but ultimately uninspired. He seems unable to rise above the theatrical origins of the material and its fatigued cliches about Jewish culture, military life, prostitute with a heart of gold, and so on.
The young Broderick brings a suitably fresh presence and immature voice to the role, making the overly familiar tale more endearing than it has the right to be.
Made on a budget of $20 million, the movie was a moderate commercial success, earning over $50 million at the box-office.
Cast
Matthew Broderick as Private Eugene Morris Jerome
Christopher Walken as Technical Sergeant Merwin J. Toomey
Markus Flanagan as Private Roy W. Selridge
Matt Mulhern as Private Joseph T. Wykowski
Corey Parker as Private Arnold B. Epstein
Casey Siemaszko as Private Donald J. Carney
Michael Dolan as Private James J. Hennesey
Penelope Ann Miller as Daisy Hannigan
Park Overall as Rowena
Broderick, Miller, Mulhern, and Overall reprised their stage roles in the movie.
Soundtrack
Period songs heard on the soundtrack include:
“How High the Moon” by Morgan Lewis and Nancy Hamilton
“Blue Moon” by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart
“Marie” by Irving Berlin
“Solitude” by Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, and Edgar DeLange,
“Chattanooga Choo Choo” by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon
“Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone Else but Me)” by Sam H. Stept, Charles Tobias, and Lew Brown.
“Goodbye Dear, I’ll Be Back in a Year” by Mack Kay
“Memories of You” performed by Benny Goodman
Credits
Directed by Mike Nichols
Written by Neil Simon, based on Biloxi Blues, 1985 play by Neil Simon
Produced by Ray Stark
Cinematography Bill Butler
Edited by Sam O’Steen
Music by Georges Delerue
Production company: Rastar
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date: March 25, 1988
Running time: 107 minutes
Budget $20 million
Box office $51.7 million