In the sparkling comedy Private Benjamin (released in theaters on October 10, 1980), Judy Benjamin (Goldie Hawn) is a woman whose entire identity is defined by her social standing and her search for the perfect husband.
When her marriage ends in tragedy on her wedding night – her husband, Yale Goodman (Albert Brooks), dies during their first romantic encounter – Judy is left spiraling and vulnerable.
In her grief, she is manipulated by a silver-tongued Army recruiter into enlisting, believing the military is a “glamorous” getaway comparable to a luxury spa.
The reality is a rude awakening at Fort McClellan, where she is subjected to the grueling demands of basic training and the relentless scrutiny of the formidable Captain Doreen Lewis (Eileen Brennan).
Supported by her bewildered parents (Sam Wanamaker and Barbara Barrie), Judy initially struggles to adapt, but she eventually finds an inner strength she never knew existed.
Her journey takes her to a high-stakes NATO exercise under the command of Colonel Clay Thornbush (Robert Webber) and eventually to Paris.
There, she falls for a dashing French gynecologist, Henri Tremont (Armand Assante). However, Judy soon realizes that Henri expects her to revert to the subservient “trophy wife” role she previously occupied.
The film reaches its peak when Judy must choose between the comfort of a wealthy, stifling marriage and the hard-won autonomy she discovered in uniform.
Harry Dean Stanton, Craig T. Nelson, Mary Kay Place, P.J. Soles, Hal Williams and Richard Herd round out the supporting cast.
Sally Kirkland also has a brief appearance as Helga.
Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin (Photo/Warner Bros.)
Reception for Private Benjamin
Private Benjamin grossed $4.7 million on its opening weekend, finishing No. 1 at the box office.
The film would gross $69.8 million in its theatrical run.
Roger Ebert gave Private Benjamin three out of four stars in his review.
The film received three Academy Award nominations: Best Actress (Hawn), Best Supporting Actress (Brennan) and Best Original Screenplay (Nancy Meyers, Charles Shyer and Harvey Miller).
Private Benjamin was made into an Emmy winning television series that ran from 1981 to 1983 on CBS. Lorna Patterson played the title role, while Brennan and Williams played their same characters on the show.
Lasting Legacy
Private Benjamin is cemented as one of the highest-grossing and most influential comedies of the 1980s.
The film offered a nuanced, funny, and ultimately empowering look at the female experience, arriving at a time when the role of women in the military was a subject of intense national debate.
