G.I. Jane (1997)
Director Ridley Scott brought to the big screen the action drama G.I. Jane (1997). As part of the candidate selection process for Secretary of the Navy, a Senate Armed Services Committee holds interviews. Senator Lillian DeHaven of Texas voices her criticism of the Navy’s lack of gender neutrality. Behind closed doors, a deal is made: If women can prove themselves equal to men through a series of tests, the military will fully integrate them into all Navy occupations. The first task is completing the rigorous training course for the U.S. Navy Combined Reconnaissance Team. Senator DeHaven personally selects Lieutenant Jordan O’Neil, a topographical analyst with a more feminine appearance than other candidates.
To pass, O’Neil must survive a demanding selection program with a high dropout rate of nearly sixty percent. Most candidates do not make it past the fourth week, with the third week being the most challenging (‘hell week’). The enigmatic Command Master Chief John James Urgayle leads the intense training program, which consists of 20-hour days filled with physically and mentally exhausting tasks such as pushing large ship fenders up beach dunes, navigating obstacle courses, and hauling landing rafts. Despite holding a higher rank than Urgayle, O’Neil must compete for her spot among all the other recruits. In one instance, during an obstacle course that allowed a 30-second ‘gender-norming’ allowance, O’Neil insists on being held to the same standards as her male counterparts.
Date of download: 2015-11-11T17:22:34+00:00
Cast:  Demi MooreJordan O'Neill  Viggo MortensenMaster Chief John James Urgayle  Anne BancroftLillian DeHaven  Jason BegheRoyce |
Director Ridley Scott brought to the big screen the action drama G.I. Jane (1997). As part of the candidate selection process for Secretary of the Navy, a Senate Armed Services Committee holds interviews. Senator Lillian DeHaven of Texas voices her criticism of the Navy’s lack of gender neutrality. Behind closed doors, a deal is made: If women can prove themselves equal to men through a series of tests, the military will fully integrate them into all Navy occupations. The first task is completing the rigorous training course for the U.S. Navy Combined Reconnaissance Team. Senator DeHaven personally selects Lieutenant Jordan O’Neil, a topographical analyst with a more feminine appearance than other candidates.
To pass, O’Neil must survive a demanding selection program with a high dropout rate of nearly sixty percent. Most candidates do not make it past the fourth week, with the third week being the most challenging (‘hell week’). The enigmatic Command Master Chief John James Urgayle leads the intense training program, which consists of 20-hour days filled with physically and mentally exhausting tasks such as pushing large ship fenders up beach dunes, navigating obstacle courses, and hauling landing rafts. Despite holding a higher rank than Urgayle, O’Neil must compete for her spot among all the other recruits. In one instance, during an obstacle course that allowed a 30-second ‘gender-norming’ allowance, O’Neil insists on being held to the same standards as her male counterparts.
