A Few (Less) Good Men

     In the movie A Few Good Men, Jack Nicholson's portrayal of Colonel Nathan Jessup earned him a well-deserved Oscar nomination.  It also earned him the honor of having spoken one of the most popular lines in cinematic history: "You can't handle the truth!" the cantankerous Marine commander spouted at the interrogating questions posed to him by the prosecuting attorney during that famous courtroom scene.  The American Film Institute ranks the quote at #29 in their list of  all-time Top 100 most memorable movie quotes.

     But it's Jessup's explanation of why "you can't handle the truth" that speaks volumes about many factions of American society today where vast differences of philosophy can only be understood by those who have experienced those differences first hand.  Although tragically wrong in his decision making that led to the death of a marine under his command, Jessup offers this education to the young lawyer about what life and death combat is all about: