A Few Good Men 🎥 1992 Movie Info

Plot Summary

At the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba, Private William Santiago, a United States Marine, is tied up and beaten in the middle of the night. After he is found dead, Lance Corporal Harold Dawson and Private First Class Louden Downey are accused of his murder and face a court-martial. Their defense is assigned to United States Navy JAG Corps Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee, a callow lawyer with an impressive and expedient track record for plea bargains and without any court experience. Another JAG attorney, Lieutenant Commander Joanne Galloway, Kaffee’s superior, suspects something is amiss.

Santiago died after he broke the chain of command to ask to be transferred away. Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Markinson advocated for Santiago to be transferred, but Base Commander Colonel Nathan Jessep ordered Santiago’s platoon commander, Lieutenant Jonathan Kendrick, to “train” Santiago on the basis they are all at fault for Santiago’s substandard performance. Galloway suspects that Dawson and Downey carried out a “code red” order: a violent extrajudicial punishment. Galloway is bothered by Kaffee’s blasé approach, and Kaffee resents Galloway’s interference. Kaffee and Galloway question Jessep and others at Guantanamo Bay and are met with contempt from the colonel.

Kaffee negotiates a plea bargain with the prosecutor, US Marine Judge Advocate Captain Jack Ross, for involuntary manslaughter with a sentence of two years but serving only six months—avoiding a possible lifetime sentence if found guilty at trial. Dawson and Downey refuse the plea bargain, insisting that Kendrick gave them the “code red” order, they never intended to kill Santiago, and a plea bargain would be dishonorable. Initially intending to be removed as counsel, Kaffee unexpectedly pleads not guilty for the defendants at the arraignment. Realizing that he was chosen to handle the case to accept a plea to keep the matter quiet, he decides to put up a defense.

Meet the Cast