A pair of U.S. Navy petty officers (Jack Nicholson and Otis Young) are assigned to escort a young sailor (Randy Quaid) to prison to serve an eight-year sentence. Taking pity on the young man, they decide to make his last days of freedom memorable ones. Robert Towne’s superb (and profanity-laden) screenplay and the outstanding performances of Nicholson and newcomer Quaid all earned Oscar nominations.

Director John Boorman's neo-noir is also a brain-twisting deconstruction that changed the look of action films. Lee Marvin, seemingly back from the dead, is out for payback. With John Vernon, Angie Dickinson.