In the middle of the movie, Jack Webb is wearing dress Alpha uniform with 4 service stripes (hash marks), which indicates more than 16 but less than 20 years of service.
Near the end of the movie, he is in his blues with 3 hash marks, indicating between over 12 but less than 16 years of service.
After the Captain signs Pvt.
Owens general discharge paper and as they leave the office to go meet Owens Mother, they zoom in on the paper and the top two corners are very ruffled.
Once they return and the Captain picks the discharge paper back up and the camera zooms in, the top two corners are in perfect condition.
The credits at both the beginning and the end of the movie refer to Marines wearing five chevrons as "T/SGT" (Technical Sergeant).
However, the Marine Corps discontinued that rank after World War II.
At the time this film was made, the correct title for that rank was Gunnery Sergeant.
During a bar scene, Gunnery Sergeant Moore is antagonized by another D.
named Joey, who wears only the ribbon for the National Defense Service Medal.
Since Joey is obviously old enough to have previously served in both World War II and the Korean War, he should also have been wearing service ribbons denoting service during those conflicts.
Movie opens with wrongly punctuated close-up of a Marine plaque with the phrase "Let's be damned sure that no man's ghost will ever say - "If your training program had only done it's job.
" Correct punctuation is "its".
My father turned me on to this movie years ago after we rented Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket". Dad found much of the Kubrick story a rip off of this and didn't appreciate R.
This was an exceptional movie. It doesn't seem like much at the beginning but really takes off part way through.
I was a working DI at MCRD San Diego when I was selected to play in the movie. I was the first Marine so selected by Webb.
I joined the United States Marine Corps shortly after this film was released, in January, 1958. I had heard about it over the years but never saw the film until recently.
Jack Webb's movie 'The D.I' came about from the real life investigation into the deaths of several trainees in a swamp in Paris Isle in the 50's.
Well as you can see, I got to this party quite late but, have the advantage of reading all the previous entries before making my comments. I found this site by happen chance, when I was looking for other Marine Corps films.
By today's standards The DI might seem a little hokey. Lee Emery's version is more accurate.
Misfit recruit private Owens tests drill instructor Sgt Moore's (Jack Webb) skills. No explosions or bloodshed or hip soundtrack or sex.
I went through boot camp at MCRD Parris Island in 1953 and this film is about as accurate a depiction of what boots went through in that era, even to burying that danged sand flea. Many of the "actors" in the film were active duty Marines.
.jpg)
.jpg)
