(Hal Ashby, US 1973, 105 min.)

In one of his quintessential roles, Jack Nicholson stars as career Navy man Billy “Badass” Buddusky, who’s ordered along with another sailor (Otis Young) to escort Seaman Meadows (Randy Quaid) to the brig. When the two Navy lifers realize the sensitive, still-teenaged Meadows is going to serve several years for a bum rap, they decide to share their two-day liberty and show the kid a good time. Ashby’s naturalistic direction finds all the humor and emotion inherent in Robert Towne’s script. It’s one of the best films of the early ’70s.