Private Benjamin

Private Benjamin follows Judy Benjamin, a woman accustomed to comfort and privilege whose life is upended when her husband dies on their wedding night. Grieving and at a loss, she enlists in the US Army, only to find basic training far harsher than she imagined. The discipline, physical demands and strict authority of her commanding officer, Captain Doreen Lewis, clash with everything Judy knows, and much of the film turns on whether she can adapt to a world utterly unlike her own.

The comedy was directed by Howard Zieff and written and produced by Nancy Meyers, Harvey Miller and Charles Shyer. Goldie Hawn leads the cast as Judy, with Eileen Brennan, Armand Assante, Robert Webber, Sam Wanamaker and Barbara Barrie among the 55 credited performers. It was the first of the features Zieff directed listed here, preceding The Dream Team, My Girl and My Girl 2.

Made for about 10 million dollars, the film took roughly 70 million worldwide, a strong return that made it a notable commercial success. On IMDb it holds 6.2 out of 10 from around 31,000 votes, while on TMDB it rates 6 out of 10 from 428 votes. A critics' rating of 6.8 out of 10 from 35 reviews places it somewhat above those audience scores. Running 110 minutes, it was released on October 6, 1980.