1999 · R · 116 min
The General's Daughter
An undercover military investigator is assigned to solve the brutal murder of a prominent general's daughter.
- Director
- Simon West
- Released
- June 18, 1999
- Studios
- Paramount Pictures, Mace Neufeld Productions
- Worldwide
- $149,705,852
The General's Daughter
- Budget
- $95,000,000
- Opening Weekend
- $22,332,053
- Domestic
- $102,705,852
- Worldwide
- $149,705,852
- Return on Budget
- 1.6x
Synopsis
The picture.
Paul Brenner, a warrant officer with the Army's Criminal Investigation Division, is called to investigate the death of Captain Elisabeth Campbell, daughter of the highly respected Lieutenant General Joseph Campbell. He is paired with rape specialist Sarah Sunhill, a former flame, to navigate the post's complex social and political hierarchy.
As the duo digs deeper, they discover Elisabeth lived a double life, exposing a dark underside of military culture and power games among the officers. They run into a wall of silence as high-ranking officials move to protect the General and the institution.
The search leads to a long-buried scandal that may have served as the catalyst for the murder, forcing Brenner to choose between the chain of command and the truth.
Above the Line
Cast & crew.
Director
- Simon West
Writers
- Christopher Bertolini
- William Goldman
Principal Cast
- John Travolta
- Madeleine Stowe
- James Cromwell
- Timothy Hutton
- James Woods
- Clarence Williams III
Studios
- Paramount Pictures
- Mace Neufeld Productions
Trailer
Watch it.
Production Notes
What made it work.
- 01
Based on the 1992 best-selling novel by Nelson DeMille.
- 02
Legendary screenwriter William Goldman was brought in for a significant rewrite of the original Christopher Bertolini script.
- 03
Principal photography took place largely in Savannah, Georgia, using local architecture to stand in for a fictional military installation.
- 04
Marked Simon West's second feature as director, following Con Air.
Reception
How it landed.
Critical
Mixed critical reviews citing a predictable plot and grim tone, with praise reserved for the lead performances.
Audience
Audiences responded more strongly than critics, driving a significant commercial success of over $149M globally.