Major Payne

Major Payne is a 1995 American military comedy film directed by Nick Castle and starring Damon Wayans, who wrote with Dean Lorey and Gary Rosen. The film co-stars Karyn Parsons, Steven Martini, and Michael Ironside. It is a loose remake of the 1955 film The Private War of Major Benson, starring Charlton Heston. Major Payne was released in the United States on March 24 and grossed $30 million. Wayans plays a military officer who, after being discharged, attempts to lead a dysfunctional group of youth cadets to victory in a competition. Plot Major Benson Winifred Payne, a battle-hardened Marine, returns from a successful drug raid in South America to find out that he has been passed over for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. Payne receives an honorable discharge and tries to adjust to civilian life but ends up being arrested. His former commander gets him out of jail and secures him a position back in the military. Payne is sent to Madison Preparatory School in Virginia and is given command of the JROTC students. The cadets are a disorderly group of delinquents and outcasts who have placed last in the Virginia Military Games for eight straight years. Payne immediately takes a hard stance with the cadets and asserts his authority. He shaves the cadets bald and moves them out of their dorms and into a dilapidated barracks. Payne's harsh punishments and lack of empathy for the cadets lead to friction with school counselor Emily Walburn, who tries to soften Payne's approach. The cadets, encouraged by the rebellious leader Alex Stone, make several attempts to sabotage Payne and drive him out of the school. Stone and the cadets hire a biker to assault Payne, in the aftermath Payne makes Stone the squad leader. Things come to a head and Payne offers to quit if the cadets get the Military Games trophy by hook or by crook. Payne tips off the Wellington cadets and they ambush the Madison cadets and beat them severely. Realizing they must earn the trophy honestly, the cadets practice diligently for the Military Games. They develop into a unified squad, and Payne tells them that they have graduated from the program and are fit to compete in the games.