“A Few Good Men” premiered in 1992, winning fans around the world. Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise starred in the film, earning high praise for their performances.
Even after 30 years, members of the cast and crew share fond memories of their time on the set. In a recent interview, Kevin Pollak revealed that Jack Nicholson would often try to prank Tom Cruise while they were filming one of the most iconic scenes.
Jack Nicholson Tried to Make Tom Cruise Break Character
“A Few Good Men” follows the court-martial trial of two Marines accused of murdering one of their own. Tom Cruise and Demi Moore play their lawyers, while Jack Nicholson plays a colonel who knows more than he lets on.
Though Nicholson and Cruise’s characters were at odds throughout the film, the actors got along quite well behind the scenes. Kevin Pollak played another lawyer in the film and has quite fond memories from the shooting days.
“Jack [Nicholson] would absolutely mess with Tom [Cruise] while Tom was coming in for the kill in the courtroom,” Pollak shared in a recent interview with PEOPLE.
Though Jack Nicholson’s “You can’t handle the truth!” line went down in cinematic history, Pollak recalls that things weren’t nearly so tense as they seemed. When Tom Cruise delivered the line, “I want the truth!” Jack Nicholson was making faces at his co-star, trying to make him break.
Despite the antics, Tom Cruise never broke. He kept his serious demeanor through the scene and would playfully punch Jack Nicholson’s shoulder once the cameras stopped rolling. Kevin Pollak remembered Nicholson had a blast during that scene.
The Independent shares Tom Cruise’s point of view. Even if Jack Nicholson repeatedly tried to make him laugh during the serious scene, Cruise found a deep sense of respect for Nicholson’s acting prowess.
“ To see him carve up the dialogue and make it his own, find his own stillness. He’s very generous, an actor’s actor. He is off camera the whole time just feeding, feeding me and very supportive. He’d be like, ‘That was a good take Tommy, nice work Tommy.’ He’s just really lovely and he just loved it,” Cruise remembered.
Director Rob Reiner Wanted to Create an Easy-Going Atmosphere on the Set
“A Few Good Men” may be a high-stakes courtroom drama, but director Rob Reiner did everything in his power to ensure his actors wanted to be there. He always brought positive energy to the set.
“The big thing with Rob was just, if we’re not having fun, there’s no point in any of this,” Kevin Pollak shared with PEOPLE. “And he said that while we’re doing a very intense courtroom drama, and it was a great lesson and a great way to work.”
“A Few Good Men” premiered in 1992 and went on to receive several Academy Award nominations. Rob Reiner tragically lost his life on December 14, 2025. He is remembered for his contributions to modern cinema, as well as the wonderful atmosphere he created while filming.
