Where was An Officer and A Gentleman filmed?
1982
City Locations
Port Townsend, Washington
Location Types
American, Beach/ Oceanview, Buildings/ Offices, Clubs/ Bars, Diners/ Coffee, Gyms/ Sports, Hospitals/ Medical, Hotels/ Motels, Restaurant, Schools, Warehouses
Location Styles
Airstream, Americana, Beachfront, Bed & Breakfast, Boat Style, Bus, Classic Car, Federal Building, Foreign, Motel Style, Motorcycle Style, Parking Lot, Plane
About An Officer and A Gentleman
The 1982 romantic drama film, An Officer and A Gentleman, was an award-winning movie directed by Taylor Hackford. Its star cast included Richard Gere, Debra Winger, and Louis Gossett Jr, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
The storyline follows Aviation Officer Candidate (AOC) Zack Mayo (Richard Gere), who starts training at the Aviation Officer Candidate School for the Navy. Before joining the Navy, Zack lived with his father in the Philippines. His father was a horrible influence on Zach (especially after Zach's mother committed suicide because of Zach's father's abandonment). Zack is determined to become a jet pilot in the Navy despite his father's disappointment and disapproval.
At the Naval training school, he meets AOC Sid Worley (David Keith), AOC Topper Daniels (David Caruso), AOC Casey Seeger (Lisa Eilbacher), and the feared Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley (Louis Gossett Jr). The AOCs are shocked at the harsh treatment they receive at the hands of Foley, and they realize they need to work really hard to become mentally and physically fit to graduate as ensigns in the US Navy. On the first day, Foley warns the cadets about 'Puget Sound Debs' or groups of girls whose only ambition is to marry a Naval Officer and often trick the AOCs into marrying them by becoming pregnant or ignoring birth control.
Despite these warnings, AOCs Zack and Sid meet local girls Paula Pokrifki (Debra Winger) and Lynette Pomeroy (Lisa Blount) at a Navy Ball and get into relationships with them. During this time, Foley tries to drive Zack out of the training and puts him through hell. During this time, Zack realizes his reasons for joining the Navy and gets self-actualized.
What follows is a remarkable story of life, death, ups, downs, and emotional trauma at the suicide of a beloved character. Despite the emotional wringer that the film puts audiences through, the ending is happy, with two main characters living together happily ever after.
An Officer and A Gentleman Locations
All the training and naval scenes are shot in Washington State around Fort Worden Historic State Park, Battery Kinzie, and Port Townsend. Several An Officer and A Gentleman action scenes were filmed on-site, with hardly any green screen work for the backgrounds. The actors took an active part in the action scenes and trained exceptionally hard for a few months before filming began so they could easily cross the obstacle courses and the training parts of the film.
Since most of the filming happened around one location, the obstacle course was constructed specifically for the film at Battery Kinzie and was later dismantled. One notable exception to the rule is the existence of the decompression chamber that is still present at building 225 at Fort Worden State Park. Visitors can see the room in the building's basement. However, we are unsure whether you would be allowed inside.
The dormitory and porch used for the cadets were also located in building 204 at Fort Worden State Park. Visitors can also see the famous 'blimp hangar' where AOC Zack and Sergeant Foley fight in one of the final scenes of the training.
Teaser: The US Navy did not give permission for film shoots at NAS Pensacola, so the deactivated Army Base at Fort Worden was used as the Aviation Officer Candidate School in the Puget Sound area.
Fun fact:
An Officer and A Gentleman did superbly at the box office and grossed $190 million with a budget of $ 7 million.
Sergeant Foley is ready for the new recruits scene in An Officer and A Gentleman
Fort Worden Historical State Park - Puget Sound Coast Artillery Museum, Port Townsend, Washington
All the new cadets report to Fort Rainier for their first day of naval training. Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley (Louis Gossett Jr.) approaches the cadets and barks, "Fall in! I said fall in, you slimy worms! Put your toes at the end of that chalk line! I said… put your toes at the end of the chalk line, you slimy worms!" at them. Once the new recruits fall in line, Foley says, "Attention! I don't believe what I'm seeing. Where have you been all your lives? At an or*y? Listening to Mick Jagger's music and bad mouthing your country, I bet!"
Sergeant Foley approaches a young recruit who looks at him and says, "You better stop eyeballing me. You're not worthy of looking your superiors in the eye. Use your peripheral vision. Understand?" The cadet responds, spooked, "Yes, sir."
This filming location of An Officer and A Gentleman is Port Townsend, the Fort Worden Historical State Park - Puget Sound Coast Artillery Museum. Fort Worden was once an artillery corps base that was made to protect Puget Sound from naval invasion. Visitors can hop onto bus number 2 and get off at the Fort Worden stop before walking for 2 minutes to reach the museum.
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Recruits training along the beach scene in An Officer and A Gentleman
Harbor Defense Way, Port Townsend, Washington
Once the new recruits get into the training with Sergeant Foley, there are several drills and exercises they need to be strict about. These new recruits also have to wake up when told and sleep only on a schedule. Anyone who flouts the rules is thrown out of the Naval Training. The recruits must jog along the beach with Sergeant Foley as part of their training schedules.
As they run and train, they have to sing in tune with Sergeant Foley, "Flying low and feeling mean." The recruits repeat after him, "Flying low and feeling mean."
This is one of the best scenes in An Officer and A Gentleman since it shows American naval officers' absolute discipline and perseverance. This scene is shot at the Harbor Defense Way at Port Townsend. The beach is critical in maritime warfare and has always been essential. Getting here is straightforward. Just catch bus number 2 and get off at Fort Worden. From here, walk approximately 7 minutes to the beach to start running and singing like the cadets.
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Mayo says 'I got nowhere else to go!' scene in An Officer and A Gentleman
Battery Kinzie, Harbor Defense Way, Port Townsend, Washington State
Sergeant Foley is extra hard on Aviation Officer Candidate AOC Zack Mayo (Richard Gere) because he thinks Mayo should quit. He puts Mayo through rigorous training and keeps goading him into leaving. Sergeant Foley finally tells him, "You're about as close to being officer material as me." Zack replies, "Sir, this candidate believes he would make a good officer." Foley shrugs, saying, "No way, man. You don't give a sh*t about anybody but yourself. Every one of your classmates knows it. You think they'd trust you behind the controls of a plane they'd have to fly in?"
Foley finally asks Zack why he wants to go through all this. Zack replies, "I've changed, sir!" Foley says, "Tell me what I want to hear. I want your DOR. You're out!" Zack screams at Foley, "Don't you do it! Don't you!! I got nowhere else to go!"
This incredible An Officer and A Gentleman filming location is Battery Kinzie, Harbor Defense Way, Port Townsend. Battery Kinzie is one of several batteries in Fort Worden. To get to Battery Kinzie, catch the 6B bus to Haines Place Park and Ride and switch to bus number 2 to Fort Worden. From here, walk for 12 minutes to reach the battery.
Zack finds Sid hanging scene in An Officer and A Gentleman
The Tides Inn & Suites, Port Townsend, Washington
AOC Sid Worley DOR's out of the Naval Training because he thinks his girlfriend, Lynette Pomeroy (Lisa Blount), is pregnant. He goes to her house to propose marriage, but she tells him she doesn't want to marry him because he quit. She also informs him there's no baby. After getting rejected, Sid goes missing, and Zach and Paula Pokrifki (Debra Winger) go out to search for him.
They finally find him at The Tides Inn, where he and Lynette used to hang out and spend the weekends together. Zack knocks on Sid's door, calling out, "Sid! Sid!" Zack tells Paula, "The guy at reception said he just got here." Zack opens the door and walks inside. The TV is on, but Sid isn't there. Zack enters the bathroom searching for Sid and finds Sid hanging by his neck, dead.
This traumatic An Officer and A Gentleman film scene is shot at the Tides Inn & Suites at Port Townsend, Washington. The Inn is open to visitors, and you can make an online booking to stay in the same rooms as Sid and Zack did with their girlfriends. To get to the Inn, hop onto bus number 11A and get off at the Gateway Park stop. The walk from the bus stop is just about 3 minutes.
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Paula tells Zack she loves him scene in An Officer and A Gentleman
Water St, Port Townsend, Washington
Paula and Zack find Sid at the Tides Inn & Suite. While the police take Sid's body away, the two lovers are still in shock and walk down to the nearby beach. Paula tells Zack, "I spoke to the chaplain over at the base. He said he'd call Sid's parents." Zack is berating himself, "Why can't I learn? Just like her, all over again. Just like her." Paula interrupts Zack, saying, "Zack, don't do this to yourself. You didn't kill your mother! You didn't kill Sid! They killed themselves!" Zack blames Paula and Lynette for making the boys fall in love with them. Paula says, "That's not fair! I'm not Lynette! I love you. I've loved you since I met you. Don't you understand?" Zack gets furious and screams, "No! I don't want you to love me! I don't want anyone to love me! I just want out!"
For this emotional scene, the An Officer and A Gentleman production team decided on the filming location of Water St at Port Townsend. It's pretty close to the original location of the Tides Inn. Getting here is the same; hop onto bus 11A and walk from the Gateway Park stop to reach the water's edge at Waters St.
Zack tells Sergeant Foley to see him in private scene in An Officer and A Gentleman
Fort Worden Historical State Park, Port Townsend, Washington
After leaving Paula near the Tides Inn, where Sid committed suicide, Zack heads back to the naval training base. He finds Foley with a new group of recruits, halts his bike, and asks Foley, "Sir, this officer candidate requests permission to see you in private, sir!" Sergeant Foley responds, "Mayo, the whole class knows about Candidate Worley. We're sorry." Zack looks at him incredulously and says, "Oh, I bet you are. I want to see you in private, sir." Foley replies, "Not now, I'm busy," and turns to his recruits, saying, "Forward, march!"
Zack gets off his motorcycle and follows Foley, saying, "Sir, this officer candidate requests permission to see you in private, sir!" Foley halts and says, "Not now. I'm busy, and so are you. Now get cleaned up!" Zack yells at Foley, "I don't need your sh*t! I came back to quit! D. O. R! I don't need you! I don't need the Navy!
Like many An Officer and A Gentleman locations, this one is also at Port Townsend, at the Fort Worden Historical State Park. The ideal way to get here is to catch bus number 2, get off at the Fort Worden stop, and walk inside the state park. The park is open to visitors and has a visitor center for guests wishing to understand the local history.
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Conclusion
This incredible movie was well-accepted by audiences worldwide. It has excellent action scenes, emotional upheavals, the traumatic experiences that officers in training face, and the death of a friend due to horrible circumstances. Even with the tragedy in the movie, the ending was beautiful, poignant, and reminiscent of the trials and tribulations that all servicemen must go through in their fight for truth and justice for the country.
The filming locations used in the movie (though limited) fit perfectly with the film's theme, which was meant to be all about the training and survival camps, living in close quarters, and pushing through to become officers of the Navy. The production team did a fantastic job with the casting, locations, and the speed and scope of the movie.
The actors did brilliant jobs, with great critical accolades. The depictions of the processes, the struggle, and the eventual posting were quite authentic and as close as possible to the official ceremonies of the Navy.