Jarhead (2005)
Synopsis
Jarhead is an American war film based on former U.S. Marine Anthony Swofford’s
2003 memoir of the same title. Directed by Sam Mendes and starring Jake Gyl-
lenhaal as Swofford, with Jamie Foxx, Peter Sarsgaard, and Chris Cooper, the film
recounts Swofford’s five- month stint in the Persian Gulf before and during the First
Gulf War in 1990–1991.
Background
Anthony Swofford, the son of a Vietnam- era Marine Corps veteran from Fair-
field, California, joined the Marines in 1989 at the age of 18. On 14 August 1990,
just after the start of the First Persian Gulf War (2 August 1990–28 Febru-
ary 1991), Swofford was deployed to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of Operation
Desert Shield. He served as a scout sniper with the Surveillance and Target
Acquisition (STA) Platoon of 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Division, but was not in
combat during his deployment in the Persian Gulf. On 4 March 2003—16 days
before the start of “Operation Iraqi Freedom”— Scribner’s published Swofford’s
memoir: Jarhead: A Marine Chronicle of the Gulf War and Other Battles (t he W W II-
era slang word “ jarhead” derives from the “high and tight” Marine haircut that
gives the head a jar- like appearance). Praised by critics for its vivid evocation of
a modern soldier’s life, Jarhead became a national bestseller. While the book was
still in galley form, Swofford sold the film rights for $2 million to producers
Douglas Wick and his wife, Lucy Fisher, and Universal bud geted $70 million for
production. William Broyles Jr. (Apollo 13) was hired to write a script based on
the book and had a draft finished by early 2004. In May 2004 Sam Mendes
(American Beauty) was hired to direct. Christian Bale, Emile Hirsch, Leonardo
DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Shane West, Josh Hartnett, and Joshua Jackson were
all considered for the role of Swofford, but in late October 2004, Jake Gyllenhaal
won the part. The filmmakers sought the assistance of the Department of Defense
(DOD), but Pentagon officials deci ded the script was not a “feasible interpreta-
tion of military life.”
Production
Jarhead was shot in sequence between January and May 2005. Filming began on
the sound stages of Universal Studios. The first location work— the Camp Pend-
leton scenes— took place on George Air Force Base in Victorville, California, a