"What is your major malfunction, numb-nuts?" This is a line from which motion picture?

The line: "What is your major malfunction, numb-nuts?" is from the 1987 film "Full Metal Jacket". This astute war film was directed, co-written, and produced by Stanley Kubrick. The stars include Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Adam Baldwin. The screenplay was provided by Kubrick, Michael Herr, and Gustav Hasford and was based on Hasford's novel 'The Short-Timers' (1979).

Specifically, with the above quote, Gunnery Hartman (Ermey) is asking the shabby, non-jovial question to Private Pyle (D'Onofrio) in "Full Metal Jacket". This quote features the last words from the troop's abusive drill sergeant Sgt. Hartman. Hartman's hardcore tactics have driven the recruit Gomer Pyle over the edge. Pyle is standing in the bathroom with a loaded rifle. Instead of trying to calmly talk Pyle down, Hartman hurls the above quote as verbal abuse. The crazed recruit, Pyle, answers by blowing Hartman away and then killing himself.

This movie is Stanley Kubrick's take on the Vietnam War. It follows smart-aleck Private Davis (Modine), quickly christened "Joker" by his foul-mouthed drill sergeant (Ermey). Joker and pudgy Private Lawrence (D'Onofrio), nicknamed "Gomer Pyle," will have to endure the rigors of a very hard basic training camp. Though Pyle takes a frightening detour, Joker graduates to the Marine Corps and is sent to Vietnam as a journalist, covering (and eventually participating in) the bloody Battle of Hué.

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17 Comments

Gary Kirkman

Gunnery Sergeant Ermy’s audition tape was rejected my Kubrick who said he didn’t seem like a real DS. Ernel then flew to London’s, demanded an audience with Kubrick and the producer and proceeded to chew them out for 10-15 minutes. Kubrick then turned to the producer and said, “Hire him.” Much of the “maggot” verbal abuse was not scripted but was just the Gunnery Sergeant doing what he had done for years.

Patty K

Before R Lee Ermey acted as a strict drill sergaent, he really was one! He was in the military long before he was an actor

George Oliver Prince

Knew the answer, but it sure sounded like something Clint Eastwood would say

wrmccartyjr

For those of you who think Marine Corps boot camp training is tough, try SEAL training

EKNOWSALL

Char, while I sympathize with your reply, I enjoyed the movie as a Marine. To me it really brought to lite what boot camp was like on Parris Island. Ooh-Rah!

ddncnjr

Great movie

Corey Taylor

That said, I respected R. Lee Ermey as a Veteran as well as an actor. I enjoyed his History Channel series "Mail Call", which answered questions written in about the military and its history. RIP, Gunny.

Corey Taylor

Remember, a drill sergeant is neither an officer nor a gentleman. The intelligent ones, unlike Hartman, understand and discipline themselves to use their authority wisely. If one acts like Hartman, well, you saw in the movie what they risk.