MovieChat Forums > An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) Discussion > Why was Mayo so torqued with Foley after...

Why was Mayo so torqued with Foley after Sid's death?

posted a year ago by strntz (10968)
2 replies | jump to latest

This is something I never really understood.

We all saw Foley lean hard on Mayo to get him to DOR after discovering Mayo was bootlegging for bucks - fair enough - but after the cathartic moment when Mayo all but begged Foley to let him stay, there seemed to be an understanding and respect between them. Again, fair enough.

What I don't get is Mayos reaction when Sid withdrew from the program after freaking out during one exercise (presumably from Linette telling him she was pregnant with his child) and then killing himself after Linette fesses up about not wanting to marry him at all if he didn't become a naval officer. Mayo directly blames Foley and attempts to beat the crap out of him.

Sid even told Mayo that Foley didn't kick him out of the program and it was his own choice to withdraw, yet Mayo takes it all out on Foley and not Linette who faked a pregnancy then dumped Sid after Sid quit the officer's program leading directly to his suicide.

I don't get the rage against Foley.

[–] oubrioko (89) 20 days ago

Mayo was looking for someone / anyone to blame. Foley reacted stoically, almost to a point of appearing indifferent when Mayo approached him. This further triggered Zach to lash out.

[–] strntz (10968) 20 days ago

Mayo was looking for someone / anyone to blame.

I agree, but why Foley particularly? Sid was never under Foley's whip at any point - as Zack said, Sid was the best in the class. Not once had Foley targeted Sid as he did Zack (who deserved it). Sid went to Foley and withdrew after Linette told him she was pregnant with his baby, not under pressure from Foley. Was Zack furious for Foley accepting the resignation? When Zack approached Foley after he found Sid dead, the first thing Foley said was that the whole platoon had heard what happened to Sid and he said they were all sorry. Foley was no more complicit in Sid's death than Sid's own parents were.

The way I see it is that Zack's fury should have been directed towards Linette alone.