Movies Filmed in South Carolina – The Great Santini

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Overview

Director – Lewis John Carlino
Cast – Robert Duvall, Blythe Danner, Michael O'Keefe, Lisa Jane Persky
Genre – Drama
Plot – A Beaufort boy struggles to enter manhood under the shadow of his overbearing military father. Based on the novel by Pat Conroy.

The Meechum family home scenes were shot at 1 Laurens Street in Beaufort. The house is known as both Tidalholm and the Edgard Fripp Home, after the rice planter who had it built.
Many of the military scenes were shot at the Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station.
The open square known as "The Point" in Beaufort is where Ben finds his father drunk under a tree.

The Edgard Fripp Home (Tidalholm) used extensively in the film was also used in The Big Chill.
Stan Smith and his family, who lived in the house at the time, were contracted to stay in the home during the entire 3-month shoot. This wasn't so the Smiths could make sure nothing happened to the home during the shoot. Instead, it was a move to protect the movie company from being liable for damages that might have been around since the 1850s.
After the shoot, the film company repainted the house and refinished the floors.

Donald "The Great Santini" Conroy - author Pat Conroy's father and basis for the novel The Great Santini
– Pat Conroy's Eulogy for his father
Biographical sketch of Pat Conroy
The Great Santini at MCAS Beaufort - former Marine Frank Scoggins recalls his encounter with Robert Duvall
The Great Santini information - Beaufort County Library

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