CONDUCT UNBECOMING AND SLEAZY.

Byline: Bob Strauss Film Critic

The military just can't get a break these days. First, armchair generals second-guess the Kosovo strategy ad nauseam, then someone goes and makes a movie out of ``The General's Daughter.''

A slick wallow in sleazy depravity that purports to address high-minded ethical questions, this adaptation of Nelson DeMille's best-selling novel doesn't quite descend to the level of ``8mm''-in-uniform, but it often comes close. Some rivetingly staged dialogue sequences make the enterprise defensible, but they're not enough to snatch victory from the forces of drooling prurience.

Working off one of those cheesy, everyone-has-something-to-hide scenarios that mystery writers often substitute for real suspense plotting, the movie makes a case for both gratuitously elaborate shootouts and widespread sexual deviation being part and parcel of life on a Southern Army base. By comparison, the over-elaborated police corruption in ``L.A. Confidential'' seems as petty as a forged requisition form.

As well as the too-twisted-to-swallow plotting, ``Daughter'' shares ``Confidential's'' James Cromwell as a trusted authority figure, so you know some sick stuff has got to be going on beneath its lusciously lit surface. Cromwell's Gen. Joe Campbell is the commanding officer at sweltering Fort McCallum, where his beautiful daughter Elisabeth (Leslie Stefanson) is a captain in the psychological operations unit. For some reason, she's practicing her nerve warfare skills on her widely respected daddy - a man so revered, in fact, that he's being groomed for a vice presidential candidacy.

One of the general's biggest admirers is Criminal Investigation Division warrant officer Paul Brenner (John Travolta), who served under Campbell in Vietnam and is on an undercover visit to bust an arms-smuggling ring (his disguise is Travolta's ``Primary Colors'' Clinton accent). But when Elisabeth's nude, abused corpse turns up tied to tentpegs in a nearby training area, Brenner's focus shifts.

He soon gets all nosey and self-righteous, despite being saddled with an ex-girlfriend partner (Madeleine Stowe's Sarah Sunhill) and pressure all up and down the local chain of command to keep the inquiry discreet and ``in the army way.'' Apparently, that last euphemism means Brenner and Sunhill can brutalize and browbeat any serviceman they care to with Gestapo-like impunity, but should cover up the small mountain of pornographic evidence that may reflect negatively on the dead woman - or her ambitious father.

Predictably, everybody from Elisabeth's Psy Ops mentor (a very solid and slippery James Woods) to the general's loyal adjutant (Clarence Williams III) to the fort's easygoing military police chief (Timothy Huton) comes under some kind of suspicion, along with what seems like the full rank of enlisted men and an entire West Point graduating class.

Director Simon West, contrary to many detractors, got a number of good acting bits into the action headbanger ``Con Air.'' He scores about the same percentage of well-wrought moments here. Only this time, instead of ridiculously overblown fight sequences, the actors have to compete against an escalating pile of lurid sex abuse.

``The General's Daughter'' is the kind of unnecessarily seamy movie that makes you wish the armed forces - or at least Hollywood's version of them - would really implement the ``don't ask, don't tell'' policy. And with extreme prejudice.

THE FACTS

The film: ``The General's Daughter'' (R; violence, nudity, sex, language).

The stars: John Travolta, Madeleine Stowe, James Cromwell, James Woods, Timothy Hutton, Clarence Williams III, Leslie Stefanson.

Behind the scenes: Directed by Simon West. Written by Christopher Bertolini and William Goldman, based on Nelson DeMille's novel. Produced by Mace Neufeld. Released by Paramount Pictures.

Running time: Two hours, five minutes.

Playing: Citywide.

Our rating: Two and one half stars.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

Photo: Madeleine Stowe and John Travolta are military investigators with a romantic past that complicates their assignment in ``The General's Daughter.''