February 23 - Flags of Our Fathers

Today’s movie is a combat film with a scene that happens on February 23. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS   

In late 1944, US marines train in Hawaii, then sail to Iwo Jima. They land and after an easy landing take heavy casualties. The Marines drive on Mount Surabachi. On February 23, 1945 they reach the top and raise a large flag, an act that is the subject of an iconic photo. . [1:12:09 to 1:20:36] Later during the battle, many of those who were in the photo are killed, leaving only John “Doc” Bradley, Ira Hayes and Rene Gagnon alive. After the battle Rene is asked who was in the photo and he names five men, including himself. He incorrectly identifies Harlon Block as Hank Hansen. Ira threatens to kill him if he identifies him as having been in the picture, but Ira is identified anyway. The three are sent off on a war bond drive. They decide not to correct the mistake about Harlon, as Hank’s mother was honored due to her son being in the photo. Ira has a hard time on the tour, often getting drunk. He hates being considered a hero, thinking those who were killed were the real heroes. After the war Ira can’t escape from the unwanted fame. He finally tells Harlon Block’s family he was actually in the photo, and later dies of exposure after a drunk. Rene Gagnon is a high school janitor, while ‘Doc’ Bradley runs a funeral home.

            An interesting film. The action part and after the war are both good in their own way. A companion film to Letters from Iwo Jima.

Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley (Bantam Books, New York, 2000) p. 201

Director - Clint Eastwood

Screenplay - Paul Haggis

Awards -  Nominated for the Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing Oscars.

Running Time – 2 hours 7 minutes

Released -  October 20, 2006

Starring -

Ryan Phillippe as John "Doc" Bradley

Jesse Bradford as Rene Gagnon

Adam Beach as Ira Hayes

John Benjamin Hickey as Keyes Beech

John Slattery as Bud Gerber

Barry Pepper as Michael Strank

Jamie Bell as Ralph "Iggy" Ignatowski

Paul Walker as Hank Hansen

Robert Patrick as Col. Chandler Johnson

Neal McDonough as Capt. Dave Severance

Melanie Lynskey as Pauline Georgette Harnois

Thomas McCarthy as James Bradley

Chris Bauer as Alexander Vandegrift

Judith Ivey as Belle Block

Myra Turley as Madeline Evelley

Joseph Michael Cross as Franklin Sousley

Benjamin Walker  as Harlon Block

Alessandro Mastrobuono as Charles W. Lindberg

Scott Reeves as Lundsford

Stark Sands as Walter Gust

George Grizzard as Older John Bradley,

Harve Presnell as Older Dave Severance

              

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015