The true story of a man with the strength of will to overcome prejudice and pain (Men Of Honour (DVD))

Member Name: Judgee

Product:	Men Of Honour (DVD)
Date:	09/06/02 (337 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Superb true story

Disadvantages: racial issues can be tough to deal with

Men of honour is a film based on the life of Carl Brashear and his attempt to become the first African/American US Navy diver. At first you may be forgiven for thinking it's just an everyday story, someone running around an assault course and jumping in and out of water. But this story is far more than that. It's a true tale of heroism and prejudice, showing Carl Brashear as a man with the will and determination to succeed when everybody around him, wants to see him fail. This is his story and although some artistic licence has been used it is based on true events. The film is a must see and one that will really make you think!


Cast/Characters


Cuba Gooding Jnr - Carl Brashear
Robert De Niro - Master Chief Billy Sunday
Aunjanue Elis - Jo
Charlize Theron - Gwen Sunday
Michael Rapaport - GM1 Snowhill
Powers Booth - Captain Pullman
David Keith - Captain Harrigan
David Conrad - Captain Hanks
Carl Lumbly - Mac Brashear


As a small boy, Carl Brashear watched his father Mac, ploughing the fields. Day in and day out, it was tough going, but Mac struggled to keep the farm running through sheer and sweat and determination. Throughout his young life, Carl is begged by his father not to end up like him. Upon reaching adulthood during the second World War, Carl sees his chance to make something of his life and enlists in the United States Navy. Leaving his parents is hard but he knows he must leave, so clutching his fathers old radio he boards the bus and sets off on a journey to his new life.


Whilst servicing as a cook at sea, he witnesses the heroic actions Master Chief Billy Sunday, who ignores his Captains orders and risks his own life to save a fellow diver. The incident inspires Carl who finally realises what he wants to be, a diver and Master Chief, the highest rank possible for an enlisted man in the US Navy. The event also sees Billy transferred out of active duty.
As his act of heroism has permanently damaged his lungs, preventing from ever diving again.


Carl applies to be trained as a diver. But there are no African/American divers in the US Navy and his application is turned down. Undeterred, he sends hundreds of applications and after two years he is eventually allowed to attend the New Jersey Naval training camp, called Bayonne. Arriving at Bayonne, Carl comes across the man that inspired him, Billy Sunday. But the young man does not receive the welcome he was looking for. Sunday makes it clear that he hates African/Americans and believes that the place for all of them in the Royal navy is in the kitchen.


He receives similar treatment from his fellow students. All of them in fact, except one, Snowhill. Snowhill is a simple man and proves to be Carls only friend in the whole camp. Even the Commander wants to see him quit and instructs Sunday to make the young hopeful fail, whatever the cost. Sunday takes on the task with vigour, using it as a vent for his own anger and frustration at being unable to dive anymore. Despite his initial prejudice and hatred for Carl, Sunday can't help but start to admire the young man who would prove to be as tough as they come.


Overcoming prejudice is only one of many hurdles Carl faced in the Navy, later on he would overcome an even tougher challenge, but I will say no more to enable people to view this film for themselves.


Cuba Gooding Jnr takes on the task of portraying this courageous man on film and he does it so well. Up until now I hadn't really considered him a serious actor. But his performance is exceptional and faultless. Carl comes across as a quiet, gentle man with the heart of a lion. Gooding evokes great empathy with the viewer and for me this is the sign of a great performance. Throughout each of Carls struggles, you are willing him on to succeed and fight back. Fight back he does, not with his fist though but
through his actions, and with his dignity remaining intact.


Robert De Niro portrays Master Chief Billy Sunday and as you would expect he is superb as always. If anything, Sunday is a more complicated character than Carl. His underlying frustration and unhappiness make him a bitter and twisted man. His prejudice, open for all to see and quite sickening at times. Yet he develops as the story unfolds. Beliefs set in stone cannot be changed overnight however, and although it takes a while, he changes more than most in his views as time progresses. He shows that even he has a human side to him. At this stage I must point out that, although this story is based on the life of Carl Brashear, Sunday is a fictitious character based on a culmination of real life people that he met, not a single individual.


The supporting cast are good. Nice performance by Charlize Theron as the long-suffering alcoholic wife of Sunday. Carl Lumby, who is probably best remembered as Lt Petree from Cagney and Lacey, is almost unrecognisable as Mac Brashear. David Conrad is believable as the loathsome Captain Hanks. Michael Rapaport evokes sympathy as the stuttering, spluttering but well meaning Snowhill and Powers Booth is as charismatic as ever, in his brief appearance as Captain Pullman.


Spanning the years from 1943 from when Carl was a boy living in Kentucky, to 1968. This is the true story of a man who overcame prejudice and injury to fulfil his dream. It is honest in its approach to racism and nothing is smoothed over for the viewing public. However, this is more than just an insight in to prejudices of the past. It shows a man with the will to survive against all odds. It does raise some major issues but I do not want to dwell on them. I?m sure we all have our views on this subject and I do not want to turn this in to a major debate. As a film it is engrossing but as a real life story it is amazing. Superb performances from the lead actors, draw
you in and provoke a mixture of emotions. The story flows smoothly, with the excitement provided by the underwater sequences. There are love interests for both the lead characters, but these are kept to a minimum and this allows you to focus on the main story. I was so moved by this film that I ended up looking for more information on Carl Brashear. I found some interesting stuff on him, including extracts from an interview with him. I have placed the links below in case anyone would like to look in to this more. I am totally impressed with this film and in particular, this man. In the movies there are many fictitious heroes, it's good to see that real life heroes also exist!


The official film site:

http://www.menofhonor.com/intro.htm


Personal data/Navy record (Check out the list of decorations and medals!):

http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq105-1.htm


An interview with the Carl Brashear:

http://www.movieboxoffice.about.com/library/we ekly/aa111700a.htm


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