DEVOTION, The Movie

SFC13557

NES Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
4,229
Likes
5,436
Location
Central Ma.
Feedback: 0 / 0 / 0
If you folks don't know the story you should read the book and see the movie.


In 1990(I believe) I was part of a Color Guard that was requested for a reunion of the Chosin Few in Norwood as a 34 yr old E4. I had no clue what the Chosin Few was about but showed up, presented the Colors and sat down to listen and eat. CAPT. Tom Hudner, MOH, was the honored speaker and when he spoke Marines wept. I was sitting there in my ugly dress greens thinking WTF is going on because as I said I and the other Soldiers were totally clueless.

CAPT. Hudner lived in Concord and died a few years ago, I was present at a few other Vets Ceremonies where he attended, very impressive man. Since I worked at Hansom AFB for LL I would occasionally see his car at the PX/Commissary, hard to miss a MOH Plate.

RIP CAPT. Hudner, you were a great man and a credit to your country and the NAVY.
 
Last edited:
I'm going to want to like this movie. I know the incident quite well. Every element in the true story is tailor-made for an epic film.

But I'm convinced Hollywood is going to f*** it up.
Same here, this is an amazing story to be told. I’m sure they’ll downplay the true friendship that existed between two men of different races. Can’t have that in 2022, we have to hate each other and remain divided.
 
I'm going to want to like this movie. I know the incident quite well. Every element in the true story is tailor-made for an epic film.

But I'm convinced Hollywood is going to f*** it up.
Hope not, as long as they don't exaggerate the story to make it "current" the movie should be fine. The Director was interviewed on FOX and she seemed very knowledgeable of the story and respectful of CAPT. Hudner's legacy.
 
I'm going to want to like this movie. I know the incident quite well. Every element in the true story is tailor-made for an epic film.

But I'm convinced Hollywood is going to f*** it up.
I'm with you... im white guilted out.

Amazing men im sure and a story where if they didn't embellish at all I'm sure it's fantastic and needs to be told.

But I'm reasonably sure i don't care that a white guy blocked his gender reassignment surgery because of climate change
 
I'm going to want to like this movie. I know the incident quite well. Every element in the true story is tailor-made for an epic film.

But I'm convinced Hollywood is going to f*** it up.
It starts when a radial engined fighter looks to be flying faster and manuevering more nimbly than an F-16. One does not defy physics except in Hollywood.
 
View attachment 691121My son and I met him about 15 years ago at the Collings Foundation in Stow Ma. He gave a first hand account of the actions that he took that day. It was great to meet this hero and shake his hand.

I wish I'd have met him. Everybody speaks very highly of him.

The other two MOH recipients I've met were both unsufferable a-holes, to be frank. Take nothing away from what they did, of course, but they were both miserable human beings.
 
I met Hudner when the MOH Society had their convention in Boston. We were assigned to escort the MOH buses to their various functions. Great guy.

Side note: In 1964, then Lt. Cmdr Hudner became one of a handful of pilots who took off in an F-8 Crusader with the wings still folded! It was during night operations and Hudner was able to climb to 10,000 ft and nosed over and put a negative G load on the wings and get them to lock in the down position. Quite a pilot.
 
34 year old E4?

You must have been looked upon as a General in the E4 mafia.

I was 19 when I made E4 the first time.
I was 33 in 1988 when I joined the Army Reserve, 34 was the cutoff date back then. I had over 45 college credits, so I became an instant PFC. I'm pretty sure I was the oldest recruit Ft. Benning had ever seen except in wartime, January to April 1989. I was older than all my Drill Sergeants, the only Cadre that was older than me was the Senior Drill Sergeant.
First to see this movie please give a review.
 
I was 33 in 1988 when I joined the Army Reserve, 34 was the cutoff date back then. I had over 45 college credits, so I became an instant PFC. I'm pretty sure I was the oldest recruit Ft. Benning had ever seen except in wartime, January to April 1989. I was older than all my Drill Sergeants, the only Cadre that was older than me was the Senior Drill Sergeant.
First to see this movie please give a review.

Props to you getting through Basic at that age, back then Basic wasn't as easy as it is nowadays.
 
Props to you getting through Basic at that age, back then Basic wasn't as easy as it is nowadays.
I was old but not stupid, I was a runner and PT stud. After our 1st diagnostic PT test, which I scored a 300 on, Drill Sergeant called me into his office and asked me WTF I was going in HIS ARMY [rofl]

After I blurted out a few stupid reasons he told me I should have no problems graduating but I was going to be his fall guy for everything the Platoon f***ed up on.

It was an interesting 15 weeks. I would get called into SSG. Saunders office about once a week for "counselling" where supposedly he was discipling me for everything the Platoon f***ed up that week but in reality, he was telling me all the stupid shit that went on. He was about my age.

They couldn't hit or touch you but they could smoke you until you thought you were going to puke.

SSG. Saunders told me to NEVER complain (meaning the other recruits) if other Drills f***ed with us but if I saw another Drill physically put his hands on a recruit for discipline to immediately let him know.

We were on a road march and a kid in another Platoon kept falling behind and complaining of shortness of breath and his Drill SGT. kept screaming at him, refusing to let him fall out and hop on the chase Humvee driven by my Drill SGT. Finally the kid fell out and my Drill loaded him into the Humvee and brought him to the sick call where he supposedly was diagnosed with a mild heart attack. The kid never returned and his Drill SGT., who wouldn't let him fall out, was gone soon after. SSG. Saunders told me what happened the next day.

Just imagine what Drill SGT's could do to you back in the day and what Jesse Brown endured at the Naval Academy and in-flight training!
 
Last edited:
I'm going to want to like this movie. I know the incident quite well. Every element in the true story is tailor-made for an epic film.

But I'm convinced Hollywood is going to f*** it up.
Cuz that's what they do.

One of my friend Collin's favorite jokes:

A writer, director, and a studio executive are lost in the desert. The writer starts digging in the sand and the director asks him what he's doing. The writer says "I'm digging for water, of course." The director says "Good idea, but not there, over here." So, the writer digs in the spot where the director tells him and within just a couple of inches, beautiful cool, clear water shoots up and forms a perfect pool of water. The studio executive walks over to it, unzips his fly, and pisses into the pool. "What the hell are you doing!" the other two ask. "I just felt like it needed something," replies the executive.
 
After having read the book, I saw the movie tonight and hate to say it, but…drumroll please…Hollywood f—ked it up.

Both Jesse Brown and Thomas Hudner are depicted in the movie as quite different characters from the way they are portrayed in the heavily researched book of the same name…doing a disservice to both.

There were also multiple scenes that either never actually took place, were heavily embellished, happened to entirely different people or were best left on the cutting room floor.

It’s definitely a decent movie done well with an interesting storyline, but deviates much too far from the truth to get a glowing review from anyone who’s read the book.
 
After having read the book, I saw the movie tonight and hate to say it, but…drumroll please…Hollywood f—ked it up.

Both Jesse Brown and Thomas Hudner are depicted in the movie as quite different characters from the way they are portrayed in the heavily researched book of the same name…doing a disservice to both.

There were also multiple scenes that either never actually took place, were heavily embellished, happened to entirely different people or were best left on the cutting room floor.

It’s definitely a decent movie done well with an interesting storyline, but deviates much too far from the truth to get a glowing review from anyone who’s read the book.
That's too bad but leave it to Hollyweird to f*** up a good story.
I need to buy the book I guess.
 
After having read the book, I saw the movie tonight and hate to say it, but…drumroll please…Hollywood f—ked it up.

Both Jesse Brown and Thomas Hudner are depicted in the movie as quite different characters from the way they are portrayed in the heavily researched book of the same name…doing a disservice to both.

There were also multiple scenes that either never actually took place, were heavily embellished, happened to entirely different people or were best left on the cutting room floor.

It’s definitely a decent movie done well with an interesting storyline, but deviates much too far from the truth to get a glowing review from anyone who’s read the book.
My shocked face.

Thanks for the review!
 
I saw the movie and enjoyed it. Didn’t know the story or that it was true at the time. Overall was good but the movie at times was a little bit slow. Action scenes were great with the surround sound and big Screen. First movie in theaters since 2019
 
After having read the book, I saw the movie tonight and hate to say it, but…drumroll please…Hollywood f—ked it up.

Both Jesse Brown and Thomas Hudner are depicted in the movie as quite different characters from the way they are portrayed in the heavily researched book of the same name…doing a disservice to both.

There were also multiple scenes that either never actually took place, were heavily embellished, happened to entirely different people or were best left on the cutting room floor.

It’s definitely a decent movie done well with an interesting storyline, but deviates much too far from the truth to get a glowing review from anyone who’s read the book.
The trailer does say "Inspired by". Not that they should have changed it from what was/is factual. it's just a clue that they f'd it up
 
Met him, heard him speak, and got the book when it came out.

He grew up in Fall River and attended Phillips Academy, graduating a year after George H.W. Bush. He is the eighth graduate of that school to win the MOH. He attended USNA during WWII and graduated in 1946.

He was a surface officer for several years after graduating USNA before becoming a pilot.

Not sure if the movie covers this, but Hudner was Brown’s wingman, not vice-versa. Hudner remained close to Lt. Brown’s family.

USS Thomas Hudner, an Arleigh Burke Class destroyer (DDG-116) was christened by Hudner at Bath Iron Works in 2017 but he passed away before commissioning in 2018.
 
The trailer does say "Inspired by". Not that they should have changed it from what was/is factual. it's just a clue that they f'd it up
Indeed. Before even seeing the film, we joked that "Inspired by" was an assurance broad artistic liberties would be taken with the retelling of the story/facts and didn't get our hopes up too high for an accurate interpretation. Even going into the movie with that in the back of our minds, we were still quite surprised.

Apparently they thought they knew what was marketable. However the public and box office sales seem to disagree.
 
Not sure if the movie covers this, but Hudner was Brown’s wingman, not vice-versa. Hudner remained close to Lt. Brown’s family.
They do make clear that Hudner was Brown's wingman. If you stuck around through the movie the credits they show some stills and one of them mentions the Hudner and Brown families remained close.
 
Back
Top Bottom