Proud (2004)

Director:

Mary Pat Kelly

Writer (WGA):

Mary Pat Kelly (written by)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The true story of the only African-American crew to take a Navy warship into combat in World War II. |

Cast

Reggie Austin	...	Dubois
Vernel Bagneris	...	Larry's Father
Marcus Chait	...	Lieutenant Westin
Michael Ciesla	...	Yeoman Of The Flagship
Ossie Davis	...	Lorenzo DuFau
Eric LaRay Harvey	...	Kevin / James Graham
Rashad Haughton	...	Hank Fields
Janet Hubert	...	Larry's Mother (as Janet Hubert-Whitten)
Albert Jones	...	Larry / Young Lorenzo DuFau
Kidada Jones	...	Gordon's sister
Jeffrey Nash	...	Marcus / Gordon Buchanan
Denise Nicholas	...	Gordon's Mother
Edward O'Blenis	...	Watkins
Aidan Quinn	...	Commodore Alfred Lind
Stephen Rea	...	Barney Garvey
J.R. Robinson	...	Chief Potts
Michael Scott	...	Captain Blackford
Keisha Whitaker	...	Collette
Darnell Williams	...	Thomas Young

Also Known As:

Proudly We Served (USA) (alternative title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements, language and mild violence.

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Buffalo, New York, USA

Company:

THEntertainment

Trivia:

Alfred Lind was the actual Commander of the convoy (NY 119) in which the USS Mason experienced that massive storm in mid October 1944. Commander Lind, as with most of the veterans of WWII, didn't speak of his experiences from the war. His family learned of these recommendations after Mary Pat Kelly had written her book. His real name was used in the movie, after some good timing when a grandson discovered the existence of the book, then attempted to contact Mary Pat Kelly.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the scene showing the ships departure from New York harbor, the camera pans down the side of the ship as the men "man the rail", and shows that the ship is still tied up to the pier.

Movie Connections:

References The Birth of a Nation (1915)

A Story about heroism & discrimination, and recognition 50 years later

This is an independent feature telling the story of average men, caught performing heroic acts in a time of war. These men served their country, performed numerous duties to help a convoy succeed in its mission to bring supplies to England. Men had died during this trip across the Atlantic, not to mention getting caught in one of the worst storms in this century, dubbed "the storm of the century during wartime".

These men were supposed to have received commendations for their numerous acts of bravery. The Commander of the convoy, Alfred Lind, wrote those recommendations (ultimately found in naval archives), but they were never given. Why? This was the only ship in the Navy that had black sailors serving on it, which was sent into combat during World War II (the other 11,000 black sailors served in menial jobs). Those same men that served their country couldn't even buy a hot dog on the pier.

Those recommendations were written because the men deserved them. They were never awarded because it was during a time when the color of a their skin somehow disqualified them.

Our society still has a way to go. Hopefully this story helps pave the way for future generations to achieve color blindness.