IMDb > Flags of Our Fathers (2006)
Flags of Our Fathers
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Flags of Our Fathers (2006) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 67 | slideshow) Videos (see all 19)
Flags of Our Fathers (2006) -- The life stories of the six men who raised the flag at The Battle of Iwo Jima, a turning point in WWII.
Flags of Our Fathers (2006) -- Clip: Playing Cards
Flags of Our Fathers (2006) -- Behind the Scenes: Clint Eastwood with Ryan Phillippe
Flags of Our Fathers (2006) -- Interview: Clint Eastwood "On His interest in making the Book into a Film"
Flags of Our Fathers (2006) -- The life stories of the six men who raised the flag at The Battle of Iwo Jima, a turning point in WWII.

Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   39,097 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 19% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
William Broyles Jr. (screenplay) and
Paul Haggis (screenplay) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Flags of Our Fathers on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
20 October 2006 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
A Single Shot Can End The War more
Plot:
The life stories of the six men who raised the flag at The Battle of Iwo Jima, a turning point in WWII. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 13 nominations more
User Comments:
An amazing accomplishment more (388 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for sequences of graphic war violence and carnage, and for language.
Runtime:
132 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Company:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Jared Leto turned down a key role in order to commit his time to his band, 30 Seconds to Mars. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: Petty officer Badley's white uniform is post war. You can see two slits for the pockets. Pre-war dress whites had such pockets, but with a blue yoke and cuffs. Postwar dress white uniforms have them as well. During WWII, a simple patch pocket of the Undress White uniform was used, dress whites being discontinued for the duration. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Soldiers: Corpsman! Corpsman! Corpsman! Corpsman! For God sakes, corpsman! Corpsman! Corpsman!
more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Knock Knock more

FAQ

Why didn't they stop for the man who fell overboard?
Where exactly is Iwo Jima?
How does "Flags of Our Fathers" relate to "Letters from Iwo Jima"?
more
210 out of 273 people found the following comment useful.
An amazing accomplishment, 18 October 2006
10/10
Author: Matt Rivenbark (matt@pipeline.com) from United States

I've always felt that when you fictionalize a story about war, you dishonor the memory of so many people who have a compelling story to tell by choosing to make something up instead *cough*privateryan*cough*.

The problem with war movies about real people is that you have to deal with complexities of character and plot that the genre simply doesn't lend itself easily to.

So when the story at hand aims to pose questions like "what does it mean to do the wrong things for the right reasons" and tries to debunk the popular myth of herodom, there's very little margin for error.

Enter Clint Eastwood. Never one to shy away from challenging stories, this is a much bigger effort than his usual understated character dramas. On the one hand, it doesn't "feel" like a Clint Eastwood movie, but on the other, it feels at home in his themes of used-up heroes -- the person behind the larger than life persona. These are complex characters in very difficult situations, and he presents them in a way that's straightforward and non-judgmental, so we're left to decide the answers to the film's central conflicts ourselves.

To a person, the cast is up to the challenge. It's hard not to admire Ryan Phillippe for a restrained and thoughtful performance, but the real kudos go to Adam Beach. Almost every aspect of Beach's character is cliché, with one minor exception - that's really the way Ira Hayes was. So the challenge was to portray Hayes as a real person despite the cliché, and the result is one of the most heartbreaking and troubling performances in the film. Here's a guy who is portrayed as a hero, who really has no answers at all.

There's a lot not to like about the film. It's not "entertaining" per se, in the same way that any war memorial in DC is not entertaining. Nor is it a particularly approachable film. What it lacks in popcorn-munching entertainment value, it replaces with gravitas. This is an important film, about an important time. It's status as a valuable history lesson is secondary to it's reflections on human nature and our society. As such, it deserves to be seen, and contemplated, and appreciated.

I can't wait for Letters From Iwo Jima (the companion piece, also from Clint Eastwood, told from the Japanese point of view.) Taken together, the scope of this project is breathtaking.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (388 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Flags of Our Fathers (2006)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
How did 'Iggy' die? daneh_rawks
'Lost' down the hatch shot. andycactus
Arab Oil lee-425
Hey Jude Bookbinder_4
USA broke -How factual? cfz2468100
So I must see this before Letters from Iwo Jima... ataraxy2
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Enemy at the Gates Windtalkers Letters from Iwo Jima Saving Private Ryan Rambo
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Action section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.