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.

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

William Broyles Jr. (screenplay), Paul Haggis (screenplay),

Stars:

Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford, Barry Pepper

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 14 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ryan Phillippe	...	John "Doc" Bradley
Jesse Bradford	...	Rene Gagnon
Adam Beach	...	Ira Hayes
John Benjamin Hickey	...	Keyes Beech
John Slattery	...	Bud Gerber
Barry Pepper	...	Mike Strank
Jamie Bell	...	Ralph "Iggy" Ignatowski
Paul Walker	...	Hank Hansen
Robert Patrick	...	Colonel Chandler Johnson
Neal McDonough	...	Captain Severance
Melanie Lynskey	...	Pauline Harnois
Thomas McCarthy	...	James Bradley (as Tom McCarthy)
Chris Bauer	...	Commandant Vandegrift
Judith Ivey	...	Belle Block
Myra Turley	...	Madeline Evelley

Storyline

In 1945, the Marines attack twelve thousand Japaneses protecting the twenty square kilometers of the sacred Iwo Jima island in a very violent battle. When they reach the Mount Suribachi and six soldiers raise their flag on the top, the picture becomes a symbol in a post Great Depression America. The government brings the three survivors to America to raise funds for war, bringing hope to desolate people, and making the three men heroes of the war. However, the traumatized trio has difficulty dealing with the image built by their superiors, sharing the heroism with their mates.

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Plot Keywords:

iwo jima | battle | island | photograph | heroism | 

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Taglines:

A Single Shot Can End The War

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Genres:

Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sequences of graphic war violence and carnage, and for language

Details

Official Sites:

Paramount Pictures [us] Warner Bros [fr]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 October 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

La conquista del honor

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$53,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£97,765 (UK) (22 December 2006)

Gross:

£366,722 (UK) (29 December 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks SKG, Warner Bros, Amblin Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

132 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Clint Eastwood tried to option "Flags of Our Fathers" after the book by James Bradley and Ron Powers was published in May 2000. However, Steven Spielberg had already bought the rights that summer, and in early 2001, had assigned its adaptation to the screenwriter William Broyles Jr.. Spielberg wasn't satisfied with the resulting screenplay and it laid dormant until he met with Eastwood at the Governor's Ball after the 2004 Oscar. After that, Eastwood took charge as the director with Spielberg as the producer.

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Goofs

In the train scene were Keyes Beech offers a toast, John "Doc" Bradley refers to Beech as "sir." Beech, wearing the rank of Gunnery Sergeant, would on occasion be called "Sir.", in Boot Camp everyone of Higher rank was referred to as "Sir."

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Quotes

[first lines]
Soldiers: Corpsman! Corpsman! Corpsman! Corpsman! For God sakes, corpsman! Corpsman! Corpsman!

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Crazy Credits

There is an additional short sequence after the credits have ended.

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Episode dated 7 October 2006 (2006)

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Soundtracks

"I'll Walk Alone"
Written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne
Performed by Dinah Shore
Courtesy of The RCA Records Label
By Arrangement with Sony BMG Music Entertainment
Main title performed by Don Runner

User Reviews

War vs Hollywood

In two and a half hours Clint Eastwood paints a thought provoking piece on heroism and war-propaganda. The film tells three stories: first it is the WW II battle of Iwo Jima where thousands of soldiers (Japanese and American) died 'conquering' that island. In the style of Saving Private Ryan (Spielberg is a producer of Flags) the viewer gets a astounding look at war with a lot of blood, guts and CGI. Second is the story of a son of one of the flag raisers on that island, who interviews other survivors of that battle to understand his dad a little better. This is very moving stuff, but stands a little pale in comparison to the final storyline. This is where veteran-director Eastwood really shines. Like his meditation on violence Unforgiven, Flags takes a closer look at heroism where soldiers by chance get into the spotlight of the war-propaganda-machine. Some may say that Eastwood made an anti-war film or even an anti-America film, but they're wrong. Flags is very critical on the way war is sold to the public. There's nothing honorable about killing or to be killed on the battlefield. The only thing that matters is that you protect you're friends in your platoon and that they protect you. Flags is one of the best war movies I ever saw, maybe even better than Ryan, because it's never sentimental and always honest in its portrayal of the soldiers and war in general.