The Coast Guard makes a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod after a pair of oil tankers are destroyed during a blizzard in 1952.The Coast Guard makes a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod after a pair of oil tankers are destroyed during a blizzard in 1952.The Coast Guard makes a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod after a pair of oil tankers are destroyed during a blizzard in 1952.
- Awards
- 2 wins total
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIt is implied that the captain of the Pendleton was responsible for the sinking because of an error in judgment. The Pendleton was a T2 style tanker that, as with other "liberty ships," was built in haste during the Second World War to support the Allies in Britain. The limited building facilities resulting from the rush of shipbuilding resulted in the T2 ships being built in two sections (bow and stern) and later joined at the middle. They had a known issue in that they tended to break in half when facing the combination of cold seas and extreme weather. By insisting on maintaining 7 knots, the captain was hoping to reach a port as quickly as possible, in order to limit the amount of stress on the ship and to avoid metal fatigue that might lead to a break-up. He was balancing the threat of a broken weld versus breaking the ship in two. If he had complied with the engineer's request and dropped to 3 knots, the break-up would have happened anyway, but farther out to sea. It is likely that, while losing his life and that of the other seven crewmen in the bow, his decision made it possible for the lives of the other half to be saved. In contrast to what has been reported elsewhere, the broken weld had little to do with the ship being broken in half. Rather, the weld broke due to the same strain that caused the ship to break in half.
- GoofsThe engine room was not that of a T-2 tanker. T-2 tankers were turbo electric drive which means a steam turbine drives a generator which powers a 6000 hp electric synchronous AC motor. T-2 propulsion is controlled by levers which connect the motor to the generator and control the speed of the generator. If the seawater rose to the level shown in the movie, there would be no propulsion possible because all the necessary pumps and the main motor were located in the lower engine room and would have been submerged. Flooding of the boilers themselves would not have been an issue but the fuel pumps would also have been submerged.
- Quotes
John Stello: The old man don't know what he is doing. He sends you out to die. You can't make it over Chatham bar on a day like this. You can't stay afloat with half a ship neither.
Bernie Webber: Well, Mr. Stello, in the Coast Guard to say you gotta go out. But they don't say you gotta come back in. That's regulation, you know.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Wazzu on Film: Kung Fu Panda 3 and the Finest Hours (2016)
- SoundtracksThe Hucklebuck
Written by Roy Alfred, Andy Gibson, Albert Shubert
Performed by Frank Sinatra with Axel Stordahl and His Orchestra
Courtesy of Columbia Records
By arrangement with Sony Music Licensing
Featured review
February 1952. Bernie Webber is a boatswain/Petty Officer at a Coast Guard station on the coast of Massachusetts. A massive storm is in progress out to sea, damaging two tankers to the point that they appear likely to sink. On one tanker, the Pendleton, the chief engineer, Ray Sybert, is using all his ingenuity, resourcefulness and experience to keep the ship afloat and buy time until help arrives. Unfortunately for him and his crew, the Coast Guard have sent their best crew and rescue boat to the other stricken tanker. When the Coast Guard discover the Pendleton's situation, Webber and a 3-man crew are sent to help. The odds are stacked against Webber - just leaving the harbour in those seas will require large amounts of skill, courage and luck. Then they have to find the Pendleton, without a compass, rescue the crew and somehow make it home safe.
An enthralling (true) story of courage and survival. Compelling viewing - once the danger strikes, you're glued to your seat. What makes it so interesting is that they don't just focus on the efforts of the rescuers but also on the rescued. I found the Pendleton crew's story much more interesting than that of Webber and co - the ingenuity, resourcefulness and (reluctant) leadership of Sybert was amazing. This is helped by a great performance from Casey Affleck.
Not all good though. Many of the characters seem like cartoon stereotypes - the negative naysayers, the clingy girlfriend/fiancée, the inept commander. The romantic angle was overplayed and not that necessary. It did add depth to Webber's character but not much.
Performances vary. Casey Affleck is the stand-out as Sybert. Chris Pine is okay as Webber. Eric Bana is pretty weak and gives the worst American accent I've ever heard (I think it was supposed to be Southern but it varied so much and seemed so unnatural it was hard to tell). Holliday Grainger is a bit overbearing as Miriam, though that might have been intentional on the director's part.
An enthralling (true) story of courage and survival. Compelling viewing - once the danger strikes, you're glued to your seat. What makes it so interesting is that they don't just focus on the efforts of the rescuers but also on the rescued. I found the Pendleton crew's story much more interesting than that of Webber and co - the ingenuity, resourcefulness and (reluctant) leadership of Sybert was amazing. This is helped by a great performance from Casey Affleck.
Not all good though. Many of the characters seem like cartoon stereotypes - the negative naysayers, the clingy girlfriend/fiancée, the inept commander. The romantic angle was overplayed and not that necessary. It did add depth to Webber's character but not much.
Performances vary. Casey Affleck is the stand-out as Sybert. Chris Pine is okay as Webber. Eric Bana is pretty weak and gives the worst American accent I've ever heard (I think it was supposed to be Southern but it varied so much and seemed so unnatural it was hard to tell). Holliday Grainger is a bit overbearing as Miriam, though that might have been intentional on the director's part.
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- Giờ Lành
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $80,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $27,569,558
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $10,288,932
- Jan 31, 2016
- Gross worldwide
- $52,099,090
- Runtime1 hour 57 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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