Sailing on the Silver Screen: Hollywood and the U.S. NavyNaval Institute Press, 1996 - 307 pages The author provides a fully documented history of the making of the Navy's image on film from the movie industry's earliest days. He goes behind the scenes for deliberations about the potential impact of certain movies on both the military and civilians, and examines the ripple effect of such watershed films as Top Gun, a movie that initially gave the Navy a needed post-Vietnam boost. However, when the Tailhook scandal erupted and the conduct of some aviators was attributed to the "flyboy" image projected in the movie, Top Gun became a liability. Lawrence Suid's inside revelations about the Navy's cinematic input range from pre-World War I to post-Cold War. More than 100 films, as varied as Annapolis and Hunt for Red October, are analyzed for their portrayal of the Navy. The book's focus is on feature films, but relevant documentaries and made-for-television movies are also discussed. Suid draws on original documents from the Department of Defense, National Archives, and private collections, and from interviews with more than 100 filmmakers, naval officers, and government officials. |
Contents
The Golden Age of Navy Movies | 17 |
Hollywood Prepares for War | 38 |
The Navy Goes to War | 56 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
aboard aircraft carrier American Annapolis approved assistance attack audiences August authenticity Baruch's office battle Bomber Bosley Crowther Bridges at Toko-ri Capt captain character Chief of Information Clair Towne combat commander cooperation create crew December Defense Delmer Daves Despite Destination Tokyo destroyer director Dive Don Baruch Donald Baruch dramatic fighting film film's filmmakers Fleet fliers flying footage Hollywood Ibid images interview January Japanese July June Kramer Marine memo Mike Sherman military movie Naval Academy naval aviation Navy Office Navy's November nuclear Office of Information operations Paramount Pearl Harbor Pentagon pilots planes portrayal portrayed problems producer Raise the Titanic Red October request rescue reviewer sailors scenes screen screenplay screenwriter script Secretary September sequences ship shooting shots story studio submarine Task Force tion told Top Gun Tora torpedo Vietnam Walter Mirisch Warner Brothers Washington Wead Weekly Variety World World War II York