MDFrench
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Hey all,
Just heard that Tom Cruise is now setting up to star in a film tentatively titled "The Few" in which he will play volunteer American pilot Billy Fiske who flew with the RAF in The Battle of Britain.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I have serious problems with this. Where do I begin? Well, first of all, Cruise is way too old to be playing a RAF pilot. He's pushing forty if not already and the average age of a RAF pilot in the Battle of Britain was around 22 or 23.
Secondly, while it was fun to see Steve McQueen give the Nazis hell in The Great Escape, I am starting to get tired of the whole Hollywood mentality that Americans are the only heroes and should be liberally inserted into every historical event as a pivotal personality. They did it in U-571, Pearl Harbor, Dances With Wolves, and Cruise's own The Last Samurai.
Thirdly, the actual Billy Fiske shot down ZERO German airplanes and died unceremoniously a month into the Battle of Britain. Out of the 7 Americans to choose from, Hollywood chooses the most unlikely and historically inaccurate one. What about the three Americans in 609 Squadron, who's personal stories and combat records in the Battle actually read like a movie! Or Art Donahue, the most amazing American RAF volunteer of the war!
Finally, I tire of seeing star power diminish the importance of historical events. If this Cruise vehicle hits screens, millions of ignorant American youth will be given a major misconception about this legendary event. That is why Band of Brothers was so good, because it left star power on the floor in favor of an ensemble cast that depicted the teamwork involved in war and the relationships that war creates.
Irked,
Mike
Just heard that Tom Cruise is now setting up to star in a film tentatively titled "The Few" in which he will play volunteer American pilot Billy Fiske who flew with the RAF in The Battle of Britain.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I have serious problems with this. Where do I begin? Well, first of all, Cruise is way too old to be playing a RAF pilot. He's pushing forty if not already and the average age of a RAF pilot in the Battle of Britain was around 22 or 23.
Secondly, while it was fun to see Steve McQueen give the Nazis hell in The Great Escape, I am starting to get tired of the whole Hollywood mentality that Americans are the only heroes and should be liberally inserted into every historical event as a pivotal personality. They did it in U-571, Pearl Harbor, Dances With Wolves, and Cruise's own The Last Samurai.
Thirdly, the actual Billy Fiske shot down ZERO German airplanes and died unceremoniously a month into the Battle of Britain. Out of the 7 Americans to choose from, Hollywood chooses the most unlikely and historically inaccurate one. What about the three Americans in 609 Squadron, who's personal stories and combat records in the Battle actually read like a movie! Or Art Donahue, the most amazing American RAF volunteer of the war!
Finally, I tire of seeing star power diminish the importance of historical events. If this Cruise vehicle hits screens, millions of ignorant American youth will be given a major misconception about this legendary event. That is why Band of Brothers was so good, because it left star power on the floor in favor of an ensemble cast that depicted the teamwork involved in war and the relationships that war creates.
Irked,
Mike
