Posted on 12/17/2004 1:50:10 PM PST by finnman69
Ford comes to THE BATTLE FOR FALLUJAH Actor attached to movie based on Iraqi War battle
Harrison Ford is now attached to play real-life U.S military General Jim Mattis in NO TRUE GLORY: THE BATTLE FOR FALLUJAH. The movie will be based on the non-fiction book being written by Bing West, a journalist reporting on the Iraq War, which is to be published come next May.
The movie will center on the recent American forces attack on the insurgent-held city of Fallujah led by Mattis. The conflict arose first when four Americans were captured, killed and hanged off of a bridge in the city. That act led to the White House ordering their forces in on the city, but with victory within their grasp, orders from the top came down easing off the U.S. attack. Six months later the ground and air assault happened again, with American forces eventually taking over complete control of the city.
Michael Shamburg and Stacey Sher have optioned the book's rights for their production company, Double Feature, which has a first-look deal with Universal Pictures.
A mix of Black Hawk Down and Saving Private Ryan?
I don't know... the title "No true glory" leads me to think that this may end up being antiwar propaganda. We'll see.
Couldn't they find someone other than Harrison Ford? Follywood's always in there to make the money while spitting on our soldiers.
Who needs that lefty, Harrison Ford?
Well, if all goes "well", I suppose I can always "hope" that it takes a strict anti-American line... ;-)
/sarcasm
I googled Bing West . He MIGHT be OK.
http://slate.msn.com/id/2110762/
Bing West served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs in the Reagan administration. He was a member of force recon team Primness, which ambushed a North Vietnamese battalion thus initiating Operation Stingray, whose behind-the-lines tactics are the backdrop for The Pepperdogs. His nonfiction book The Village (Pocket Books) has received high praise for describing close combat. He was a lead CNN military analyst during Desert Storm. Three generations of Wests have served in Marine infantry and his firm, GAMA Corporation, conducts combat training for the Marine Corps. He lives in Newport, Rhode Island, and Washington, D.C.
http://www.randomhouse.com/author/results.pperl?authorid=58125
Written by Bing West
Category: Current Affairs - Military
Publisher: Bantam
Format: Trade Paperback, 336 pages
Pub Date: October 2004
Price: $14.00
ISBN: 0-553-38269-1
Also available as a hardcover.
WITH UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS AND PREVIOUSLY UNREPORTED DETAIL, HERE IS A FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT OF THE 22-DAY MARCH TO BAGHDAD THAT TAKES YOU BEHIND THE SCENES AND TO THE FRONT LINE….
No one reporting on the war in Iraq had the unique battlefield clearance afforded the authors of this dramatic eyewitness account. Unlike embedded journalists confined to a single unit, West and Smith acquired a captured yellow SUV and joined with whatever unit was leading the assault every day of the fight. The result is a report of what really happened from the heart of the action unlike anything you’ll read anywhere else.
“While we will move swiftly and aggressively against those who resist, we will treat all others with decency, demonstrating chivalry and soldierly compassion for people who have endured a lifetime under Saddam’s oppression.”—Major General J.N. Mattis, 1st Marine Division, Commanding
Here is the story that can be told only by those who actually witnessed the action of the famed 1st Marine Division’s march on Baghdad, from the shaky beginning of U.S. operations in southern Iraq to the capture of U.S. prisoners, the misreported “fierce Iraqi resistance,” and the aggressive assaults that led to a quick and decisive victory.
With over a half century of military and combat experience between them, bestselling author F. J. “Bing” West and Major General Ray L. Smith, USMC (Ret.), combine expert military analysis with dramatic battlefield reporting. They bring the reader on a march that ended in victory—but was shadowed by second-guessing, unexpected reversals, and the threat of catastrophe.
With access to three-star generals in the command centers and to privates in the field, the authors reveal how the strategic plan played out in battle, showing what went well and what failed, and detailing power struggles for military and political control never reported. The result is destined to become the definitive account of ground warfare in Iraq.
I'd prefer Bruce Willis in the role.
Harrison Ford in that role is like Karl Marx in the Milton Freidman Story. Not a good fit.
Sam Elliot!
I've maintained a wait and see attitude, but that title (NO TRUE GLORY: THE BATTLE FOR FALLUJAH) has me concerned already.
I can't wait to see where this is going to lead.
I saw the name Slate associated with this. Aren't they anti-Bush and anti-war?
No True Glory is not a promising title.
They won't venture to attack the troops directly, but they may very well portray the operation as purposeless and pointless, and the marines as dupes of the administration. That's pretty much the way they handled the Vietnamese War.
I just happened to re-read Joe Haldeman's SF novel, "The Forever War," which was based on his experience in Vietnam and won the Hugo and Nebula awards. I found myself very disturbed by the way it handled this future war. I vaguely remember liking it at the time, but I guess I had been brainwashed about Vietnam too.
Make no mistake. Hollywood would love to make another movie about the pointlessness of war. And the troops may be portrayed as heroes but they also as suckers.
reporters can't write non-fiction... they are pre-inclined to "juice" everything up to make it sound like something bigger than it is.
also, mel gibson should make his own movie about iraq. it would be a good paralell.
they may very well portray the operation as purposeless and pointless,
True but in all fairness Hamburger hill was exactly that but still a great war movie.I think I'll reserve judgement if hollywood wants to make money on this they would be wise to not alienate well over half the audience.
Thanks for posting that Blueflag.
I went to your randomhouse link and found that the title "No True Glory" appears to be based on a quote from Gen Dwight D Eisenhower....
“There is no glory in battle worth the blood it costs.”
——General Dwight D. Eisenhower
Anyone know the context of the quote and whether that would give us a hint as to which way the book might be leaning?
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?0553804022
Here's the link to the author's website. I haven't looked at it yet.
http://www.westwrite.com/
I'm not totally lazy here, just relying on the expertise of freepers. :-) I figure there is at least one Eisenhower expert on here!
yes -- Look what happened to the new version, the PC, history-corrected version of "the Alamo". They PO'd half the US and the money was a box office stinker.
How about Tom Sellick?
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