THE FINEST HOUR
US, 1992, 105 minutes. Colour.
Rob Lowe, Gale Hansen, Tracy Griffith.
Directed by Shimon Dotan.
The Finest Hour was made immediately after the first Gulf War. It shows aspects of Desert Storm.
The film is also a fairly conventional look at Navy Seals training, quite a lot of the footage showing the details of the exercises, the training, the humiliation by the commanding officer.
The film also has the human element – two friends who become rivals, the debonair type (Rob Lowe fitting the part very well) who charms a divorced woman with a young son. However, his friend and competitor (Gale Hansen, who appeared in Dead Poets’ Society) is the more serious-minded trainee and is in love with his rival’s wife.
After the training and the human story, the film goes to the Gulf, shows different raids on Iraqi weapons storage, especially biochemical weapons. As might be expected, there is danger, there are injuries, there is heroism, especially with Rob Lowe’s character willing to give his life to save the others.
The film serves as a propaganda memory of the Gulf War – although the director, Shimon Dotan, born in Romania and growing up in Israel, was an Israeli Navy Seal for five years.
1. The memories of the Gulf War? Saddam Hussein in the 1980s? Early 1990s? The attack on Kuwait? President George Bush and the American response? The judgments of history - in the light of the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and its consequences?
2. The Navy Seals, based in San Diego, the details of training, the role of the officers? The rigours and expectations of the Navy Seals? Their going into action, the details of raids, dangers, skills?
3. The title – and overtones of Churchill and World War Two?
4. Dean and the voice-over, his memories? Driving to San Diego? The enrolment, his confrontation of Bosco and following Hammer’s lead? The rivalry between Hammer and Dean? The growing friendship? Sharing experiences? The meeting with Barbara and Diana? Dean and his attraction towards Barbara? Under the boat? His surprise when Barbara marries Hammer? For the sake of her young son? Dean’s decision to train on the other side of the US? Later encounters with Hammer, his drinking, womanising? Barbara coming to the Gulf? With Dean? Barbara and her decision about her marriage? Dean and seeing Barbara off? His volunteering for the mission, Hammer and his training in the laboratory? His injuries, getting out of hospital, going on the raid? Their skills together? Hammer and the explosions on the boat, his staying behind, Dean being saved? Hammer’s death? Reunion with Barbara and Joshua?
5. Hammer, Rob Lowe’s style? Confronting Bosco? Self-assured? His skills, the training, friendship with Dean after the rivalry? Dating Barbara and Diana? The surprise of Barbara marrying him? The suddenness, Las Vegas, confronting Dean? The shaky marriage? His being a father figure? His drinking, the relationship with Diana? Barbara’s reaction? His going to the Gulf, the raids, the tests, in hospital, his shrewdness with the nurses, getting himself discharged, volunteering for the raid, the action, on the boat, the wounds, his pushing people overboard? His being caught, the explosions? The fatal injuries and his death?
6. Barbara, divorced, her son? Marine biologist? Friendship with Dean? Choosing Hammer? The difficulties of the marriage? Feeling betrayed by Hammer, by Diana? With Dean, in the Middle East? The final coming together?
7. Bosco, tough, his treatment of the men? In action, his being wounded? His contribution to the raids?
8. A view of the American Seals? The tough assignments? The rigorous training? American heroes?
