Quote:
Originally Posted by Aramike
Really? No one for Gene Hackman in Crimson Tide? Sure, he was willing to start WWIII, but that takes balls, man!
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Hackman is a great actor and the Captain Ramsey character was interesting, but Captain Ramsey was a rather poor sub skipper. His draconic style is not what the submarine service exemplifies from its COs. The USS
Florida had a similar CO in the late 1990's who was relieved for acting in a manner portrayed by Ramsey. Some of Ramsey's actions in the movie were reprehensible, as well. Specifically, holding one of his own crewmen hostage at gunpoint threatening execution to force LT. Ince (WEPS) to release the tactical firing trigger for the nukes. As an admiral, I would have broken Ramsey six ways from Sunday for that stunt alone.
As far as good movie skippers, Jürgen Prochnow's Lehman-Willenbrock, Scott Glenn's Bart Mancuso and Burt Lancaster's Bledsoe are better examples. Although U-571 sucked and is only good for raw entertainment value or a "sub movie" fix, Paxton's Dahlgren was refreshingly believable, if a bit too straight-laced.