Script Report: Tom Cruise to play fly-boy in THE FEW
September 17th, 2003
The Brits were already peeved at Hollywood when Saving Private Ryan came out. Many on the Island felt America downplayed their role in D-Day. Looks like Hollywood is back at it again, and the Brits aren't too happy about it.
The Top Gun star is said to be working on a film tentatively called The Few in which hell play Billy Fiske, one of 12 Americans who fought in the Battle of Britain during WWII. Some members of Britain's Royal Air Force are a bit upset. According to a report on MSNBC, survivors of the battle say Cruise is trying to "hijack history" and give America more credit than it deserves. Fiske was killed when he crash-landed his plane, and he is not credited with downing any German planes, but according to the report, the film will turn him into a key figure in the battle.
Im appalled, Air Commodore Sir Archie Winskill, 86, told Londons Mail on Sunday. We were alone and on the brink of disaster but we stopped the German air force and probably the invasion of Britain. There were no American squadrons and only the odd American pilot.
Hollywood can go and take a dip in the drink, said 603 Squadrons Gerald Stapleton. It is an outrage.
A Spokeswoman for Cruise told The Scoop, Tom Cruise is not planning to portray the character of Fiske in the film. He will portray a new character who will be an amalgam of several other characters. The screenwriters are creating a composite character for Cruise who combines the heroic actions of a number of people. This is Hollywood's idea of a compromise.
There are ethical questions to be raised. After all, we're lucky that Hollywood is an American assembly line. If it were, say, a British one, we might get peeved seeing historical recounts told from the perspective of the Brits. If the British film industry had the resources and cash to make such films they undoubtedly would, but alas they cannot. We should have a little more respect for other nations in our recanting of historical events. Sometimes we forget how powerful film is.
(Source: MSNBC)
The Top Gun star is said to be working on a film tentatively called The Few in which hell play Billy Fiske, one of 12 Americans who fought in the Battle of Britain during WWII. Some members of Britain's Royal Air Force are a bit upset. According to a report on MSNBC, survivors of the battle say Cruise is trying to "hijack history" and give America more credit than it deserves. Fiske was killed when he crash-landed his plane, and he is not credited with downing any German planes, but according to the report, the film will turn him into a key figure in the battle.
Im appalled, Air Commodore Sir Archie Winskill, 86, told Londons Mail on Sunday. We were alone and on the brink of disaster but we stopped the German air force and probably the invasion of Britain. There were no American squadrons and only the odd American pilot.
Hollywood can go and take a dip in the drink, said 603 Squadrons Gerald Stapleton. It is an outrage.
A Spokeswoman for Cruise told The Scoop, Tom Cruise is not planning to portray the character of Fiske in the film. He will portray a new character who will be an amalgam of several other characters. The screenwriters are creating a composite character for Cruise who combines the heroic actions of a number of people. This is Hollywood's idea of a compromise.
There are ethical questions to be raised. After all, we're lucky that Hollywood is an American assembly line. If it were, say, a British one, we might get peeved seeing historical recounts told from the perspective of the Brits. If the British film industry had the resources and cash to make such films they undoubtedly would, but alas they cannot. We should have a little more respect for other nations in our recanting of historical events. Sometimes we forget how powerful film is.
(Source: MSNBC)
Comments
Only logged-in members can comment. You can log in or join today for free!
Advertisement
