PT 109 (film)

Infobox_Film
name = PT 109


director = Leslie H. Martinson
writer = Richard L. Breen,
Vincent Flaherty,
Howard Sheehan
starring = Cliff Robertson,
Ty Hardin,
James Gregory,
Robert Culp,
Robert Blake
producer = Warner Bros.
distributor = Warner Bros.
released = June 19, 1963
runtime = 140 min
language = English
budget = ---
imdb_id = 0057393

"PT 109" is a 1963 biographical movie which shows the events of John F. Kennedy's actions in command of Motor Torpedo Boat "PT-109" as an officer of the United States Navy during World War II. The movie was adapted by Richard L. Breen, Vincent Flaherty and Howard Sheehan from the book "PT 109: John F. Kennedy in WWII" by Robert J. Donovan.

The movie stars Cliff Robertson, Ty Hardin, James Gregory, Robert Culp, Robert Blake, Andrew Duggan (the uncredited narrator), Michael Pate and George Takei (uncredited as helmsman on Japanese destroyer, best known as Sulu of "Star Trek"). The exteriors for the movie were filmed at Little Palm Island (formerly Little Torch Key), a resort in the Florida Keys. Power and fresh water were run out to the island for the movie, allowing the resort to be built years later. The former owner was the local Monroe county sheriff.

The most dramatic special effect is what appears to be a full-size set with live actors appearing to be crushed by the bow of a destroyer.

Plot summary

U.S. Navy Lieutenant, junior grade John F. Kennedy (Cliff Robertson) uses his family's influence to get himself assigned to the fighting in the Solomon Islands in World War II, much to the surprise of Commander C.R. Ritchie (James Gregory). He collects a crew, including Ensign Leonard J. Thom (Ty Hardin), "Bucky" Harris (Robert Blake) and Edmund Drewitch (Norman Fell), and energetically repairs the damaged "PT 109".

On one mission, the "PT 109" is sent to rescue a paramarine patrol trapped on an island. Kennedy successfully takes aboard the survivors, but barely gets out of range of Japanese guns before running out of fuel. The tide starts taking the boat back towards the island. In the nick of time, another PT boat arrives and tows the "109" to safety.

Another sortie is less successful. While on patrol one moonless night, a Japanese destroyer appears suddenly out of the darkness and cuts the "109" in two, killing two crewmen. Kennedy leads the survivors in swimming to a deserted island. After a few days, Kennedy encounters two natives and gives them a message carved on a coconut. Fortunately for the sailors, they take it to an Australian coastwatcher, who arranges for a rescue. Afterwards, Kennedy is eligible to transfer back to the U.S., but elects to stay in the fight.

Accuracy

In the movie, the "PT 109" is reported missing and a search is started. According to "National Geographic", and the original book, the boat explosion was observed from other PT boats in the vicinity and it was given up as lost. A memorial service was held at the motor torpedo boat squadron's forward operating base at Rendova while the crew was still marooned on the islands in the vicinity of Japanese-held Kolombagara Island.

Solomon Islanders Biuki Gasa and Eroni Kumana were portrayed as random natives, when in fact they were dispatched by the coastwatcher, Arthur Reginald Evans, to find them. The movie holds to the Donovan book version that Kennedy first suggested the idea of using a coconut for a message, using a knife to carve it. Gasa was later interviewed as suggesting the idea and sending Eroni to pluck a fresh coconut. The actors playing Gasa and Kumana were not credited either, though the senior native is mentioned by name when the large canoe arrives.

The scene rescuing ambushed Marines is actually covered by the chapter in the book about "PT 59", which Kennedy commanded after the "PT 109". It was an older model Elco PT boat that was converted to a gunboat with its torpedoes removed.

Availability

The movie is out of print on VHS although unopened copies sometimes turn up on on-line auction sites; it is not available in the United States on DVD. Video CDs meant for sale outside the US can be had online, though the quality is not as good as VHS. A PT-109 (comic book) was created based on the movie, but with some different historical content.

Casting and President Kennedy

The White House had full approval of casting and aspects of the film. Among other actors considered for the lead were Peter Fonda who objected to having to do his screen test with an impersonation of JFK's voice, [Fonda, Peter "Don't Tell Dad: A Memoir" Hyperion Books (1998)] Edd Byrnes, Jacqueline Kennedy's choice Warren Beatty, Jeffrey Hunter, and other stars. [http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0335,hoberman,46558,1.html] Kennedy selected Cliff Robertson after viewing their screen tests. Robertson met with President Kennedy who set three conditions on the film; that it be historically accurate, that profits go to the survivors of PT 109 and their families and President Kennedy had the final choice of actor. [ [http://www.cliffrobertson.info/aviation.htm The Official Website of Cliff Robertson ] ]

Kennedy also vetoed Raoul Walsh as the director of the film after screening Walsh's "Marines Let's Go" and not liking it. [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2584/is_n3_v17/ai_20769330/pg_12] Director Lewis Milestone was replaced by Leslie Martinson a prolific experienced Warner Brothers Television director. [ [http://www.coffeecoffeeandmorecoffee.com/archives/2007/07/ Coffee coffee and more coffee: July 2007 Archives ] ]

References

External links

*imdb title | id=0057393 | title=PT 109
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5382184512409880439&hl=en movie trailer] on Google video