"Greyhound" Tom Hanks Apple TV - anyone watched it?

[underpants]

A couple of points:

First, it’s a short 90 minute movie. I wouldn’t say quick though.

It focuses on an important but rarely discussed part of war - logistics of getting people from A to B.
The Nazis had a field day off North Carolina’s Outer Banks sinking somewhere near 800 ships. That was regular commerce not really the war effort. War movies are always established as everyone pretty much being where they need to be. It’s like food - you just have to skip over that to get to the action.

A lot of action so not much time for character development. There’s something missing about Commander Krause that we never get solved. Hanks plays the character much like he did Captain Miller in “Private Ryan” - straight forward, by the book, no backstory at all.

The servants. This was a bit amazing to me. That there were servants (African American) on board US Navy ships and even a destroyer. Hanks wrote the screen play. There were several scenes in which the servants bring him his meal and there is, to me, a noticeable pause —- almost as if Krause looks at them like “What are you DOING here?” Is this necessary? They are totally at the peril of his decisions. They have no way of defending themselves or having a part in defending themselves. It was an interesting element to the film.

[LiberalArkie]

1. I really liked it.

[Cirque du So-What]

2. It's on my list

Perhaps today. Will critique.

[Bluepinky]

3. My husband really liked it.

He enjoys action movies about ships in wartime. I don’t, so I didn’t watch much of it. My husband thought it was very well done.

[underpants]

4. Growing up near the water it really is a different world out there

You always feel a bit powerless.

I have not looked to see if the servants are historically accurate- they probably are- but I was thinking that they are like the troops just sitting in the transport boats completely powerless to do anything about their fate other than swimming if they get sunk. God that is like a nightmare thinking about it.

[Bluepinky]

5. I'll never forget the last scene from "The Perfect Storm".

Mark Wahlberg is floating in the ocean among 100 foot swells. It’s so eerie.

[Hoyt]

6. Will definitely watch it at some point, but here's comment from some reviewer about "servants."

". . . . . . it’s battle stations. No sooner has Krause been served breakfast by his Black servant, Cleveland (a shameful stereotype in this era of Black Lives Matter), when the alarm bells sound. There are U-boats everywhere. And then it begins, about 60 minutes of Hanks barking technical commands (“Right full rudder, 087,” “Bring this up to general quarters”) which are immediately echoed by the ship’s crew. That’s it. No character development, no back stories, no nothing — just the shouting of orders and the “aye, ayes, sir” repeated over and over by his subordinates, including his executive officer (“The Irishman’s” terrific Stephen Graham) and Hank’s son, Chet. Ain’t nepotism grand?

https://www.patriotledger.com/entertainmentlife/20200709/movie-review-tom-hanks-goes-to-sea-in-greyhound

Patriot Ledger is a daily morning newspaper printed in Quincy, Massachusetts

[underpants]

10. I didn't see it as a stereotype

This movie was in the can probably early last year.

I thought hey were included to either serve as a reminder of all the troops he was responsible for and/or to show the oh craziness of having mess stewards or (regardless of what another poster said) servants.

Honestly I thought Cole was being played by Donny Wahlberg several times.

[jrandom421]

7. At the time of WW2

Last edited Sun Aug 2, 2020, 12:38 PM - Edit history (1)

The servants. This was a bit amazing to me. That there were servants (African American) on board US Navy ships and even a destroyer. Hanks wrote the screen play. There were several scenes in which the servants bring him his meal and there is, to me, a noticeable pause —- almost as if Krause looks at them like “What are you DOING here?” Is this necessary? They are totally at the peril of his decisions. They have no way of defending themselves or having a part in defending themselves. It was an interesting element to the film.

He's NOT A SERVANT!!! African-Americans were only allowed to serve as Mess Stewards and Cooks in the US Navy at that time in history, but they were always part of damage control parties. That part is historically accurate. As for being necessary, in wartime ALL the crew is at the peril of the Captain's decisions. You talk about how they have no way of defending themselves or taking part in it. What makes them more special than say, the engine room crew or other members of the crew who don't man the guns or depth charge racks? So what's your point?

I find your observations totally inaccurate and imposing 78 years of history that hasn't happened yet on something historically accurate for the time.

[underpants]

9. Okay I just used the word servant

It’s what popped up in my head.

Yes the whole crew is but they have things to do that in some way help in the function of the ship. I get that the mess stewards and cooks do too it just seemed odd but it think it was included to make a point.

[hack89]

22. Read up on Dorrie Miller

Those stewards had battle stations like every other sailor.

[NCDem47]

8. I did!

I liked it. I just happened to watch Midway the week before so I got a two-fer on WWII in the Pacific and Atlantic. Both had good tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Plus, you learn some history.

[mn9driver]

11. Not servants; Mess Attendants/Cooks. It was an actual Navy rating until 1975

They were enlisted sailors and at that time it was the only onboard rating that Black Americans were permitted to have. Segregation and racism existed in the Navy just like it did everywhere else in the military in WWII.

In battle, they fought just like everyone else. Doris Miller was one of them:

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/navy-honors-doris-miller-1st-aircraft-carrier-named/story?id=68391493

[underpants]

12. Okay I didn't know that. I just used the obvious word

Really? Into the 70’s? Wow.
Cooks yeah I know that they had to have those I was just surprised by the silver platter service or that there was service. I’d think someone could bring the commander something in tight times but not that there would be someone doing it all the time.


Thanks.

[mn9driver]

14. Navy mess traditions go way, way back.

On a Navy ship in peacetime, the senior officers are quasi diplomats. During port calls they are often expected to invite the local officials aboard for a meal. These can be fancy affairs with the ship’s silver and china, served in the ship’s formal Wardroom and attended by as many officers as needed for the particular occasion. Traditionally, the mess attendants would be the waitstaff.

Under normal operations, although the ship’s officers pay for their own meals, they are prepared by enlisted cooks and served in the wardroom. The captain can of course ask that his meal be served wherever he needs to be.

[underpants]

20. I'm sure.

Being captain of a ship comes with a lot of responsibilities and so it should have some benefits.

I was in the Cav. I had some occasions to hang around longer than needed near command doe chow. I was curious as to if it was different. Nope. Same stuff we ate only sitting at a table instead of eating out of our laps. Never had a reason to be near the helicopter units - I’d bet they had something a little better but I could be wrong.

[DinahMoeHum]

13. AAs crewing a destroyer? Must have been the USS Mason. . .

. . .a destroyer-escort (a ship which was built primarily for the purpose of protecting convoys and sinking enemy submarines) which was crewed mostly by African-Americans.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Mason_(DE-529)

There was also a submarine-chaser vessel with a predominantly African-American crew,
the USS PC-1264:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_PC-1264

[underpants]

19. It was just a couple of stewards

Cooks/stewards. They served the Captain his meals.

[whistler162]

15. For anyone interested..

https://www.uniform-reference.net/insignia/usn/usn_ww2_enl_steward.html

[Iggo]

16. As far as food goes, I only remember seeing one scene in one movie about that.

Mighta been Longest Day. I don't know.

But it was German officers discussing a captured or errant supply drop container, and noting there was a cake in it. The conversation went something like, "If they can transport cake across the Atlantic, we've already lost."

[Brother Buzz]

17. No, but I read EVERYTHING by C. S. Forester

Greyhound was based on C. S. Forester's book, The Good Shepherd


C. S. Forester was totally dialed into EVERYTHING maritime, and every nugget I picked up from his works bore to be true; the dude knew what he was talking about.


The Good Shepherd is a good read.

[underpants]

18. Yes I'd seen that

I wasn’t familiar with his work.

[Brother Buzz]

21. Horatio Hornblower and the Napoleonic Wars was mostly his bailiwick

His knowledge and intricate details of the ships was totally spot-on.

I was led to believe C. S. Forester wrote The Good Shepard during the Second World War for some feel good propaganda, but it wasn't published until 1955.