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Men of Honor (2000)
 | Information at Internet
Movie Database |
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Cinema in Focus,
a social and spiritual commentary by Hal Conklin and Denny Wayman. |
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Movie Parables review. |
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Review, Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality & Health -
Spiritual Practices for Human Being. |
| Themes
 | Baptism, Overcoming Obstacles
 | Carl managed to deal
with each block put in his way. Finally it came time for the
final test for acceptance on the dive team. they were to dive to
the bottom of wherever they were and assemble a complicated piece of
equipment. As each hopeful found what he needed to work on, a
bag of tools were tossed down to him. Carl had been warned to
not even show up, because he would not be allowed to pass. He
showed up anyway. Suited up, and dove. when he located his
pieces, he called for his tool bag. The commanding officer slit
the bag before throwing it into the water. The officer of the
officer (I don't remember titles) had forbade the commanding officer
to allow Carl to pass, much less to pull him up when he was ready. It took Carl more than
nine hours in very cold water to accomplish what the others had done
in a few hours. But he succeeded. He had assembled his
piece perfectly. Though the officer would not assist Carl's
ascent from the water, Carl's peers did. Seldom had they ever
come to his assistance. There were other major
challenges for Carl to overcome, and he met each with determination.
The amazing thing was his wholesome attitude through it all. He held
true to his course, and he won! He had been true to his father,
though his father did not live to see his son's success. (There's lots of Scripture in this story.
It's a true story.) (Marcy Keefe-Slager, Jackson, MI) |
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| Clean/Unclean
| Carl grew up on a plantation in
the south, the son of slaves. As he went off the navy, his
father made him promise he would never allow himself to live the
life that his parents had. It would be very difficult, but he
should never settle for less than what he wanted. Watching some divers in action, he knew
immediately what he wanted: to be master (I don't remember the
exact title.) He knew he could be the best. But being
black was a major impediment. This was in the 40's or 50's.
Only one white guy (a stutterer) was willing to sleep in the same
barracks. The list of discriminations goes on and on.
(Marcy Keefe-Slager, Jackson, MI) |
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Determination/Perseverance
| Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character shows perseverance and
determination in completing tasks in the face of obstacles and prejudice.
Two scenes come to mind. The first is when, to pass a diving test, he has
to assemble a piece of pipe under water in a given time. His superior
sabotages the materials, and the scene shows the
character pressing through and completing the task, much to the amazement
of those who are watching. The second scene is
near the end of the movie, when he is in the courtroom, attempting to
prove his fit-ness to continue to dive and must "walk" in an incredibly
cumbersome and heavy diving suit. He does so, in very dramatic fashion
(Martha Johannides, Quest Community Church, Lexington, KY) |
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| Father/God Figure
| We can see an
image of God in Leslie "Billy" Sunday (Robert De Niro). He makes the
claim to be God when the new recruits arrive at the dive camp, then
proceeds to act the way many think of God in their lives--he interferes,
he stymies, he causes problems. Yet in the end, he shows himself as God
really is--he helps, he strengthens and encourages to overcome.
(John Kuske) |
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| Guilt
| In
the scene after Karl Brashear (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) has rescued the
abandoned partner with great courage and risk to his life, you see the man
who had abandoned his partner receive the award for courage and bravery.
This is because he is white and Brashear is black, of course. But if we
focus on the man's reaction, we see the weight of sin and its guilt on
people. The man does not rejoice in his award; his fellow divers do not
congratulate him because they knew he abandoned his partner. Brashear
deserved the honor and award, but woudl never get it. Now the white man
has to live with the weight of his abandonment of his partner, the award
that reminded him of his cowardice and that another deserved for his
bravery. It is best expressed as he stands alone in the parade yard,
alone. (John Kuske) |
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