Courage Under Fire
movie poster
Directed by	Edward Zwick
Produced by	Debra Martin Chase John Davis
Written by	Patrick Sheane Duncan
Starring	Denzel Washington Meg Ryan Lou Diamond Phillips Matt Damon
Music by	James Horner
Distributed by	Fox
Release date(s)	12 July 1996
Running time	117 min.
Language	English
IMDb profile

Courage Under Fire is a motion picture, released in 1996, starring Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan, Lou Diamond Phillips and Matt Damon. It is one of the first films to depict the 1991 Gulf War. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (505x755, 48 KB) Licensing This image is of a movie poster or title card, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by either the publisher of the movie or the studio which produced the movie in question. ... Edward Zwick (born October 8, 1952 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American film director and film producer. ... Debra Martin Chase (1956 - ) is a Hollywood producer. ... John Davis is an American film producer and founder of Davis Entertainment. ... Patrick Sheane Duncan is an American writer, producer and director known for his film Mr. ... Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Phillips in August 1987. ... Matthew Paige Matt Damon (born October 8, 1970) is an American screenwriter and actor. ... James Roy Horner (born August 14, 1953) is an American composer of orchestral and film music. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... is the 193rd day of the year (194th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Phillips in August 1987. ... Matthew Paige Matt Damon (born October 8, 1970) is an American screenwriter and actor. ... Combatants United States & US-led Coalition Republic of Iraq Commanders Norman Schwarzkopf Khalid bin Sultan Saddam Hussein Strength 883,863 360,000 Casualties 378 dead and 1,000 wounded Est. ...

This movie uses the same cinematic concept as the 1950 Japanese film, Rashōmon, wherein the truth of an event becomes difficult to verify due to the conflicting accounts of different witnesses. The major difference here is that in Rashomon the characters believe the stories they tell. In Courage Under Fire, several of the characters deliberately lie to protect themselves. This article or section cites its sources but does not provide page references. ...

Synopsis

Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling (Washington) was involved in a friendly fire incident. He was a tank commander who, in the confusion of a nighttime ambush by Iraqi tanks, gave the order to fire on one of his own tanks, killing his friend. The details were covered up, but he was reassigned to a desk job. In the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a commissioned officer superior to a major and inferior to a colonel. ... Friendly fire (fratricide or non-hostile fire) is a term originally adopted by the United States military in reference to an attack on friendly forces by other friendly forces,[1] which may be deliberate (e. ...

Later, he is given the task of determining if Captain Karen Emma Walden (Ryan) should be the first woman to receive (posthumously) the Medal of Honor for bravery in combat in the First Gulf War. A Medevac helicopter commander, she went to the rescue of another chopper that had been shot down and was under heavy fire from a tank and Iraqi infantrymen. The tank was knocked out by dropping an improvised bomb on it, but her helicopter was shot down in the process. Both crews were rescued the next day, but Walden was killed. Captain is a rank or title with various meanings. ... The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. ... See also: 2003 invasion of Iraq and Gulf War (disambiguation) C Company, 1st Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment, 1st UK Armoured Division The Persian Gulf War was a conflict between Iraq and a coalition force of 34 nations led by the United States. ... A [PC-12] of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia. ...

At first, everything seems to be straightforward, but Serling begins to notice inconsistencies in the testimony of the witnesses. The members of the first helicopter crew mention that they heard the distinctive sound of an M-16 being used in the firefight around the other helicopter, but Walden's crew denies firing one during the rescue, as theirs was out of ammunition. Despite pressure from the White House and the Pentagon to wrap things up quickly so they can have news they can use for propaganda, he investigates further, questioning Specialist Ilario (Damon), Staff Sergeant John Monfriez (Phillips), and the rest of the second crew until he uncovers the truth. M16 (more formally United States Rifle, Caliber 5. ... For other uses, see White House (disambiguation). ... This article is about the United States military building. ... Soviet Propaganda Poster during the World War II. The text reads Red Army Fighter, SAVE US! Chinese propaganda poster from during the Cultural Revolution. ... For the Italian comics character with this name, see Lo Sconosciuto Most general, a specialist is a person which are able to solve some predefined class of problems. ... United States Military Staff Sergeant insignia (U.S. Air Force) Staff Sergeant is the fifth enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force, just above Senior Airman and below Technical Sergeant. ...

It turns out that the sexist Monfriez didn't believe Walden was capable of handling the situation after they crashed. He tried to take command, wanting to escape under cover of darkness, which would have meant leaving a badly injured man behind. The rest of the crew was ready to follow his lead, but Walden rejected that option, resulting in an armed standoff between the two of them. At that moment, Iraqi infantrymen appeared behind Monfriez and Walden fired at them. Reacting instinctively, Monfriez shot her, seriously injuring, but not incapacitating her. She then organized the defense that beat off the night attack.

The next morning, Walden stayed behind to cover their evacuation. Monfriez deliberately lied to the rescuers, telling them that she was dead, so she was left behind. Ilario remained silent to cover his own cowardice. A following A-10 airplane then bombed the helicopter to keep it out of enemy hands, unknowingly killing her. The Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft designed to provide air interdiction and close air support (CAS) of ground forces by attacking tanks, armored vehicles, and other ground targets. ...

In the end, despite Sterling's attempts to stop him, Monfriez commits suicide by driving his car into an oncoming train rather than face a court-martial and Walden's young daughter receives the medal in a White House ceremony. A court-martial (plural courts-martial) is a military court that determines punishments for members of the military subject to military law. ...

Box office

US Gross Domestic Takings: US$ 59,031,057
+ Other International Takings: $41,829,761
= Gross Worldwide Takings: $100,860,818 Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ...

Historical accuracy

The Medal of Honor has actually already been awarded to a woman, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, an American Civil War doctor, but not for valor in combat. To the movie's credit, the obnoxious White House aide played by Bronson Pinchot is careful to make the distinction. Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, ca 1870. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Bronson Pinchot (right) as Balki with Mark Linn-Baker as Larry on Perfect Strangers. ...

Production

The US Department of Defense withdrew its cooperation for the film so the tanks Serling commanded early in the film were British Centurions shipped from Australia with sheet metal added to make them resemble M1A1 Abrams. These visually modified tanks would be used to simulate the Abrams in almost every major motion picture thereafter, with the exception of War of the Worlds. The United States Department of Defense, abbreviated DoD or DOD and sometimes called the Defense Department, is a civilian Cabinet organization of the United States government. ... The Centurion was the primary British Main Battle Tank of the immediate post-war era, and considered by many to be one of the best British tank designs of all time. ... The M1 Abrams main battle tank is the principal combat tank of the United States Army. ... The term vismod is an abbreviation of the term visually modified, and is used by the US military to refer to any vehicle, aircraft, or other object that has been altered to simulate equipment used by an enemy for training purposes, often by specialized units referred to as the OpFor... War of the Worlds is a 2005 science fiction disaster film based on H. G. Wells original novel, and was directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Josh Friedman and David Koepp. ...

ROTC Cadets from Texas A&M University were extras in the background in some of the training camp scenes. A Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program is a college-based, officer commissioning program, predominantely in the United States. ... Texas A&M University, often called A&M or TAMU, is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas. ...

The Iraqi battle scenes were filmed at the Indian Cliffs Ranch, located just outside El Paso, Texas. Many of the props were left there and became a tourist attraction. The White House rose garden set was destroyed twice: once by a tornado, and once by a sandstorm. Nickname: Location in the state of Texas Coordinates: County El Paso County Government  - Mayor John Cook Area  - City  250. ... Official language(s) No Official Language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... For other uses, see White House (disambiguation). ...

In order to lose 40 pounds (18 kilograms) for the present day scenes, Matt Damon went on a strict regimen of food deprivation and physical training. This damaged his health to the extent that he had to have medical supervision for several months afterwards. However, his efforts did not go unnoticed; director Francis Ford Coppola was so impressed by Damon's dedication to method acting that he offered him the leading role in The Rainmaker (1997). Steven Spielberg was also impressed by his performance, but thought he was too skinny and discounted him from casting considerations for Saving Private Ryan until he met Damon during the filming of Good Will Hunting when he was back at his normal weight. In most educational systems, physical education (PE), also called physical training (PT) or gym, is a course in the curriculum which utilizes the learning medium of large-muscle activities in a play or movement exploration setting. ... Francis Ford Coppola (born April 7, 1939) is a five-time Academy Award winning American film director, producer, and screenwriter. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Rainmaker is also a 1995 novel by John Grisham that was made into a 1997 motion picture starring Matt Damon, Danny DeVito, Claire Danes and Jon Voight. ... Steven Allan Spielberg KBE (born December 18, 1946)[1] is an American film director and producer. ... Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 Academy-Award-winning film set in World War II, directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Real Life Events

Colonel Nat Surling's experience at the start of the film is very loosely based on the Umm Hajul controversy. On 22 January, 1991, a friendly fire incident between U.S. troops who went behind enemy lines to capture an Iraqi position in which numerous soldiers were wounded. After the incident the Pentagon began a massive coverup. Many Commanders of the patrol were sacked and many of the men involved in the incident were given desk duties or discharged.

Walden's experience is based loosely on an incident in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993, where two Delta Force Snipers, Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon were killed trying to rescue a downed Helicopter crew in the city. Both men were postumously awared the Medal of Honor for their actions. This was portrayed on film in the Ridley Scott film Black Hawk Down A Mogadishu boy straddles the remains of a US Black Hawk helicopter during the 1992-1995 UN peacekeeping operation Mogadishu (Somali: Muqdisho) is a city in eastern Africa, on the Indian Ocean. ... The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D) —commonly known as Delta in the U.S. Army, Delta Force by civilians, and Combat Applications Group by the Department of Defense— is a Special Operations Force (SOF) and an integral element of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). ... United States Army Sgt. ... United States Army Master Sgt. ... The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. ... Sir Ridley Scott (born November 30, 1937 in South Shields, County Durham) is an influential Academy Award-nominated English film director, and producer. ... Black Hawk Down is a 2001 film by Ridley Scott, based on the book Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War by Mark Bowden. ...

External links

• Boxoffice information
• Courage Under Fire at the Internet Movie Database