Movies

Just recently I've watched a few movies relating to the Navy and the core values specifically.

"The Blind Side" (2010) is a true story about a poor kid who is taken in by a family and a school. He's really good at football, but was never taught how to pass tests or write papers. With a private tutor he works on his final paper for a literature class and writes on "The Charge of the Light Brigade". He writes about the difference between Courage and Honor; how anyone can be brave, but how you only get honor by doing the right thing for the right reason. How you should not blindly obey orders, but do what is right. I'm going to get this movie and watch it again.

"Antwone Fisher" (2002) is about a petty officer who gets into fights and is assigned the task of seeing a Navy psychologist. It's a true story about how the officer helps Antwone deal with his abusive upbringing and neglect by forgiving and moving on and how he changes the officer's life as well. It shows a bit of real navy life, although a little scewed (they arrive in a port the next scene after setting out to sea), but in general is a great picture about the navy and hope restored.

"The Caine Mutiny" (1956) is a fictitious account of a mutiny on a tiny ship in World War II. It's a great setup dealing with navy leadership and the decisions the officers and men make to get around a crazy old-timer captain.

Other great movies on the Navy that I've seen and loved:

My favorite: "Mister Roberts" (1955). This is a great one about men stuck on an "old tub" of a supply ship in the later part of World War II in the Pacific and how they cope with a maniac and showman of a captain and how Mister Roberts fights for the men and what he sacrifices, and what they do for him.

"Tora, Tora, Tora" (1970) is by far the best film about Pearl Harbor. It shows both sides rather well, having real Japanese actors making up half the film (speaking in Japanese with subtitles - in the tradition of The Longest Day).

The "Horatio Hornblower Miniseries" (1998-2003) on A&E was a great telling of the classic books. Very fun and full of aspects of life in the Royal Navy.

"Master and Commander" (2003) is another great film of another classic series about the Royal Navy.

"Men of Honor" (2000) about Navy Diver Carl Brashear follows the story of this courageous young man as he is the first African American to enlist in the program.

"The Fighting Sullivans" (1944) about the five brothers who grew up and died together in WWII off of Guadalcanal.

"The Hunt for Red October" (1990) a good, fun film based on Tom Clancy's novel.

"Crimson Tide" (1995) is another tense film about mutiny on a submarine.

"Midway" (1976) is more of a soap opera, but it is a grand, epic film about the colossal battle.

Others:
Here's a host of submarine movies... some relevant, some not.
There's been bunches of WWII movies... too numerous to count...
Here's a list of all navy films.
Here's a top ten.