As the trailers started to circulate the web, I begrudgingly admitted they looked pretty cool.  My geek streak is certainly wide enough to get down with some old-fashioned alien invasion stuff and I realized that the movie would feature my beloved Marine Corps, OSR (Ooh-Stinkin’-Rah). However, my distrust still prevented me from getting excited about it.

As the release date neared, I was torn.  Do I go see the movie, take my licks and try to enjoy the action aspect of it or do I give it a pass?  I decided on the latter.  I was not going to pay good money to go watch my brothers and sisters get crapped on again.

Then, last week I read an article in which Aaron Eckhart talked about the film:

“This movie, in my opinion, is meant to be a love letter to the Marines. We had their full cooperation. They had my full cooperation. I tried to get it right. I think this movie is very reverent towards the military and reverent towards the ranks, both the officers and the Marines and the grunts. I don’t see how any Marine can see this movie and feel like they’ve been at all taken advantage of. I think this is going to be an oo-rah moment for them.”

Now, look.  It’s not like I’ve never been lied to by someone trying to get butts into seats but this struck me as a quote that would be pretty doggone hard for Mr. Eckhart to walk back.  So, I decided to take the man’s word for it and plunk down my money for a few tickets.

Aaron Eckhart is no liar.

Battle: Los Angeles is a kick ass war picture!  Eckhart’s turn as SSgt Nantz was impressive and the rest of the cast was very good as well.  Tons of action, some particularly tense moments and some tender ones as well.  And get this… the Los Angeles audience cheered at the end.  I haven’t seen that in this jaded town in quite a while.  My wife, her father and I left the theater exhausted.

Now, I’ll leave the critiques of the finer points of filmmaking to those who do it (I’m looking at you, Leigh Scott).  My mission today is to set your mind at ease and get your butts into seats.   No sucker punches in this one, kids.

Eckhart called it a “love letter”.  Marines, prepare to be wooed.

Semper fi.

The film, directed by Jonathan Flora, follows Sinise and his band as they support the troops and first responders around the world including Kuwait and Iraq.  The Lt. Dan Band began playing shows in 2003 and has played close to 200 concerts for America’s heroes and their families.
Films that receive the Crystal Heart are being honored for best meeting Heartland’s mission of “exploring the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life.”  Having seen this uplifting and inspiring film, I can assure you that it does just that. 

“Having long known the high reputation of the Heartland Film Festival and the quality of films it showcases, it is a true honor to be recognized and I tip my hat to Jeffrey Sparks and his staff for all they do,” said Flora, who hails from Ohio, served with the 82nd Airborne and also produced the film along with his wife, Deborah Flora.  “As a veteran and filmmaker working in Hollywood, it is a privilege to be able to support our troops and first responders through our medium.  The spirit of service and commitment to the greater good has always served as an example to me.  At its core, this movie is about remembering those who are willing to lay down their lives for others and those who are left behind.  Gary Sinise is a man who has chosen to remember and to honor.  Gary truly is the Bob Hope of this generation.” 

Lt. Dan Band: For the Common Good is a moving documentary that transcends genres.  

With an amazing soundtrack and special appearances by Academy Award winners Jon Voight and Robert Duvall, as well as Raquel Welch, Connie Stevens, John Ratzenberger and more, this film is one of those rare movies that entertains even as it inspires and has been praised by Hollywood filmmakers Jerry Bruckheimer and Ron Howard, NBA Hall Of Fame Coach Pat Riley, and many more. 

Gary Sinise will be in attendance tonight for the evening screening of the film and I’m confident you Hoosiers will come out and show him a warm welcome. 

I know that Big Hollywood readers will want to get out and support this fantastic documentary.  To check out the trailer, find out more about the movie and to stay tuned about its upcoming release, please visit the official website, LtDanBandMovie.com.

Robert Davi and Connie Stevens

Jimmy Kimmel, producer Douglas DeLuca and some of Los Angeles’ most prominent Italian-American citizens created The San Gennaro Foundation to benefit underprivileged children and the homeless in Los Angeles.

Master of Ceremonies, Mark DeCarlo, hosted the evening’s celebration that featured performances by Pete Jacobs’ Wartime Radio Review, an old-fashioned USO show, complete with a swinging band.  Actors Connie Stevens and Robert Davi were recognized for their charitable work, especially their work with our military.

I arrived early and was able to sample much of the food that’s available at the Feast.  I had purposely skipped dinner so I was ready to dive in.  I stopped by a booth run by “Nonna” (Italian for “grandma”) and she gave me a sample of some biscotti that was out of this world.  When I came back for seconds, she shooed me away with a wink while surreptitiously slipping some more biscotti into my hand.  If you get a chance, look up Frankie’s Old World Biscotti.  You won’t regret it.  Another standout was Pagano’s Seafood.  Don’t pass their booth without buying something.

More people were arriving every minute and I began to recognize some faces.  Joe Mantegna, John Krasinski, David Arquette and Robert Picardo were just a few that I instantly recognized.  The working class Italian actors were out in force.  You know, guys that you’ve seen a million times but might not know their name. It felt like I was walking through a Scorsese movie.

One of the highlights of the evening, for me, was that I got to meet composer Bill Conti and tell him that his Rocky II soundtrack helped get me through boot camp.  Every time they’d take us out to run, I’d start playing that music in my head.  I’m sure he’s heard it hundreds of times before but Bill took it in stride.  A nice man.

I also bumped into actor Ed Marinaro and his lovely wife and stopped to chat.  I’d met Ed once or twice before and after the “Joe Cervasio” round of “Six Degrees of Angelo Commandatore,” we became fast friends.

FYI, “fast friends” at the intersection of Hollywood and Jersey goes something like this:

“Hey!  How you doin’?”
“Hey!  Good!  How’re you?”
“Good!  Yeah!  The last time I saw you was at the thing!”
“Yeah… Wait.  Which thing?”
“The thing!  That thing with the guy!”
“Oh, yeah!  How you doin’?”

We talked a bit about the evening and about our military.   Ed said he felt proud that such a big event in the Italian-American community was recognizing and honoring what they do; not only Italian-Americans but all Americans that serve in our Armed Forces.  He went on to say that “they should all be here to enjoy themselves and sample the food” and that if they weren’t Italian now, “they’d convert.”

Soon, Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla introduced Robert Davi.  Robert spoke about his Sicilian grandfather who came to America, enlisted in the infantry and received two Purple Hearts for wounds received during World War I. “The American flag was always revered and the American serviceman was always revered.  That’s the image I grew up with and my father grew up with.”

Robert went on to tell about his father who enlisted in the Navy after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and once spent three days in the water after his ship had been torpedoed.  He said that, although his father never spoke about his wartime experiences, “every 4th of July, every Veteran’s Day, every Memorial Day, my dad raised the American flag in our back yard and put on his Navy uniform until the day he died at fifty-six years old.  That’s the image… that’s the respect and the love for this country that I got as an Italian-American.”

Next, Jimmy and Adam introduced the lovely Connie Stevens.  She was happy to substantiate her Italian credentials by sharing her real name, Concetta Rosalie Ann Ingolia.  “You all think Connie Francis is the Italian girl?  It’s me!” she joked.  “And I make better sauce than she does.”  Okay, that part probably wasn’t a joke.  One of the many things I’ve learned from my wife is that Italian girls do not joke about sauce.

After some playful flirting with Jimmy Kimmel, Connie talked about her dedication to the American military.  “As long as I’m alive, I’m going to do it.”  She has been entertaining the troops for more than forty years.  “I have held young men’s hands in the deepest parts of the jungles, in hospitals all over the world and on every major base.  They are America’s greatest assets and we’ve got to let them know that we have their backs.  Every time you get a chance, stop somebody at an airport and say, ‘Thank you’. Give them a hundred bucks if you can afford it.”

Finally, Pete Jacobs’ Wartime Radio Review took the stage and tore into “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”.  That really lit up the WWII vets in attendance. At that point, it was getting late.  I decided to take my leave, full of great food and thinking of Uncle Pete Cavo.

I asked Uncle Pete about Melbourne.  He said that, while 1st Marines stayed at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds (M.C.G.), 7th Marines stayed at a place called Mt. Martha that was about 15 miles outside of Melbourne.

Pete told me that Australia was “a lot of fun.”  He was a little surprised by how it was portrayed in the series saying, “It wasn’t as bad as all that.”  He “didn’t see any bummin’ around or bar brawls” and informed me that, unless a Marine was squared away, he wasn’t getting any liberty.  “That’s not to say there wasn’t no drinkin’ goin’ on,” he laughed.

So, with Episode 3 we got a little drinking, a little romance (will someone please get Leckie a shoehorn?) and the Marines were off again.

For one reason or another, the series skips right to Cape Gloucester and the terrible conditions there.  Uncle Pete confirmed that it was always wet and miserable, “The only time you were dry was when you were in your hammock.”  When I asked whether morale was bad, he simply said, “Well, I never went to no kook farm.”

Uncle Pete had been with C Company, 7th Marines since he left boot camp.  On Cape Gloucester, he was transferred to Headquarters Company and became Chesty Puller’s driver.  Unfortunately the new duty only moved him about 50 yards back from the line.  Cape Gloucester would be the last time Uncle Pete saw combat.  Soon, he’d be heading back to the States.

That, however, is a story for later.

I don’t know if I’ll be continuing to follow each episode here at Big Hollywood.  I will, however, be posting supplemental pieces inspired by the clippings in Uncle Pete’s scrapbook to coincide with happenings in the series.

Before signing off, I wanted to share something from the scrapbook with you.  Jean from Melbourne had rewritten the lyrics to the song “Thanks for the Memory” in the last page of the book.  She dedicated it “To the United States Marines” but I have a feeling it was really for Uncle Pete.

Thanks for the memory,

Of coloured campaign bars,

Blossoms and stars,

Of rum and cokes and moron jokes and dining in staff cars,

How lovely it was.

Thanks for the memory,

Of castles in the air,

Fingers in my hair,

Of Collins Street and kisses sweet and those medals that you wear,

How lovely it was.

Oh, many is the time that we flirted,

I don’t think we’ll ever regret it,

I know I shall never forget it,

I love you so but there I go,

So,

Thanks for the memory,

Of tidy little flats,

Trying on your hats,

And overcoats and fishing boats, of cozy fireside chats,

How lovely it was.

As I carefully made my way through the contents of this box, I realized that I was holding history in my hands.  It was quite a feeling let me tell you.  I hope to share some of the items as the weeks commence.

PFC Pete Cavo with 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division

Episode two returns us to Guadalcanal.  The Marines have been here a while and they are tired, hungry and low on supplies.  I’m beginning to recognize some of these guys.  Marines at rest are an amusing bunch.  It’s an attitude that’s difficult to capture and almost impossible to reproduce.  Too often, Hollywood goes for the stereotypes.  Director David Nutter handles the men in these situations deftly.

The age-old rivalry between the US Army and Marines made me chuckle.  Marines have always been asked to do more with less and that is a tradition that continues today.  The pride that is instilled in every Marine is demonstrated by Chesty Puller’s order that all personnel be freshly shaved upon the arrival of the Army.  Then, rather than call attention to their tattered uniforms, Puller praises his “raggedy-ass Marines,” declaring that they “look this way for a reason.”

While going through the box that Uncle Pete had sent, I found a form that listed all of Pete’s citations.  I was surprised to learn that he had received the Purple Heart.

“Well they gave it to me, y’know… uh, I got shot in the ass.  I was tryin’ to crawl from one hole to another to get a cigarette,” he laughed.  “I was back on the line the next day.”  Raggedy-ass Marine, indeed.

When I asked him about the episode, he said he was a little disappointed that they didn’t show more patrols or “when we were at the Matanikau River three times and couldn’t get across… those were pretty important battles.”  Overall, he thought it was a “good show,” though.

He talked briefly about the major battle depicted in the episode and about being aware at the time that the Japanese had broken through the line and I considered what it must have been like to face down a massive frontal assault knowing the enemy had gotten behind you.  That thought chilled me a bit.  Meanwhile, Pete talked breezily about water-cooled machine guns overheating and men having to piss into them to cool them off.

I watched the episode again while writing this piece.  It got me this second time.  After talking to Uncle Pete about his experience on Guadalcanal, the last scene (the one with the Navy cook) resonated much more deeply.  Pete Cavo is a hero.  I’m grateful for this opportunity to learn about his service and to share some of his story with you.

Thanks for reading.  See you next week.

Full disclosure:  I served for four years as an enlisted man in a helicopter squadron at the tail end of the Cold War.  My time was spent in the necessary but unglamorous world of logistics and embarkation.  I never had to fire my weapon in anger and was never fired upon.  Hence, the “real Marine” jab.  Hell, with what the Marines today are doing, I sometimes don’t feel like a “real Marine.”  I’m sure there are some other peacetime vets out there who know what I’m talking about.

Anyway, when Angelo hits me with the jab, it means he’s been talking to Uncle Pete.  My wife’s great-uncle Pete Cavo joined the Marines in 1940.  He served as a rifleman in 1st Battalion, 7th Marines.  I called Uncle Pete Sunday afternoon to talk to him about his time in the Corps.  He answered the phone and his thick, jovial Jersey accent triggered a sharp pang of longing for my old home state.

Uncle Pete was at Guadalcanal with John Basilone (“I knew him, y’know, to say ‘hello’… tawk to him an all dat, sure, but not pal around with him or nuttin’”) and Chesty Puller (“Every other word outta his mouth was a curse word”).  In fact, Uncle Pete served as Chesty Puller’s jeep driver for a while.

I knew that the series was going to kick off with the events surrounding Guadalcanal.  So, it was with great anticipation that I looked forward to the first episode of “The Pacific.”

It started off a bit slow, as all grand-scale pieces must.  There are settings and time-frames to establish, characters to introduce and the world’s most explosive charcoal pencil to marvel at.  We get to know Bob Leckie, John Basilone and Eugene Sledge a little bit and enjoy the set up.  The introductory speech by Chesty Puller, played by William Sadler, stirred my inner jarhead and made me sit up a little straighter.  I’m pretty sure I’d walk over hot coals to get the small smiles that such moments elicit from my wife.

I’m reluctant to say too much about the episode because I know that there are some who still have yet to see it.  I will say that, while there is some action in this first installment, the bulk of the action at Guadalcanal seems to happen in episode two, airing next Sunday.  The fighting that is shown is rightly brutal.

If I have any real criticism of this first episode, it’s that it’s too short.  Sixty minutes?  Man, we were just getting started.

There’s a scene toward the end of the episode in which the 7th Marines, led by Chesty Puller, march by Leckie’s unit.  One of them taunts, “The real Marines are here, now!”  I thought of Uncle Pete Cavo and smiled.

I spoke to Uncle Pete again today and we plan to keep our phone date for, at least, the next Monday or two. Although Pete was not portrayed in “The Pacific,” he is part of this series.  The Pacific is as much for him as it is for his grandchildren–to preserve the memory of what might be the greatest generation of Americans.

Ed. Note: Starting Sunday, March 14th, HBO begins its 10-part miniseries “The Pacific,” which follows the United States Marine Corps through WWII in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. This $100 million production re-teams a number of those (including Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg) involved in HBO’s unforgettable 2001 miniseries, “Band of Brothers,” which many, including myself, consider to be one of the finest productions about WWII made for television or any other medium.

I’ve asked Michael Broderick, an actor, former Marine, and top-notch writer to be Big Hollywood’s point man on this project. He’ll be snagging whatever interviews he can, reviewing many if not all of the episodes, and keeping the Big Hollywood community up to date and informed on what is sure to be a seminal moment in television, a terrific piece of entertainment, and a worthy tribute to our Veterans. — JN

The Pacific:  An Interview with Jon Seda

What a long, strange trip it’s been.

I entered the Marine Corps in nineteen eighty *cough* at the tender age of seventeen, secure in the knowledge that upon completion of my four year hitch, I would move to Hollywood and become a popular and sought after actor.

Instead, I fell in lust and, upon leaving the Corps, followed my John Thomas to New York City.  That was okay.  They have actors in New York, right?

No contacts, no formal training and no idea what I was doing, I ended up in a fantastic little rock and roll band instead.  We made a good run of it through the 90s.  In fact, I met my wife while I was playing CBGB in 1998.

Flash forward to November 2001.  HBO’s “Band of Brothers” had recently aired its final episode and it was beginning to really sink in.  “It” being the realization that the United States could be entering another long and bloody war.  I came to realize the importance of this series.  It honored those who sacrificed on behalf of their countrymen but did not shy away from illustrating the horror of combat.

About two years later, I got word that Spielberg, Hanks and Co. (I would certainly never address them using their last names to their face, it just sounds better) were planning a new series based on the Marines in the Pacific Theater.  I had already started shifting priorities in my life (a couple of skyscrapers getting knocked down on a few thousand of your neighbors tends to focus the mind) and decided to have a sit-down with the wife.

My wife, a beautiful, intelligent and tough Italian girl from Jersey (are there any other kind?) is not shy with her opinions.  A year earlier, very pregnant with our only child, on a business trip to Los Angeles, she’d said, “I could never live out here” and I was about to drop a bomb on her.

“You want to move where?”   We had only recently purchased a cozy Greenwich Village apartment and were settling in.

It took some convincing but my wife has always been one to back her man’s play.  We put the apartment up for sale.  Within a few months and with family in tow, I was finally coming to Hollywood to become an actor.  I was going to get an audition for “The Pacific” if it killed me.

So, how does a greenhorn actor wrangle his way into one of the top casting agencies for a role in, perhaps, the most important project of the new decade?

Well, frankly, I don’t know.  I wasn’t able to do it.

Regardless, I’ve been looking forward to the premiere of “The Pacific” for a long time.  When John Nolte asked me to cover it for Big Hollywood, I simply couldn’t refuse.  So, I’ll be following the series as it progresses and you can keep up with it, right here.  If fortune smiles upon me, perhaps Mr. Spielberg or Mr. Hanks will agree to chat with me a bit and I can bring that to you, too.  Who knows?  I’m still new at this, so I’ll try anything.  To quote Captain Dale Dye, “You can do a lot of things people tell you are impossible when you’re blissfully ignorant”.

With that in mind, and on Capt Dye’s recommendation, I contacted the wonderful Mara Mikialian at HBO and she was kind enough to put me in touch with actor Jon Seda who plays GySgt “Manila” John Basilone.

John Basilone is the hero of Raritan, New Jersey.  He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Guadalcanal and remains a fixture in Marine Corps history.  I won’t go too much into his story, as it will be explored in the series.

Like Basilone, Jon Seda is a New Jersey native and was an amateur boxer, as well.  He made his screen debut as a fighter in “Gladiator.”  In 1996, Jon received critical acclaim for his role as Blue in “The Sunchaser” opposite Woody Harrelson at the Cannes Film Festival and has enjoyed numerous roles on popular television shows, including “Kevin Hill”, “Ghost Whisperer” and HBO’s “Oz”.

I also reached out to Dale Dye to get his take.  Although extremely busy with the roll out of the series, both men made time to answer some questions I had via email.  For that, I’m very grateful.

 ———-

Michael Broderick:  HBO’s “Band of Brothers” was a huge success and resonated with people all over the world.  It’s inevitable that comparisons will be made.  How do you think “The Pacific” stacks up?

Jon Seda: I know it’s inevitable that there will be those who compare “The Pacific” to “Band of Brothers”.  For years, the Pacific theater of war was not talked about as much as the European theater, yet it was part of the same War.  What was accomplished in “Band of Brothers” was incredible, from the writing and producing to the performances of the actors who honored all those men that fought bravely and gave the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy today.  To me, that’s what it’s all about.  With “The Pacific”, we’re just trying to do the same thing, continue to honor and make sure the real heroes aren’t forgotten!

MB: You play the part of “Manila” John Basilone, recipient of the  Medal of Honor and one of the most famous Marines of all time.  Can you tell us a little bit about the role?

JS: Words can’t express how humbled I am in being given the privilege to portray Gunnery Sergeant Basilone!  John was born in New York like me and grew up in New Jersey like me.  We both had a passion for boxing.  John came from a big loving family and was with the Army first…but really found his niche with the Marines.  He was a Jersey boy who loved being a Marine…he was tough but also well respected by his men.  They all loved him and he never called himself a hero, he would just say he was doing what he was supposed to do.  I could only pray that I would have had an ounce of the same courage he had!

MB: Did your boxing experience come into play during the shoot?

JS: I think the boxing training I’ve experienced in the past definitely helped me physically with the role, but if anything, it helped me more mentally, because it gave me the mindset to not quit, to keep fighting when I was tired, to get up if I was knocked down!

Dale Dye: If I had to point to the heart of the training unit for “The Pacific”, it would be Jon.  James Badge Dale (Leckie) may be the brain and Joe Mazzello (Sledge) may be the guts, but Jon Seda was definitely the heart of the unit.  He was motivated for all the right reasons all the time.

Jon understood the concept of tough, mentally, physically and psychologically.  We’d finish one grueling exercise after another and he’d be just standing there sweating and hurting, asking me what’s next.  I once told him to slow down and he fired right back at me:  “Did those Marines on Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima slow down?”  That’s Jon through and through. 

MB: Did you find any particular source helpful in your preparation for the role?

JS: In regards to preparation…I mean, how does one prepare to portray someone like Manila John?  I did a fair amount of research of facts by watching documentaries and reading books including, “I’m Staying With My Boys,” by Jim Proser, and “Red Blood, Black Sand” by Chuck Tatum.  Tatum, a Marine who served on Iwo Jima with Basilone, is portrayed in “The Pacific”, and is someone I was able to meet with.  At the end of the day, I stored all that in my head somewhere.

MB:  Was there any one thing about the man that really clicked with you?

JS: I just concentrated on the fact that Basilone was a just a guy from Jersey who turned out to be a darn good Marine and who found himself in extraordinary circumstances, did what he trained to do and rose to the occasion!

MB: Captain Dale Dye was on board, once again, as Senior Military Advisor.  His “boot camps” are legendary in the industry.  What did you take away from that experience?

JS: I would never try to disrespect our men and women Marines by saying that the Boot Camp we endured was equal to theirs!  That said, we needed something to give us a foundation to build on and that foundation came from Captain Dale Dye!  He assembled a Boot Camp that taught us the ins and outs of the weapons used in WWII, and he had us go through tactical combat scenarios to at least give us a small insight to what it was like for these men.

DD: Seda actually became a technically proficient machine-gunner.  He understood the functioning and the employment of those old thirty-caliber guns as well as anyone I’ve ever taught.  About midway through training he could do head-space and timing without help and I rarely had to tell him to displace in covering infantry assaults.  He knew when the time was right and just did it.  He rapidly became a very functional machine gun section leader.

JS: Of course, we could never really know what it was like but if we were going to be the voice for these men we had to have something to draw from.   I think the greatest thing we got from the Boot Camp was the camaraderie we developed with each other and we were able to keep this with us throughout the year of filming…hopefully it shows.

MB:  What’s the most unexpected thing that you’re taking away from this experience?

JS: I thought I had a pretty good appreciation of everyday life before my experience with “The Pacific”, but I sure do now!  I hope that’s what all who watch get out of it!

DD: Probably one of my most impactful moments during training for the Pacific came after our final field exercise, which involved an assault from the sea on a fortified enemy beach.  Jon Seda walked up to me and said, “Skipper, you know that thing Semper Fidelis?  I understand it now.”  And he does.  It shows in every scene of his performance.

———- 

I’d like to thank Jon Seda, Captain Dale Dye and Mara Mikialian at HBO for their time in helping me kick this off.  Thank you, John Nolte, for asking me to take it on.  Lastly, thank you for reading.  I hope you’ll come along for the ride.

See you back here after the March 14th premiere of HBO’s “The Pacific.”

Yeah, it’s a “chick flick” and I’m sure the film did most of its initial box office due to the popularity of its male lead, Channing Tatum.  The ladies love them some Channing Tatum.  He seems like a nice enough fellow; he’s a believable actor.  Aside from the fact that, watching him, I’m constantly reminded that I really need to work my core (we actors are a generally insecure and superficial lot), what’s not to like?  I first saw him in the excellent “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints” and the guy impressed me.

In “Dear John,” Tatum plays Staff Sergeant John Tyree, a Green Beret who meets and falls in love with Savannah Curtis (played by Amanda Seyfried), while home on leave.  

Savannah is a pretty and intelligent young woman with a solid set of values.  She doesn’t drink, smoke or sleep around and seems at ease in her own skin.  She is confident, compassionate and gives freely of her time and energy to her friends and the larger community.

John, while his family life has been challenging, has overcome a troubled past and has become an honorable, though sometimes volatile, man… a warrior.

I sat back and thought, “Wow.  What a nice couple of kids.”  Weird, huh?  I chuckled to myself when I realized that I’d gotten so used to snark, that I’d just been sucker punched by “nice.”  What the hell were these people trying to pull?

The story follows the couple through their early courtship and then multiple separations due to John’s military commitments.  Further complicating things are the attacks on the World Trade Center and the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

There were many things I liked about this film and I’d like to lay them out for you in the hope that you’ll get out and see it before it disappears from theaters.

First and foremost, I was pleased by how SSG Tyree and the military in general were portrayed.  This film got it right.  John and his fellow soldiers demonstrated their professionalism, teamwork and commitment.  Further, as far as I could tell, the Special Forces were accurately portrayed as to their mission and how it is implemented (i.e. training of foreign troops, etc.).  I admit that, hailing from the Marine Corps, I’m not extremely well versed on the Army but everyone looked squared away.  Key military advisor, Gavin McCulley, did nice work.

Secondly, if I had a teenaged daughter, I’d certainly approve of her being exposed to characters like Savannah Curtis.  Savannah is keenly aware of the challenges facing those around her and does what she can to help.  She doesn’t complain about the unfairness of it all or about others’ inaction.  She takes action.  Savannah also succeeds where John has struggled in making a connection with his father, a quiet man who seems to have lived his life as an undiagnosed autistic.

That brings me to my final point.  Autism is another thread that runs through “Dear John.”  John’s father is played by the wonderful Richard Jenkins, who first caught my eye in the brutally funny “Flirting with Disaster.”  His portrayal of Mr. Tyree was of great interest to my wife and I.  As parents of an autistic child we often wonder what the future might hold for our son.   There is also a young boy in the story played by an autistic actor by the name of Braeden Reed.  He reminded us so much of our own son and we both were quite moved by his performance and by how naturally his autism was presented.  Kudos to Phil Blevins, Executive Director of CarolinaAutism.org, who was a consultant on the project.

I’m glad that someone tipped me off to “Dear John.”  Consider this my tip to you.  The folks who made this film understand the concepts of duty and commitment… not just to our country but also to each other. 

I hope you’ll check it out.

The moment I saw that long line of soldiers making their way down the tarmac and watched as Joe waved goodbye from the steps of the plane, I knew that I had just witnessed something very important and very special.   I had just seen an early cut of Jake Rademacher’s amazing Brothers at War.

I knew Jake from seeing him around the William Morris Agency (they’ve since merged with Endeavor) where we are both represented as voiceover actors.  While sitting in the waiting room one day, preparing to read our copy, we got into a conversation about current events and the subject of Iraq came up.  It came out that I’m a former Marine and, although I served years ago, Jake was interested to hear my take on things.  Soon after, he invited me to watch his film and give him some feedback.  Of course, he prepared me by giving me a few disclaimers (it’s still a little long, there’s no music, yet, etc.) but otherwise just let me watch it uninterrupted in a tiny editing room in Burbank.

When it was over, I was blown away.

If you don’t already know, Brothers at War follows the Rademacher family as three of their sons deploy to and return from Iraq.  Two brothers, Isaac and Joe, are soldiers.  One, Jake, is an actor and filmmaker.  Jake wants to know what his two brothers are really doing in Iraq, so he takes a camera to go and find out.  The result is the best and most straightforward modern war documentary that I’ve ever seen.

Brothers at War doesn’t take a clinical outsider’s view of the war in Iraq and the men and women fighting it but, rather, feels as if it actually puts you in the boots on the ground among our soldiers and Marines.  It is an extremely personal experience filtered through a lens of simple curiosity and a thirst for understanding.

I especially appreciated the fact that Jake’s film opens a window for family members left behind to see what life is like for their loved ones serving overseas.  I believe they will find great comfort in realizing that not every moment in Iraq was filled with the stress and horrors of war.  As one gentleman said, after viewing the film, “There are many things that, at times, I tried to explain to my wife… that I could not explain and that this film allowed me to share with her.”

As I got to know some of the different “characters” in the film, I felt a wave of recognition.  These were the guys I served with.  At least, it felt that way.  This is certainly how I remember them.  Just regular guys doing the job that is required of them with professionalism, determination and, certainly, no lack of humor.  I hate to say it but, with a few exceptions, fictional military films rarely trigger that same feeling of recognition.

A few weeks after I watched the film, I saw Jake at William Morris again.  He had just returned from Iraq where he’d screened the film for some of the troops over there.  He was encouraged by the response it had gotten. He told me that a Lieutenant Colonel suggested that Jake show the film to Gary Sinise.  She knew that Gary is a tireless supporter of our military and thought perhaps he might be able to help Jake get the film out there.

I informed Jake that I know Gary and can attest to his dedication to the men and women of our Armed Forces.  I said that Gary should absolutely see Brothers at War and I would do my best to make it happen.  The rest, as they say, is history.

Gary immediately got behind the film and, on top of everything else this incredible man does, he enthusiastically helped move the project forward.  Jake eventually asked Gary to officially accept the title of Executive Producer as he’d been doing that job anyway and I’m happy to have had a tiny part in helping connect Gary to this outstanding film.

If you haven’t seen the film, I can’t recommend it highly enough.  It is a real, honest and refreshingly apolitical look at the people serving our country in these difficult times.  It is a story about brotherhood… brothers by blood and brothers by circumstance.  Mostly, it is about purpose.  Why do they, as soldiers, Marines, mothers, fathers, spouses and siblings, do what they do?  Through the experiences of the Rademacher family, Brothers at War gives personal insight into all of these subjects.

If you have already seen the film, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.  The special features on this disc are fantastic.  Lots of extra footage has been edited beautifully into several short pieces that stand alone quite well.  Some highlights include:

• The homecoming of the unit that we get to know during Jake’s reconnaissance mission on the Syrian border.
• An Iraqi Security Council meeting in which military leaders meet with local tribal elders.  At a time when the outcome was far from certain, this is a fascinating look at the political and military reality on the ground.
• Isaac’s thoughts on preparing for his 4^th deployment and separation from his young daughter.
• We find out what happens with Joe and Danelle.

There are some very poignant moments in the extra footage including an interview with Marine Staff Sergeant Edward Allier, who almost steals the show in the feature.  SSgt Allier talks about some of the brutal realities of his job and things get very heavy as Jake asks more probing questions.

Finally, there is something on the DVD that I think will be absolutely cherished by one family, in particular.  Jake was allowed to film the memorial service for a fallen National Guardsman in which soldiers pay tribute to their friend, comrade and fellow Michigander.  Upon seeing this, I couldn’t help but wonder if the soldier’s family had seen it.  Having lost my oldest brother (under much different circumstances) when I was a teenager, I wish that I had something this moving to remember him by.  I hope the soldier’s family hears of it.

There’s one more thing I’d like to say… Brothers at War almost doesn’t play like a documentary.  It flows incredibly well, the pace keeps the viewer engaged and it’s, at times, visually stunning.

Congratulations, Jake, on making an exceptional film.  I know how much of your heart has gone into it.  I’m proud to know you and look forward to seeing what you do next.

ESome Ed. Notes:

1. You can purchase the DVD here. 

SPECIAL FOR BIG HOLLYWOOD READERS:

Use the promo code: bighollywood and receive a 10% discount on all orders. And on top of the over $100,000 “Brothers at War” has already raised for Veteran Causes, a portion of these profits will also support our service members and their families. Buying directly is also the best way to support the team that made the film.

SRP for “Brothers at War” is $19.99, so with 10% off you’ll save $2.

Order 2 copies and shipping is free. 2. Here’s a terrific series of Big Hollywood interviews with Rademacher: Part One – Part Two – Part Three – Part Four

3. Five For Fighting’s John Ondrasik talks about how “Brothers at War” inspired him here.

4. Gabe Ledeen, a U.S. Marine and Iraq War veteran, reviews “Brothers” here.