Civil war submarine hunley movie11/18/2023 This is one film I have seen many times, and one film I will see many times again. Watch for him to break that glass in his hand, and watch for him to drop under the bathwater, thinking of his wife who perished in a boat accident. Sutherland is at his best, in a role like that in another made-for-cable film, the great, and also underrated, Citizen X. The TNT movie Hunley is a riveting, moving, largely true account of the sinking of the blockading ship, and of the training and trials of the crew of the Hunley. In August of 2000, I saw it return to Charleston Harbor, after it rested 136 years on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. Housatonic in February 1864, the first American submarine to sink an enemy ship. Have you ever channel surfed when theres nothing in particuliar you want to watch,and you stop on a channel where theres a film starting.You dont bother to check the T.V guide,but you look at the synopsis,find it mildly interesting so you give it a try,and then after 15 minutes of viewing you become so engrossed that you forget that you were bored only a short time ago and you are now enjoying a film youve never even heard of before.This is such a film.I came across it one cold Sunday afternoon on cable,it drew me in immediately,quite a surprise for me as i normally avoid made for T.V movies,but sometimes you come across a product that has an interesting and unique story,a few old but well respected actors(Amand Assante and Donald Sutherland)and most surprising of all for a T.V movie,a lavish expensive looking feel and fantastic effects.The story,which is based on a true event,is set during the American civil war and centres on the confederate armies attempt to take the town of Charleston.The rebels fight back with a new invention,the first attempt at making a submarine that if successful would dive below an enemy ship with a torpedo in tow and sink the ship.The scenes involving the crew of seven men cramped inside the tiny banged together prototype sub are genuinely claustrophobic,and you can almost feel the tension and confinement they undoubtedly suffer.The crew themselves are a collection of intrigueing personalities that you will warm too whilst watching the film,and it is that coupled with the fact that this a true story which make the ending that much more harrowing.A true gem of a film. It was an entertaining drama with plenty of meat to keep most viewers interested and engaged. I gave this film an 8, despite the miscasting of Assante. His portrayal of panic during an oxygen deprivation drill was riveting. His cockiness and false bravado belied a vulnerable and frightened soul and he played it perfectly. The bright spot among the cast was Sebastian Roche who played Collins, the tempestuous Irishman. Donald Sutherland was good as General Beauregard, but it was a minor role. No matter how he tried, he always sounded like a New York gangster. Also, his attempt at a southern accent was abysmal. In this film he was brittle in his portrayal, playing this role in typical tough guy fashion when the character required more subtlety and complexity. But he does not have much range outside that type. Assante, the consummate tough guy, can be a powerful actor when placed in a suitable role for his skills like Gotti'. Unfortunately, the selection of Armand Assante for the lead character, Lt. The scenes inside the boat were particularly well done, giving the viewer a good sense of the claustrophobic quarters in which they had to operate. Director John Gray did a good job in his portrayal of civil war Charleston during the seize, with citizens attempting to cope and go about the business of day to day living despite the daily bombardment. The story is a fascinating piece of history an event that clearly changed the course of naval warfare. This is the story of the successes and failures of that effort and follows the efforts of the crew in the development of the submarine (made from a converted boiler) and its ultimate deployment into battle. The Confederates were attempting to develop a submarine with a torpedo to be used as a weapon to break the blockade. during the seize and naval blockade of that city by Federal forces. This is a made for TV dramatization of a true event in history, specifically the story of the Confederate efforts to develop a submersible boat during the civil war.
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