The Most Inspiring Movies of Today #9 -Men of Honor
Forgive me sir, but to me, the Navy isn’t a business. It’s an organization of people who represent the finest aspects of our nation. We have many traditions. In my career, I have encountered most of them. Some are good, some not so good. I would, however not be here today were it not for our greatest tradition of all.
Honor Sir
Established on a real story, Robert De Niro and Cuba Gooding Jr. pair up for inspirational story of Master Chief Petty Officer Carl Brashear (Gooding Jr.) and Master Chief Leslie William “Billy” Sunday (De Niro) In the movie Men of Honor
Men of Honor Plot Summary
Carl Brashear is a man attempting to become the first African American Navy diver.
The story in the final analysis revolves around two “men of honor”; their kinship, their individual and joint failures and victories. Carl Brashear is determined to be the first African American Navy Diver in a time where racial discrimination is strife. Leslie Sunday is his envenomed trainer, determined to see him fail. Fate, challenges and conditions eventually draw these two men together in a tale of turbulence and at long last victory.
Carl Brashear, born in 1931 to sharecroppers, signs up with the Navy and, after watching the heroics of Billy Sunday, the Caucasian son of a sharecropper, determines to get to be the Navy’s first African- American diver. At the Bayonne, N.J., divers’ training camp, Sunday is his teacher, and Brasher must prevail over hazing verging on the murderous. With Sunday and the camp’s commanding officer dead set against Brashear’s graduating, his physical skills and steely purpose, which he got from his father, see him through and through. Carl and Billy’s paths cross again when each needs rehabilitation one from a trauma, the other from resentment. Their wives look on with awe and amazement.
Triumph Over Adversity
The final scenes of the movie where Carl stands up in the fresh diving suit after many tribulations, and-with obvious eager discomfort- takes a few clumsy steps forward. Everybody assumes that his prosthetic leg will snap (which he got from an earlier diving accident), but Sunday steps forward and starts shouting orders at Carl (identical to their first session at diving school years before). Carl struggles, but continues moving forward till he has reached the 12th step.
Captain Hanks, realizing that no more can be done, declares that the Navy will be reinstating Carl Brashear to full diving duty.
Carl and Sunday salute each other, and then meet with their wives as a celebration of this crucial triumph.
Credits at the end reveals that Carl Braschear was the first African- American amputee to assume Navy diving duty, and those 2 years after his reinstatement Carl was promoted to Master Chief. Carl went forward in his naval career for another 9 years before finally taking retirement.
End-to-end in the movie he faces confrontation from those who don’t want him to come through, including Sunday. With only a 7th grade education and finally a prosthetic leg, Brashear is driven to become the first African American Navy Diver.
With a marvelous and moving closing scene, Men of Honor delivers the message that regardless of the obstacle, success is possible.
