Taking chance

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Movie
Original title Taking chance
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 2009
length 77 minutes
Rod
Director Ross Katz
script Lt. Col. Michael Strobl
Ross Katz
production Lori Keith Douglas
music Marcelo Zarvos
camera Alar Kivilo
cut Brian A. Kates
Lee Percy
occupation

Taking Chance is a2009 American drama film directed by Ross Katz , who co- stars with Lt. Col. Michael Strobl wrote the script. The film firstairedin the United States on February 21, 2009 on HBO .

action

LtCol Mike Strobl analyzes and presents figures on soldiers who died in the Iraq war at Marine Corps Combat Development Command headquarters . He is plagued by guilt because he is not fighting in the war himself. One night while looking through the list of those killed in action in the course of Operation Iraqi Freedom , he came across the name of PFC Chance Phelps, who, like Strobl, came from Clifton, Colorado . Strobl then volunteers to escort Chance Phelps home. The route runs Strobl from Philadelphia to Dubois, Wyoming .

During the entire trip, both Strobl and Phelps were repeatedly shown respect. Civilians show their respect for the fallen soldier and his companion through gifts or by pulling their hats, soldiers and officers salute in front of the coffin. When Strobl and a pastor, Chance Phelps, transport the last part of the route in the car, a convoy of cars forms around them, and they turn on their headlights to show their respect.

Once at his destination, Strobl attends a party in honor of Phelps. There a soldier tells that Chance sacrificed himself for his comrades during an attack. Again it becomes clear that Strobl feels very guilty because he stayed at home instead of going back to war after his assignment in Desert Storm .

At the end of the film, Strobl gives Chance Phelps' family his personal belongings as well as a letter from his superior, in which the latter describes Chance as a hero and, deeply moved, salutes one last time in front of the coffin before he starts his journey home.

reception

Taking Chance was watched by two million viewers, making it HBO's most-viewed original film in five years. An HBO spokesperson estimated that an additional 5.5 million viewers saw the film subsequently aired.

On Rotten Tomatoes , the drama received mixed responses as only 50% of the film's critics gave the film a positive rating. Taking Chance received both positive and negative reviews.

production

The military supported the film through its advice and thereby enabled the film crew to accurately portray the treatment of the fallen and the rules that apply to them.

backgrounds

The film is based on the memories of Marine Corps Lt. Col. Mike Strobl, who accompanied PFC Chance Phelps, who was killed in Iraq in 2004, home. The Navy showed the 20-page report of his trip to his friends and colleagues before it first appeared in military blogs and the media and was eventually filmed. Strobl retired in 2007 and currently works as a business analyst with the United States Department of Defense .

Awards

The drama has been nominated for numerous prizes, such as the Grand Jury Prize in the US Drama category at the Sundance Film Festival in 2009 or for 10 Emmys , of which it won only one Emmy.

  • Directors Guild of America Awards 2009 in the category “Movies for Television and Mini-Series” (Ross Katz, Lori Keith Douglas, Robert C. Albertell, Vanessa Hoffman, Carla Raij, Brendan Walsh)
  • Emmy Awards 2009 in the category “Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or a Movie” (Lee Percy, Brian A. Kates)
  • Golden Globe Awards 2010 in the category “Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television” (Kevin Bacon)
  • Humanitas Prize 2009 in the “90 Minutes Category” (Ross Katz, Michael Strobl)
  • Screen Actors Guild Awards 2010 in the category “Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries” (Kevin Bacon)
  • Writers Guild of America Award (TV) 2010 in the category “Long Form - Adaptation” (Michael Strobl, Ross Katz)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. "Taking Chance." On Taking Chance , Gov. Ross Katz. Wall Street Journal March 14, 2009 Easter Edition: A8. Print.
  2. ^ "Taking Chance (2008)." Rotten Tomatoes . Flixster, Inc., n.d. Web. July 29, 2012.
  3. Strauss, Gary. "An Officer Goes the Distance in 'Taking Chance'." Review of Taking Chance , directed by Ross Katz. USA Today February 20, 2009: 12D. Print.
  4. Eberwein, Robert. On Taking Chance , Gov. Ross Katz. The Journal of American History 96.1 (June 2009): 328. Print.
  5. Strauss, Gary. "An Officer Goes the Distance in 'Taking Chance'." Review of Taking Chance , directed by Ross Katz. USA Today February 20, 2009: 12D Print.