Crimson Tide (film)

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Crimson Tide
The movie poster for Crimson Tide.
Directed by	Tony Scott
Produced by	Jerry Bruckheimer Don Simpson
Written by	Michael Schiffer Richard P. Henrick
Starring	Gene Hackman Denzel Washington
Music by	Hans Zimmer
Cinematography	Dariusz Wolski
Distributed by	Hollywood Pictures
Release date(s)	May 12 1995
Running time	116 min.
Language	English
IMDb profile

Crimson Tide is a 1995 Hollywood submarine film starring Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman and directed by Tony Scott. It focuses on the tension that occurs between the men who must not only share the scarce and dangerous space aboard an Ohio-class nuclear submarine, but also the weight of responsibility for the nuclear SLBMs they are trained to deploy, and the mental stress of the dire consequences that could result from this. The film was scored by Hans Zimmer, who won a Grammy Award for the title song (notably introducing the heavy use of electronically mimicked orchestration in place of traditional instruments).

1 Plot
2 Background
3 Trivia
4 Awards
5 Cast
6 External links

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The film takes place in 1995 (from several references made by the story) during a period of instability in Russia. An ultranationalist has taken control of a nuclear missile installation and is threatening nuclear war if either the Americans or the Russian government attempt to confront him.

The United States nuclear strategic missile submarine USS Alabama is given the mission to go on patrol and be available to launch its missiles in a pre-emptive strike if the Russian nuclear installation attempts to fuel its missiles, in which case they can be launched one hour after the fueling process begins. Captain Frank Ramsey (Hackman) is the commander of the sub, one of the very few Captains remaining in the US Navy with any experience in combat. He chooses as his new executive officer (XO) Lieutenant Commander Ron Hunter (Washington), who has an extensive education in military history and tactics, but no combat experience.

The Alabama eventually receives an order to launch its missiles on the Russian nuclear installation, based on satellite information that the missiles are being fueled. However, before the Alabama can launch its missiles, a second message begins to come through, but is interrupted by the attack of a Russian Akula-class attack submarine friendly to the ultranationalist cause, which promptly disappears back into the depths. Too deep for communications, attacked by the hostile Akula and with an order in hand to launch, Captain Ramsey decides to proceed with the launch. XO Hunter refuses to concur as is procedurally required to launch, and instead tries to confirm the second message, which he believes is a retraction of the previous launch order. As the command crisis escalates, Ramsey portrays the XO as an upstart Harvard graduate who does not respect his place in the chain of command.

Hunter and Ramsey

Eventually, Hunter orders the arrest of Ramsey for attempting to exceed his authority. While Hunter is attempting to confirm the second launch message, the Russian Akula-class returns. The Russian sub is destroyed, but the "Alabama" is damaged heavily. The ship's communications are knocked out, several crew are killed, and the boat takes on water, nearly sinking past the "crush-depth" limit at which the submarine's hull will collapse. While Hunter waits for communications to be restored, officers loyal to the captain leave the conn together. Ramsey escapes confinement with their help to confront Hunter with charges of mutiny, placing the XO and officers who assisted him under arrest.

Ramsey nearly succeeds in launching the missiles, prevented only when Hunter persuades the weapons officer to stall for time while he re-takes the bridge with his officers. In the end, a standoff ensues. The conflicted officers agree to wait until the last possible moment to launch the missiles. The communications equipment is repaired in time and it turns out that the Russian army has the situation under control and the rebellion is subdued, eliminating the need to launch the missiles.

The movie culminates in a review at the Pacific Fleet headquarters in Hawaii where several admirals express grave concern about the breakdown of nuclear launch operations in wartime. While the elder Ramsey voluntarily retires and the young Hunter is given a command, the movie aims to present the intractably uncertain nature of the launch scenario, in essence placing full blame on neither character. A gentlemen’s reconciliation between officers occurs at the closure of the film.

[edit] Background

The film is based on the premise that, at the time, U.S. submarine commanders were authorized to launch missiles on their own initiative if they could not communicate with the President of the United States after the order to arm the missiles was received. At about this time, the procedure was changed so that missiles could only be launched if a direct order from the Commander-in-Chief was received, even if communications had been broken off in the meantime. This matched Russian policy on submarine-based missile launches, which had always required direct orders to launch.

Although the film does not claim to be based on a true story, events that transpire throughout the plot are strikingly similar to one of the most tense periods of the Cuban Missile Crisis. On October 27, 1962, a Soviet submarine officer named Vasili Alexandrovich Arkhipov reportedly refused to comply with the launch of a nuclear warhead while under attack by a U.S. warship near Cuba [1]. In order to initiate such an attack, Soviet naval procedures stated that the captain and two other officers must concur [2]. The other officer on duty agreed to the launch, but Arkhipov convinced the captain to wait for instructions from Moscow before proceeding.

[edit] Trivia

This article contains a trivia section.
Content in this section should be integrated into other appropriate areas of the article or removed, and the trivia section removed.

The name of the film is a reference to one of the nicknames of the University of Alabama football team. There are several allusions to University of Alabama customs and traditions in the film. Before boarding the sub, the crew gives the cheer "Go 'Bama! Roll Tide!" commonly heard at UA sporting events. In one scene, the crew is heard playing the Lynyrd Skynyrd song Sweet Home Alabama. Captain Ramsey's dog is named Bear, presumably after long time Crimson Tide football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant.
The real U.S.S. Alabama has a gold record of the Lynard Skynyrd album "Sweet Home Alabama" in a case on display in the crew mess.
The U.S. Navy refused to assist with the making of the movie because it depicts a mutiny on a U.S. Navy vessel. This is in contrast with its cooperation during the filming of the The Caine Mutiny in the early 1950s.
U.S. Navy submarines sometimes use red lighting in the control room to allow the Officer of the Deck's (OOD) vision to adjust for night-time periscope viewing. This is called "rigged for red", and any crewman using a flashlight in the conn must have a red lens on it so as not to spoil the OOD's night vision. (Red light interferes less with low light vision than white light) During normal operations, with the exception of the berthing spaces in the 3rd level of the missile compartment, SSBN's are actually quite well lit. The dark foreboding atmosphere of the submarine in the film would most likely magnify feelings of claustrophobia, something the Navy has taken great care to eliminate on the boats, even going so far as to paint every 4th set of missile tubes a slightly darker shade of orange going from bow to stern to help aid in visual perspective and give more of a sense of distance.
Ohio-class SSBNs have no compartment called bilge bay. Also, there are no strobing yellow lights, nor are the missile decks made of see through grated decking, and there are no "crawl spaces" that would allow free clandestine movement around the boat.
Loud music, while due to the construction and design of the boat would not be a detection issue, is not permitted in berthing areas on board a submarine as at any given time at least 1/3 of the crew is sleeping. The berthing area, level 3 of the missile compartment, is kept quiet and the lights in each 9-man berthing space off to allow those on their off-duty cycle rest. The only time this is not true is during field day cleaning events, typically Saturday mornings, when all hands are awake and actively cleaning areas of the boat. Music onboard is listened to through headphones with walkmans and I-pods.
"Ohio" Class SSBN submarines do not "lean" dramatically as depicted in the movie, even during high speed operations. The overall size of the boat and the design of its tail specifically prevent such things.
A fire in the galley would necessitate the immediate donning of emergency breathing masks by everyone in the forward portion of the submarine, which includes control and the radio room as well as the galley. This is because due to the enclosed nature of a submarine's environment, a fire, especially one as bad as that portrayed in the movie, could extremely quickly both pollute and consume the available oxygen.
"Ohio" class SSBN submarines do not go to sea based on world crisis or events. Instead they operate on a set 3-month out, followed by a 5 week overhaul schedule, using two complete crews, a Blue crew and a Gold crew. One crew takes the boat out for their 3 month patrol while the other uses their 3 months off for vacation, re-training, and schooling. During the 5 week overhaul period both crews work together to "hand over" the boat, repair any faulty systems, and ready the boat to go back to sea. The other crew then takes their 3 month turn on patrol, while the first goes into their 3 month off period. This is done to keep the SSBNs at sea the maximum amount of time possible without crew fatigue becoming an issue, and is such a predictable schedule that crews can frequently plan their vacations over a year in advance with little fear of it changing.
The Captain wears a red USS Alabama ball cap throughout the movie. Real US Navy Captains only wear a red version of their ship's ball cap during drills. This may be a specific tactic by Ramsey, as he does frequently run unscheduled imprompto drills on his crew, but in real life is highly irregular and a regular command ball cap is worn.
The Chief Of The Boat (COB) is misidentifed in several ways throughout the film. First, he is shown wearing a garrison cap with a gold band on it. The COB is a Non Commissioned Officer (NCO), typically the highest ranking on the submarine, and in charge of overseeing the enlisted portion of the crew and running the day to day ship's schedule. NCO's do not have gold on their garrison caps, with the exception of the large Chief emblem on the front, a gold "fouled anchor" wrapped in a chain with USN emblazoned across it. Only officers have gold bands on their garrison caps. Also, the COB is referred to frequently in the film as "Mr. COB", again implying he is an officer, as only officers are ever referred to as "Mr". A COB is either referred to as COB or his rank, typically Master Chief.
All personnel underway on a submarine wear the blue coveralls, called "poopie suits", regardless of rank, including the Captain. NCOs (chiefs) and officers wear a khaki belt and their lapel insignia, and enlisted wear a black belt and if an E-4 or higher lapel insignia. Soft soled sneakers are common as they are quieter than boots, and ball caps are optional (and don't have to be US Navy, as it is not uncommon to see crewman underway in their favorite sports team's or other personal choice of cap). Beards are permitted underway so long as the crewman has purchased a "beard chit", basically a small donation to the ship's morale and welfare fund that buys you a piece of paper authorizing you to not shave while underway. This is kept on the crewman at all times so long as he is unshaven. Before pulling into port or allowing VIP's onboard however, all beard chits are suspended until back underway again.
Jogging is possible on an "Ohio" Class SSBN, but at great personal risk, as the only space available is the uppermost level of the missile compartment, 4th level, where a path exists clear of obstruction around the entire upper area around the missiles. This path is very thin however, with 90 degree turns at all 4 corners. Anything more than a fast walk runs the risk of smacking arms and legs against numerous pipes and equipment, and is not frequently undertaken by the crew. There is usually workout equipment onboard the boat in the Auxiliary Machinery Room (AMR) at the aft end of the missile compartment, on both the 2nd and 1st levels. This is typically stationary bikes, treadmills, and in some cases bowflex machines. Physical Training (PT) is not enforced underway, instead left up to each individual to maintain their physical readiness standards.
Underway is typically a "no hat-no salute" zone, and one is not expected to salute the Captain inside the boat. It is customary to greet the Captain if passing him in a passageway however, and moving aside to allow him free passage.
"Ohio" class submarines do not have traditional "knee knocker" oval doorways. With the exception of the three watertight doors (all of which are circular), and the 2 entrances to the fan rooms in the forward compartment, all the doorways on board are traditional rectangular doors. The only watertight compartments on the boat are the three main compartments, the forward compartment, missile compartment, and engine compartment.
Though credited to screenwriter Michael Schiffer, the film had at least three script doctors: Quentin Tarantino, James Toback, and Robert Towne

The real USS Alabama

The scene showing an enlisted Navy Seaman having been assigned to care for Ramseys terrier outside of the stately, special review tribunal building has been parodied in television shows such as the Simpsons.
Zippo lighters will not function on a submarine, as there is not physically enough oxygen content in the air for them to light.
Due to the Navys refusal to cooperate with the filmmakers, citing the script as unrealistic and feeling that it portrayed submarine captains in an unfavorable light, they were unable to obtain footage of a submarine submerging. After checking to ensure that they would break no laws, they waited until a submarine put out to sea, then pursued it in boats and a helicopter, filming it as they went. After warning them away, the submarine submerged, apparently to be rid of them, giving them the exact footage they needed which was incorporated into the film. This is rumored to have been the actual USS Alabama leaving from Honolulu after a short port call.
The scene where the submarine puts to sea shows Diamond Head in the background, placing the Alabama's home port at Pearl Harbor. There are no SSBN-type submarines home ported at that facility. SSBN's do sometimes pull in to Pearl Harbor or San Diego for port calls, as they are unable to pull into overseas ports due to security and political considerations. From 1993-2002 the USS Kamehameha was stationed there; however her ballistic missiles had been removed at this time and the B dropped from her hull classification number. The Kamehameha was a DDS/swimmer delivery platform.
The real Alabama is home-ported at Naval Base Kitsap in Bangor, Washington.
The panel of high-ranking naval officers at the end of the film included a real former captain of USS Alabama.
In the film, claims made by the Russian leader, according to news broadcasts, directly parallel sensationalist claims in the early 1990s by real-life Russian leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky.
The submarine set used for filming, was borrowed by the film crew for the setting of the USS Georgia in Independence Day.
Richard Valeriani, as a reporter for CNN, in both the opening and closing scenes of the film, is shown reporting from the deck of the French aircraft carrier Foch, somewhere on the Mediterranean Sea. In fact, Richard Valeriani reported for NBC News, and the Foch has been decommissioned from the French Navy.

[edit] Awards

As of 2006, this film was one of only two films (the other being Philadelphia) in history to feature three actors who had won, or would go on to win, two Academy Awards for acting: Jason Robards (uncredited in Crimson Tide) had won two Oscars for Best Supporting Actor in 1976 (All the President's Men) and 1977 (Julia); Gene Hackman won a Best Actor Oscar for The French Connection in 1971 and a Best Supporting Actor award in 1992 for Unforgiven. Denzel Washington had already received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Glory in 1989, and later won a Best Actor Oscar for his 2001 role in Training Day.