| PT 109 | |
|---|---|
Original theatrical poster |
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| Directed by | Leslie H. Martinson |
| Produced by | Bryan Foy |
| Written by | Robert J. Donovan (book) Richard L. Breen Vincent X. Flaherty (adaptation) Howard Sheehan (adaptation) |
| Narrated by | Andrew Duggan |
| Starring | Cliff Robertson Ty Hardin James Gregory |
| Music by | David Buttolph |
| Cinematography | [Robert Surtees (cinematographer) |
| Editing by | Folmar Blangsted |
| Studio | Warner Bros. |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date(s) | June 19, 1963 |
| Running time | 140 minutes |
| Language | English |
PT 109 is a 1963 biographical film which depicts the actions of John F. Kennedy in command of Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109 as an officer of the United States Navy during World War II. The movie was adapted by Vincent Flaherty and Howard Sheehan from the book PT 109: John F. Kennedy in World War II by Robert J. Donovan. Cliff Robertson stars as Kennedy.
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U.S. Navy Lieutenant, junior grade John F. Kennedy (Cliff Robertson) uses his family's influence to get himself assigned to the fighting in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Theater during World War II, much to the surprise of Commander C.R. Ritchie (James Gregory). Kennedy lobbies for command of a PT Boat, and is assigned to the "109", a badly-damaged boat that is in dire need of repair and overhaul. Initially, Ritchie seems to regard the young, inexperienced Kennedy as something of a lightweight, but his enthusiasm to build a crew and refurbish the "109" to operational status eventually earns Ritchie's grudging respect. The crew includes Kennedy's executive officer, Ensign Leonard J. Thom (Ty Hardin), and sailors "Bucky" Harris (Robert Blake) and Edmund Drewitch (Norman Fell).
On one mission, the PT 109 is sent to rescue a paramarine patrol trapped on an island. Kennedy successfully takes aboard the survivors, but barely gets out of range of Japanese guns before running out of fuel. The tide starts to carry the boat back toward the island. Kennedy, his crew, and the rescued Marines face the prospect of a desperate fight for their lives, but in the nick of time another PT boat arrives and tows the 109 to safety.
Another sortie is less successful. While on patrol one moonless night in August 1943, a Japanese destroyer appears suddenly out of the darkness and cuts the 109 in two, killing two crewmen. Kennedy, suffering from a back injury, leads the survivors in swimming to a deserted island, while himself towing a badly-burned crewman. After a few days, Kennedy encounters two natives and gives them a message carved on a coconut. Fortunately for the sailors, they take it to an Australian coastwatcher, who arranges for a rescue. Afterward, Kennedy is eligible to transfer back to the U.S., but is assigned command of another PT Boat that has been modified as a gunboat, PT 59, and elects to stay in the fight.
Andrew Duggan is the uncredited narrator. George Takei, who appears in an uncredited role as the helmsman of a Japanese destroyer, would subsequently become famous as Lieutenant, Commander and finally Captain Sulu of the television and motion picture series Star Trek.
The White House had full approval of casting and aspects of the film. Among other actors considered for the lead were Peter Fonda, who objected to having to do his screen test with an impersonation of JFK's voice;[1] Edd Byrnes, Warren Beatty (Jacqueline Kennedy's choice), and Jeffrey Hunter.[2] Kennedy selected Robertson after viewing their screen tests. Robertson met with President Kennedy, who set three conditions on the film: that it be historically accurate, that profits go to the survivors of PT 109 and their families, and President Kennedy had the final choice of lead actor.[3]
Kennedy also vetoed Raoul Walsh as the director of the film after screening Walsh's Marines Let's Go and not liking it.[4] Director Lewis Milestone was replaced by Leslie Martinson, a prolific experienced Warner Brothers Television director.[5]
The exteriors for the movie were filmed at Little Palm Island (formerly Little Munson Island), now a resort in the Florida Keys. Power and fresh water were run out to the island for the movie, allowing the resort to be built years later. The former owner was the local Monroe County sheriff.
At the time the movie was being planned it was found that no 80 foot Elco PT Boats existed in an operational condition, nor could any be located for use in the movie, since almost all had been destroyed at the end of World War II. Conflicting sources give different accounts of how the three Boats used in the movie were created, but the most accepted explanation is that they were converted 85 foot U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy or U.S. Air Force aircraft rescue launches modified to resemble the Elco PTs. Another source cites they were converted 82 foot Nasty class PTFs then being built in Norway for use by the U.S. Navy in Southeast Asia.
U.S. Navy support also included a Landing Ship Tank (LST), a destroyer and smaller vessels such as landing craft and motor whaleboats from nearby Naval Station Key West.
In the movie, the PT 109 is reported missing and a search is started. According to National Geographic, and the original book, the boat explosion was observed from other PT boats in the vicinity and it was given up as lost. A memorial service was held at the motor torpedo boat squadron's forward operating base at Rendova while the crew was still marooned on the islands in the vicinity of Japanese-held Kolombagara Island.
Solomon Islanders Biuki Gasa and Eroni Kumana were portrayed as random natives, when in fact they were dispatched by the coastwatcher Arthur Reginald Evans to find the sailors. The movie shows Ensign Ross first suggesting the idea of using a coconut for a message, using a knife to carve it. Gasa was later interviewed as suggesting the idea and sending Eroni to pluck a fresh coconut. The actors playing Gasa and Kumana were not credited either, though the senior native is mentioned by name when the large canoe arrives.
The scene rescuing ambushed Marines is actually covered by the chapter in the book about PT 59, which Kennedy commanded after the PT 109. It was an older model 78 foot Elco PT boat that was converted to a gunboat with its torpedoes removed.
The movie is out of print on VHS. Warner Archives released the DVD in the United States on May 10, 2011.[6] Video CDs meant for sale outside the US can be found online, though the quality is not as good as VHS.
A comic book was created based on the movie, but with some different historical content. The movie has occasionally aired on Turner Classic Movies [7]
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