Pear Harbor

Air Classics, Oct 2001 by Roberts, G Kent

Once again, Air Classics has promoted the latest Hollywood aviation flick with unbridled, and undeserved, enthusiasm. I am referring to the coverage of the new Pearl Harbor movie in the July issue. I can't believe Mr. O'Leary saw the same movie that I did! It was an appalling historical abortion! Nothing but ridiculous schlock from start to finish! I'll be the first to admit that some of the flying and battle scenes were fantastic but the movie, as a whole, was high-budget rubbish! I understand the concept of artistic license but, in this case, it was just too much to bear!

I think the film gives the average movie patron of today a pathetically "dumbed down" version of one of the most crucial events in America's history. Perhaps more importantly, I think it actually dishonors all those valiant service people who lost their lives as a result of the Pearl Harbor debacle. Just the straight story with a minimum of artistic adaptation would have been equally as entertaining and would have served to truly honor those who sacrificed their all. As for the next big Hollywood aviation extravaganza, give us an accurate evaluation instead of merely sucking up to the Tinsel Town establishment! Air Classics readers are a discerning group of people and they deserve better! Don't insult our intelligence in the same manner that this awful move does!

Editor's Note: Mr. Roberts virulent attack on the film Pearl Harbor needs some correcting. First, and I repeat this over and over, it was billed as a romantic drama -- not a documentary. For an example, I received a screaming phone call from a reader who was incensed that the correct models of B-25s and P-40s were not used in the film. Get a life.

The film was not made to honor veterans from Pearl Harbor -- it was a moneymaking enterprise in the finest tradition of American capitalism. Michael Bay did interview many Pearl Harbor survivors and veterans and it seems, at least to me, that he certainly honored the sacrifices of the veterans. If one wants to see a more technical depiction of Pearl Harbor, go rent a video of Tora! Tora! Tora! This is a technically accurate film that had some really bad, wooden acting and it was a box office flop. Pearl Harbor will make a modest profit but certainly not as much money as the studios hoped.

It also must be remembered that Pearl Harbor educates the younger generation that the event actually happened -- something almost completely ignored by today's so-called educators. The event certainly has impact for the younger film goers who were, for the most part, ignorant of America's violent entry into WWII. Who really cares if the Zeros weren't painted in the right colors?

Pearl Harbor paid a lot of money to utilize our surviving Warbirds and, trust me, if the film does achieve a better than modest profit, we will be seeing more WWII aerial epics which will aid in keeping our Warbirds flying. So, Mr. Roberts, please remember this film is entertainment

and not history.

G. Kent Roberts

Abilene, TX

gkrbar2@camalott.com