Crimson Tide (film)
Crimson Tide is a 1995 Hollywood film starring Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman and directed by Tony Scott. It is a typical submarine film, focusing on the tension that occurs between the men who must share the limited and dangerous space of an underwater nuclear submarine. In the film, this tension occurs between the characters played by Hackman and Washington, who represent in the film the ideas of old and young, tradition and change, and also white and black. However, the ending of the film tries to see the value in both sides, and reaches a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The film takes place in the near future during a period of instability in the Russian Federation. 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 U.S.S. 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 navy with any experience in combat. He chooses as his new executive officer (XO) Lt. 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 order comes through that appears to cancel the launch, but it cannot be authenticated because the communications array is damaged in an attack by a Russian attack submarine friendly to the ultranationalist cause. Under attack by the enemy sub and with an order in hand to launch, Capt. Ramsey insists on launching the missiles, but XO Hunter refuses to confirm the order, a necessary step to launch the missiles. Eventually, Hunter orders the arrest of Ramsey for attempting to exceed his authority, and the two men plot against each other for control of the sub and its missiles.
The film is based on the premise that, at the time, U.S. submarine commanders were given the authority 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.
The name of the film is a reference to one of the nicknames of the University of Alabama football team.
As of 2005, this film is 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 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 would later win a Best Actor Oscar for his 2001 role in Training Day.
External links
- Crimson Tide at IMDb