MSM UNBROKEN The life story of Louis Zamperini WW-2 POW Survivor

About ten years ago while on the waterfront a co-worker overheard my martial arts friend and I talking about the importance of cardio for a boxer, and how when combined with the mindset of a distance runner, that spirit is difficult to extinguish. Little did I know I was talking to the nephew (Mike) of the man whose life story 'Unbroken' would be become a movie directed by Angelina Jolie slated for December 2014.

I can't wait to see this inspirational movie about the life of a local hero!

Posted Fair Use Title 17

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Zamperini

Louis Zamperini
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Louis Silvie Zamperini
Born January 26, 1917 (age 97)
Olean, New York, United States
Occupation Inspirational speaker
Spouse(s) Cynthia Applewhite
(m. 1946–2001; her death)
Louis Silvie "Louie" Zamperini (born January 26, 1917) is an Italian-American World War II prisoner of war survivor, inspirational speaker, and former Olympic distance runner. A film about his experiences, directed by Angelina Jolie and adapted from the best-selling book by Laura Hillenbrand by the Coen brothers, is due for release in 2014.

Contents [hide]
1 Early life
2 Olympic career
3 Military career and prisoner of war
4 Post-war life
5 Books
6 References
7 Further reading
8 External links
Early life[edit]

Zamperini was born January 26, 1917 in Olean, New York, to Italian immigrants Anthony Zamperini and Louise Dossi. He had an older brother named Pete, and two younger sisters, Virginia and Sylvia. The family moved to Torrance, California in 1919, where Louie attended Torrance High School. Louie and his family spoke no English when they moved to California, making him a target for bullies. His father taught him how to box in self-defense. Soon he claimed to be "beating the tar out of every one of them..... but [he] was so good at it that [he] started relishing the idea of getting even. [He] was sort of addicted to it."[1]
To counteract Louie's knack for getting into trouble, his older brother Pete got him involved in the school track team. In 1934 Zamperini set a world interscholastic record for the mile, clocking in at 04:21.2 at the preliminary meet to the state championships.[2][3][4][5] The following week he won the championships with a 04:27.8[6] That record helped him win a scholarship to the University of Southern California and eventually a place on the 1936 U.S. Olympic team in the 5000 metres, at 19 the youngest U.S. qualifier ever in that event.[7]
While attending USC, Zamperini was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity and lived in the fraternity house along with his brother.
Olympic career[edit]

Louis Zamperini
Personal information
Nationality United States
Height 6.1
Weight 228
Sport
Sport Running
Event(s) 5,000 metres/1,500 metres
College team University of Southern California
Medal record[hide]
Men’s Track and Field
1936 Summer Olympics
5,000 m (8th)
In the Olympic trials at Randall's Island, Zamperini finished in a dead tie in a heat against world-record holder Don Lash and qualified for the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany, though neither he nor Lash had much chance of winning the 5000 meter race. Zamperini has related several amusing anecdotes from his Olympic experience, including gorging himself on the boat trip to Europe. "I was a Depression-era kid who had never even been to a drugstore for a sandwich," he said. "And all the food was free. I had not just one sweet roll, but about seven every morning, with bacon and eggs. My eyes were like saucers.” By the end of the trip, Zamperini, in common with most athletes on the ship, had gained a good deal of weight – in Zamperini's case, 12 pounds. While the weight gain was not advantageous for his running it was necessary for his health, as he had lost 15 pounds while training in the summer heat in New York for the Olympic Trials.
Zamperini finished eighth in the 5000 meter distance event at that Olympics, but his final lap of 56 seconds was fast enough to catch the attention of Adolf Hitler, who insisted on a personal meeting.[8] As Zamperini tells the story, Hitler shook his hand, and said simply "Ah, you're the boy with the fast finish."[9] According to a profile on Bill Stern's Sports Newsreel radio program, Zamperini climbed a flag pole during the 1936 Olympic games and stole the personal flag of Hitler.
Two years later, in 1938, Zamperini set a national collegiate mile record of 4:12 which held for fifteen years, earning him the nickname "Torrance Tornado".[10]
Military career and prisoner of war[edit]

Louis Zamperini
Born January 26, 1917 (age 97)
Olean, New York, United States
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Army Air Forces
Years of service 1941–1945
Rank Captain [11]
Unit 372nd Bombardment Squadron, 307th Bombardment Group[11] 7th Air Force
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Purple Heart
Distinguished Flying Cross
Prisoner of War Medal
Zamperini enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces in September 1941,[12] and earned a commission as a second lieutenant. He was deployed to the Pacific island of Funafuti as a bombardier on a B-24 Liberator bomber. In April 1942, the plane was badly damaged in combat, and the crew were assigned to conduct a search for a lost aircraft and crew. They were given another B-24, The Green Hornet, notorious among the pilots as a defective "lemon plane". While on the search, mechanical difficulties caused the plane to crash into the ocean 850 miles west of Oahu, killing eight of the eleven men aboard.[13]
The three survivors (Zamperini and his crewmates, pilot Russel Allen "Phil" Phillips and Francis "Mac" McNamara), with little food and no water, subsisted on captured rainwater and small fish eaten raw. They caught two albatrosses, which they ate and used to catch fish, all while fending off constant shark attacks and nearly being capsized by a storm.[14] [15] They were strafed multiple times by a Japanese bomber, puncturing their life raft, but no one was hit. McNamara died after thirty-three days at sea.[16]
On their 47th day adrift, Zamperini and Phillips reached land in the Marshall Islands[17] and were immediately captured by the Japanese Navy. They were held in captivity and severely beaten and mistreated until the end of the war in August, 1945. Zamperini was held in the Japanese Prisoner-of-war camp at Ōfuna for captives who were not registered as prisoners of war (POW). He was especially tormented by sadistic prison guard Mutsuhiro Watanabe (nicknamed "The Bird"), who was later included in General Douglas MacArthur's list of the 40 most wanted war criminals in Japan. Held at the same camp was then-Major Greg "Pappy" Boyington, and in his book, Baa Baa Black Sheep, he discusses Zamperini and the Italian recipes he would write to keep the prisoners' minds off the food and conditions.[18]
Zamperini had at first been declared missing at sea, and then, a year and a day after his disappearance, killed in action. When he eventually returned home he received a hero's welcome.[19]
Post-war life[edit]

In 1946 he married Cynthia Applewhite, to whom he remained married until her death in 2001. After the war and suffering from severe post traumatic stress disorder, Zamperini became a born again Christian after attending a crusade led by evangelist Billy Graham in 1949 in Los Angeles. Graham later helped Zamperini launch a new career as a Christian inspirational speaker. His wife Cynthia was instrumental in getting him to go to Billy Graham's meetings and not leaving before he was converted. One of his favorite themes is "forgiveness," and he has visited many of the guards from his POW days to let them know that he has forgiven them. Many of the war criminals who committed the worst atrocities were held in the Sugamo prison in Tokyo. In October 1950, Zamperini went to Japan, gave his testimony and preached to them through an interpreter (a missionary named Fred Jarvis). The colonel in charge of the prison encouraged any of the prisoners who recognized Zamperini to come forward and meet him again. Zamperini threw his arms around each of them. Once again he explained the Christian Gospel of forgiveness to them. The prisoners were somewhat surprised by Zamperini's genuine affection for those who had once ill-treated him. Most of the prisoners accepted copies of the New Testament which had been given by the Gideons.
For his 81st birthday in January 1998, Zamperini ran a leg in the Olympic Torch relay for the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. While there, he attempted to meet with his chief and most brutal tormentor during the war, Mutsuhiro Watanabe, who had evaded prosecution as a war criminal, but the latter refused to see him. In March 2005 he returned to Germany to visit the Berlin Olympic Stadium for the first time since he competed there.[20]
Torrance High School's home football, soccer, and track stadium is called Zamperini Stadium, and the entrance plaza at USC's track & field stadium was named Louis Zamperini Plaza in 2004. In his 90s, Zamperini continues to attend USC football games and befriended star quarterback Matt Barkley in 2009.[21]
In October 2008, Zamperini was inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in Chicago, Illinois.
On April 24, 2011, Zamperini received an honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters from Azusa Pacific University. The following month, on May 20, 2011, Zamperini delivered Bryant University's 2011 baccalaureate address and received Bryant's inaugural Distinguished Character Award. The following day, May 21, Bryant presented Zamperini with an honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters. The next day he threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Red Sox-Cubs game at Fenway Park in Boston.
In late July 2011, Zamperini received the Kappa Sigma Golden Heart Award during the Kappa Sigma 68th Biennial Grand Conclave held at the Flamingo Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.[22]
Zamperini appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on June 7, 2012, speaking of his life in general, the 1936 Olympics and his World War II exploits.[23]
Zamperini currently resides in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. The Torrance airport was renamed Zamperini Field in the 1960s.
Books[edit]

Zamperini wrote two memoirs about his experiences, both of them bearing the same title, Devil at My Heels. The first (written with Helen Itria) was published by Dutton in 1956. The second, subtitled "A World War II Hero's Epic Saga of Torment, Survival, and Forgiveness (with David Rensin)", was greatly expanded with new information, and appeared in 2003 from Morrow.
Laura Hillenbrand, author of Seabiscuit: An American Legend, has written a biography of Zamperini.[24] The book, titled Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, was published by Random House in 2010 and was a #1 The New York Times bestseller.[25][26] It was named the top book of 2010 by Time.[27]
References[edit]

Jump up ^ USC News, "The Great Zamperini", 2003. Usc.edu. Retrieved on 2012-09-03.
Jump up ^ Berkow, Ira (2003-02-15). Not Yet Ready for His Last Mile. nytimes.com. Retrieved on 2012-09-03.
Jump up ^ Note: while this suggests that others had run faster, it is still an outstanding time. Cs.uml.edu. Retrieved on 2012-09-03.
Jump up ^ Track & Field News: Edwards Announces Retirement. Trackandfieldnews.com. Retrieved on 2012-09-03.
Jump up ^ Track & Field News • View topic – High School Mile Record Holders since 1930. Trackandfieldnews.com. Retrieved on 2012-09-03.
Jump up ^ "California State Meet Results - 1915 to present". Hank Lawson. Retrieved 2012-12-25.
Jump up ^ Hymans, Richard (2008). The History of the United State Olympic Trials – Track & Field. usatf.org
Jump up ^ Franklin County Veterans Journal. (PDF) . Retrieved on 2012-09-03.
Jump up ^ Laura Hillenbrand (2010). Unbroken. Random House. pp. 35.
Jump up ^ "Louis Zamperini. ABC special. [1]. (Video). Retrieved on 2013-02- 26.
^ Jump up to: a b Veterans Museum & Memorial Center – Air Garden, B24 Memorial Honoring The Personnel Who Crewed And Supported the B-24. Veteranmuseum.org. Retrieved on 2012-09-03.
Jump up ^ City of Torrance's Page on Zamperini. Torranceca.gov. Retrieved on 2012-09-03.
Jump up ^ Clip from 60 Minutes' documentary on Louis Zamperini. Copyright, 60 Minutes, all rights reserved. Video online, courtesy YouTube, [2]
Jump up ^ Gustkey, Earl (19 February 1998). "Former Track Star, POW, Doesn't Get Closure at 81 in His Return to Japan". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
Jump up ^ http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/24/olympian-runner-hero-wwii-honored-anew/
Jump up ^ Clip from 60 Minutes' documentary on Louis Zamperini. Copyright, 60 Minutes, all rights reserved. Video online, courtesy YouTube, [3]
Jump up ^ Laura Hillenbrand (2010). Unbroken. Random House. pp. 171.
Jump up ^ Clip from 60 Minutes' documentary on Louis Zamperini. Copyright, 60 Minutes, all rights reserved. Video online, courtesy YouTube, [4]
Jump up ^ Clip from 60 Minutes' documentary on Louis Zamperini. Copyright, 60 Minutes, all rights reserved. Video online, courtesy YouTube. [5]
Jump up ^ Louis Zamperini returns to Berlin after 69 years. US Dept of State press release (2005-03-10)
Jump up ^ Jeff Fellenzer, There is no goal that USC's Matt Barkley won't pursue, Los Angeles Times, October 29, 2009, Accessed October 29, 2009.
Jump up ^ Kappa Sigma Fall 2011 Caduceus, The Caduceus of Kappa Sigma Fall 2011, January 26, 2012, Accessed June 7, 2012. pp. 34.
Jump up ^ Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Jump up ^ bio on Laura Hillenbrand. Seabiscuitonline.com. Retrieved on 2012-09-03.
Jump up ^ Pitts, Edward Lee "'We had adversities'" WORLD 18 December 2010. pp. 46–7.
Jump up ^ Gregory Cowles (November 18, 2011). "Inside the List". The New York Times.
Jump up ^ The Top 10 Everything of 2010. Time.com. Retrieved on 2012-09-03.
Further reading[edit]

Laura Hillenbrand Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
External links[edit]



I'll find some links to the movie later. Feel free to add your own as you find them.

I read this book last summer, a truly amazing story and an excellent read! I didn't know it was being made into a movie, that should be quite an undertaking.

Here's a clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebHji2c_ciU

http://www.runnersworld.com/general...mperini-is-due-for-christmas-2014?page=single

"Unbroken," Movie About Zamperini, Is Due for Christmas 2014
The book about 1936 Olympian and WWII hero sold 3.5 million copies.
By Peter Gambaccini
Published
October 25, 2013
“Unbroken,” the story of 1936 Olympic distance runner Louis Zamperini, a World War II veteran who survived 47 days adrift at sea and brutal internments as a prisoner of war, is set to hit movie theaters at Christmas of 2014. Plans to bring Zamperini’s saga to the screen trace as far back as 1957, when Tony Curtis was on tap to play the protagonist. Fifty-seven years later, Zamperini’s saga, produced and directed by Angelina Jolie, will finally be in movie theaters.

Zamperini, 96, was a national sensation when he took up running in high school, earned a scholarship to Southern Cal and went on to become an Olympic 5000-meter runner at age 19. He was eighth in the Berlin Olympic final, and he set a national collegiate mile record of 4:12 in 1938. Future prospects seemed limitlessly bright, but World War II led to the cancellation of the 1940 and 1944 Olympics.

Running is actually a relatively small part of the narrative of “Unbroken,” the book by Laura Hillenbrand, author of “Seabiscuit.” It’s largely a chronicle of Zamperini’s protracted struggle of survival at sea and as a POW. The detail Hillenbrand supplies is abundant, which only serves to make the story’s outcome all the more moving. The book has sold 3.5 million copies and has been on the New York Times bestseller list for 145 weeks.

In a press statement reported at Movieweb.com, Jolie said, “It will be hard to make a film worthy of this great man. I am deeply honored to have the chance and will do all I can to bring Louis Zamperini’s inspiring story to life. Everyone involved in the film shares this deep responsibility.”

“I am a fan who has learned so much," she said. "He has made me a better person."

Jolie and Zamperini are neighbors in the Hollywood hills. Zamperini has given the actress/director/producer a golden running shoe pendant, a keepsake from one of his early races, which she plans to wear daily during filming in Australia. Zamperini will be played by Jack O'Connell, a little-known British actor who spent much time with the movie’s subject, listening to accounts of his life.

Wow that looks terrific - hope the movie includes the message of forgiveness

Was a terrific book.....

mzkitty said:

Here's a clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebHji2c_ciU

Click to expand...

mzkitty, thanks for the youtube clip.

We say goodbye to another of The Greatest Generation

Louis Zamperini passed away yesterday July 2nd. 2014.

Rest In Peace Sir.

I first heard of Mr. Zamperini while having a conversation with a friend about boxers and distance runners, particularly the combined talents and spirit in one person. A co-worker overheard the conversation and spoke of his uncle a fighter in his early years running a 4:12 national collegiate mile in the early 30's. Yeah right I thought to myself, obviously he had his time wrong...

Little did I know I was talking to Mr. Zamperini's nephew Mike who is another waterfront friend giving testimony as to the life of his uncle.

I just read an article the other day on The Art Of Manliness website the other day about Louis Zamperini, very impressive, I've added the book to my reading queue and I'm excited to see this as a movie

I read this book. War memoirs are not my thing, but I was completely captivated. It was incredible...

BUMPING THE THREAD.

'Unbroken' Opens on Christmas Day.

I happen chanced into a woman last week who was invited to a premier viewing of 'Unbroken' and she raved about it. A must see in spite of the Controversial Comedy that has stolen the headlines.

DD and I are going on Friday. I hope that the movie does justice to the book and the true story. Perhaps the current troublemakers and rioters should see it to receive the message of forgiveness.

I would love to see the movie, but am one of those people that has to read the book first, so I have downloaded it to my kindle. I tried to get it from the library but there were 10 people in front of me on the wait list, so I knew it would be months before it got to me. I saw the trailer when I took my dd to see Mocking Jay and it looks really good.

I was given the book last Christmas. It is truly an inspirational biography.

While not mentioned above, it may be important to note that Louis Zamperini passed away on July 2, 2014, at his home in Los Angeles, from pneumonia.

Topusaret said:

I was given the book last Christmas. It is truly an inspirational biography.

While not mentioned above, it may be important to note that Louis Zamperini passed away on July 2, 2014, at his home in Los Angeles, from pneumonia.

Click to expand...

Post # 8 was in reference to the Passing of Louis Zamperini.

Tonight 12/26/14 I took the crew (wife & niece) out to watch The Movie 'Unbroken' about the life of the local American hero, Louis Zamperini.

Anticipating a boring movie the girls were close to passing on it even as I held three tickets. Two and a half hours later they thanked me for sticking to my guns and insisting they go.

As it turns out, the niece unknowingly hosted Mr. Zamperini in the check out line of the local drug store she was a cashier at in 2012. Someone there pointed out who he was as he was leaving. This July 2014 he left us all.

By happen chance a co-worker stepped out of his office and overheard the conversation between myself and a friend who is a martial arts master. I had brought up the subject about distance runners having the proper mindset as tinder for a strong boxer's perseverance, and much of the physical and mental hardship that life can bring us. At that moment in 2005, the guy who stepped out of his office revealed, "hey that sounds like my uncle, he held the national high school record in his day for the mile run and was a WW-2 survivor of a ditch at sea, and a few years in a Japanese POW camp."

Mike was Louie's nephew; he was humble and proud of his uncle at the same time.

I cannot recommend the movie enough, "if you can take it, you can make it."

I can't agree with L.A.B. more. the movie was fabulous

I saw the movie the other day. It was incredibly good - very emotionally intense, at least for me.

The book was amazing- very hard to read at times, and yet, hard to put down.

For those who have read the book and seen the movie, does the movie speak of his faith and his attitude of forgiveness?
I ask because my beloved husband is not a believer in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
He wants to see the movie and I hope he can be blessed by the message of forgiveness.
Thank you.

Siskiyoumom said:

For those who have read the book and seen the movie, does the movie speak of his faith and his attitude of forgiveness?
I ask because my beloved husband is not a believer in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
He wants to see the movie and I hope he can be blessed by the message of forgiveness.
Thank you.

Click to expand...

Just watched the movie only - thought it was great - but it only mentioned forgiveness as a one sentence at the end - virtually nothing about faith or religion - sadly - movie ends basically in 1945.

If I recall correctly his intense faith and forgiveness came much later in his life than 1945.



Just watched the Fox (rest of the story) Louis after the war - very interesting - how a Billy Graham revival in 1949 saved him - the link below has a listing of repeats that I think will add nicely to the Unbroken movie.

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/watch-louis-zamperini-a-journey-of-faith-on-fox-news/

Coulter said:

Just watched the movie only - thought it was great - but it only mentioned forgiveness as a one sentence at the end - virtually nothing about faith or religion - sadly - movie ends basically in 1945.

If I recall correctly his intense faith and forgiveness came much later in his life than 1945.

Click to expand...

I saw it that way too! The movie only made reference with church scenes as a young trouble man, and then his pursuits of alcohol and petty theft and foot races with the police...

... Until the night on the raft at sea after being shot down. During the stormy scene he makes a simple prayer out-loud asking God "to let me survive this and I will dedicate my life to you."

From what little I know, much of his PTSD after WW-2 drove him deeper into a troubled life and then the church; and Billy Graham Jr.'s church. All of that was omitted in the film including the scripted epilogue at the end of the movie. As I recall, "forgiveness" was a theme in the film as part of a Sunday morning sermon in his youth. A few science allude to the principal of forgiveness, but they are without words, only acting.

I thought about how the movie ended as he returns back to Long Beach CA at the end of the war with a hero's welcome. The 'Director' MISSED THE ENTIRE SPIRIT of Mr. Zamperini's ongoing struggle. My wife just texted me she recorded a one hour FOX news interview in part with Mr. Zamperini while the movie was still filming at the time of his Seth in July this year.

"If you can take it, you can make it." That was the resounding willful theme that kept his spirit from breaking. Those were the words of advice from my co-workers father to his younger brother Louie. Yesterday in the Local newspaper there was an article about Louie's 28 year old grandson's plans to reinvigorate a sports club for trouble youth that Zamperini had begun many years ago.

Chapter 33 of the book is where my wife tells me the director ended the movie, per FOX. She recorded the FOX piece for my viewing later.

From what I gather, his ability to forgive was a pursuit after the war with the help of Mr. Graham and the church.

Am reading it now. @ Day 3 in the raft. And how does one escape 40' underwater pinned to a bulkhead tied up in hydrolic cables sucking down seawater until unconcious without a release via guardian angels !
Very pleased with vast quantities of side histories to include hersheys chocolate bitter bar recipe for life rafts provisions

I read the book. EXCELLENT! I was blind sided when he submitted to God in the second half of the book; I didn't see that one coming! A fascinating read. The abuse he survived was unbelievable.

I have no desire to argue about any movie; it is always an opinion, and we can all have different opinions. Having prefaced with that remark, let me now be the first to post that this movie was awful. It had little plot and zero character development. Remember in Saving Private Ryan how you felt affinity with each character? In Unbroken, you simply don't care. You have two stereotypical main characters: The Good Guy (Zamperini) and the Bad Guy (Japanese Prison Camp commander). Neither character is shown with any psychological complexity. The Good guy is always brave, courageous, and good. The bad guy is sadistic and always evil. The minor characters have no personality whatsoever. When one of them dies, the audience doesn't even care, and why should they? No time is spent developing the characters. Instead we have long drawn-out scenes of torture (think Passion of the Christ) with no rhyme or reason. As for forgiveness/redemption, the movie is silent about all that. It is NOT there, at least in the movie. There is a scene when 3 guys are floating in a raft for 30 some days in the ocean (and it feels like 30 some days watching this long drawn-out scene in the film). Brutal. Awful. Boring. Sophomoric.

I'm sure Eastwood's American Sniper will be all the things Unbroken is not. Save your money until Jan 16th and go to a good movie,

That is why I didn't want to go see the movie; I have no desire to see the horrific torture described in the book visualized.

They decided to leave out the entire true spiritual side to the story also. http://billygraham.org/landingpages...xjzYfZQp8TX-NRY_tQ_7qHMy-Ytuu7T2q4aAqK18P8HAQ

That is also one of the problems with the Passion of Christ. While most of us know the rest of the story it is not in the movie. The Gospel is not about torture. That is just part of it. The Resurrection scene hardly told what it was nor what it meant. The application to our spiritual rebirth is key or don't bother me making half a story. Same is true with Unbroken.

TidesofTruth said:

They decided to leave out the entire true spiritual side to the story also. http://billygraham.org/landingpages...xjzYfZQp8TX-NRY_tQ_7qHMy-Ytuu7T2q4aAqK18P8HAQ

Click to expand...

Why am I not surprised?

coalcracker said:

I have no desire to argue about any movie; it is always an opinion, and we can all have different opinions. Having prefaced with that remark, let me now be the first to post that this movie was awful. It had little plot and zero character development. Remember in Saving Private Ryan how you felt affinity with each character? In Unbroken, you simply don't care. You have two stereotypical main characters: The Good Guy (Zamperini) and the Bad Guy (Japanese Prison Camp commander). Neither character is shown with any psychological complexity. The Good guy is always brave, courageous, and good. The bad guy is sadistic and always evil. The minor characters have no personality whatsoever. When one of them dies, the audience doesn't even care, and why should they? No time is spent developing the characters. Instead we have long drawn-out scenes of torture (think Passion of the Christ) with no rhyme or reason. As for forgiveness/redemption, the movie is silent about all that. It is NOT there, at least in the movie. There is a scene when 3 guys are floating in a raft for 30 some days in the ocean (and it feels like 30 some days watching this long drawn-out scene in the film). Brutal. Awful. Boring. Sophomoric.

I'm sure Eastwood's American Sniper will be all the things Unbroken is not. Save your money until Jan 16th and go to a good movie,

Click to expand...

I am eager to see American Sniper myself. I see both movies portraying the sovereign strength of rugged American individuality. I'm no fan of Jolie, and I'm not going to tell you the movie was well made. Sophomoric scenes aside, it was a hell of a story about the willful spirit of survival, fate, and enduring to the end.

A long time ago another high school sub 4:30 miler used his perseverance and tempering of spirit to remain unbroken to a family failing and falling around him. Unlike Louie, I was the older brother whose similar mantra passed down by my mom's brother who completed his 20 years in the Navy by age 36.

"What doesn't kill yah makes you stronger." My uncles words would echo in our conversations twice in my life before he was through. The first time I was a young boy choking on a piece of spaghetti. 10 years later as a 15 year old in the middle of my parents very physical battles. I was fed well in my camp, just saw way too much violence where love should have been. My brother was 11 when I told my parents "stop your fighting or you will lose him." 8 years later he was broken in mind and spirit.

My pursuit of accurate responsible shooting began at nine with .177 BB rifle and little green plastic army men in various hides built in my back yard. Many lost their helmets to my young hand as they didn't put up much of a fight LOL. 1967 was a long time ago. I thank God every day as an adult there was no Internet or game-boys or X-Boxes when I was a kid.

I have never been much of a movie critic, but I love a good testimony of life, even if it is 'portrayed' on the silver screen by a former actor gone director that I'm not actually that fond of. The movie about Zamperini will expose people to this passed national treasure. Many will pursue 'the rest of story' beyond chapter 33 of the book where Jolie left off.

I first became aware of Louie's story while talking with a martial arts master who happens to be a best friend and trainer.

"Ray, don't you think the will of a distance runner makes for a strong mindset for a fighter/boxer/survivor of life."

Before my friend could respond to those words another co-worker had just stepped out of the office to outside where with my back to him, he had overheard my words.

Mike responded, "hey, that sounds like my uncle, a 1930's national track star Olympian, 47 days at sea on a life raft, several year WW-2 POW"...

Yeah, right I thought.

That was in 2005. Imagine how surprised I was when I heard about the coming movie based 'in part' as usual.

coalcracker, hope you didn't waste your time with The Interview. That wouldn't be very patriotic.

Well, it's off to the movies later today... Perhaps I can talk a few friends into seeing 'American Sniper.' An amazing discipline. A sad story.

L.A.B. said:

I am eager to see American Sniper myself. I see both movies portraying the sovereign strength of rugged American individuality. I'm no fan of Jolie, and I'm not going to tell you the movie was well made. Sophomoric scenes aside, it was a hell of a story about the willful spirit of survival, fate, and enduring to the end.

A long time ago another high school sub 4:30 miler used his perseverance and tempering of spirit to remain unbroken to a family failing and falling around him. Unlike Louie, I was the older brother whose similar mantra passed down by my mom's brother who completed his 20 years in the Navy by age 36.

"What doesn't kill yah makes you stronger." My uncles words would echo in our conversations twice in my life before he was through. The first time I was a young boy choking on a piece of spaghetti. 10 years later as a 15 year old in the middle of my parents very physical battles. I was fed well in my camp, just saw way too much violence where love should have been. My brother was 11 when I told my parents "stop your fighting or you will lose him." 8 years later he was broken in mind and spirit.

My pursuit of accurate responsible shooting began at nine with .177 BB rifle and little green plastic army men in various hides built in my back yard. Many lost their helmets to my young hand as they didn't put up much of a fight LOL. 1967 was a long time ago. I thank God every day as an adult there was no Internet or game-boys or X-Boxes when I was a kid.

I have never been much of a movie critic, but I love a good testimony of life, even if it is 'portrayed' on the silver screen by a former actor gone director that I'm not actually that fond of. The movie about Zamperini will expose people to this passed national treasure. Many will pursue 'the rest of story' beyond chapter 33 of the book where Jolie left off.

I first became aware of Louie's story while talking with a martial arts master who happens to be a best friend and trainer.

"Ray, don't you think the will of a distance runner makes for a strong mindset for a fighter/boxer/survivor of life."

Before my friend could respond to those words another co-worker had just stepped out of the office to outside where with my back to him, he had overheard my words.

Mike responded, "hey, that sounds like my uncle, a 1930's national track star Olympian, 47 days at sea on a life raft, several year WW-2 POW"...

Yeah, right I thought.

That was in 2005. Imagine how surprised I was when I heard about the coming movie based 'in part' as usual.

coalcracker, hope you didn't waste your time with The Interview. That wouldn't be very patriotic.

Well, it's off to the movies later today... Perhaps I can talk a few friends into seeing 'American Sniper.' An amazing discipline. A sad story.

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Excellent points!
Thank you for sharing those. You are right. The story itself is incredible, and the younger generations who haven't faced such adversity will benefit from gaining some insights into the brutality that occurred.
I like your point about The Interview. I wished they'd have titled it, "Dude, Where's my Nuke?" I'm expecting a lot from American Sniper. Clint Eastwood knows how to direct, and he has a great story with this film.

joannita said:

That is why I didn't want to go see the movie; I have no desire to see the horrific torture described in the book visualized.

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Glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. I'm reading the book now. I can skip the torture part. Can't do that in the theater.

joannita said:

Why am I not surprised?

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Another reason to NOT see the movie! I'd also heard that the entire spiritual aspect of the book had been left out of the movie, which IMHO, was a big part of this man's story.

Wife andi were impressed with the movie.......I certainly think it worth the time and a a pleasent way to spend new years eve.

I just checked into the availability of 'American Sniper' as showing today. It's only playing at a theater in Hollywood. Pass-a-dena! I'll just have to wait for it local theater showing the middle of the month on 01/16/15.

The ladies who thanked me for dragging them screaming to 'Unbroken' are pretty excited about the story of Chris Kyle in 'American Sniper.'

I pray that theses two movies light a fuse in a greater number of young people to train and build skills and the character required for the indomitable unbroken spirit.