The other day I saw 'Men of Honour,' a bio-drama based on the life of Carl M. Brashear, first African-American amputee diver to ever be certified or recertified as a U.S. Navy diver.
I got interested in the movie because of Cuba Gooding Jr. His excellent performances as Rod Tidwell in Jerry Maguire and Frank Sachs in As Good as it Gets have left a great impression on me.
In 'Men of Honour' Gooding Jr. plays the character of Carl M. Brashear, a pioneer and hero in the American Naval history. The role is a complete departure from the most roles Gooding jr. has played since he first appeared as Boy Getting Haircut in Coming to America. He is known for his million dollar smile and light-hearted eccentric characters he has played in more than a dozen movies.
As Carl M Brashear, Gooding Jr. plays the role of an Amrican Navy cook, who decides to break away from the tradition, and joins the Naval Deep sea diving training school. Odds are against stacked huge against him. Only two black Americans had ever passed out to become Navy Divers. Brashear was the only black at the trainee. General sentiment at the training academy was anti-black and several attempts were made to get Brashear out of the Academy. But, Brashear was made of sterner metal. He not only succeds in qualifying as a Naval diver, but also plays a major role in retrieving a Hyrdrogen Bomb lost in the ocean near Palmores, Spain.
During the recovery operations Brashear lost a leg. But he never lost his spirit. For more than two years Navy and the doctors tried to convince him that he is no longer fit for active service. However, Brashear loved nothing more than diving. His obsession forced his wife to seek a divorce. Brashear went on to train with an artificial leg. The rigors of training took a toll on his body but he persevered. Deep see diving, in those days was a physically demanding job. Only the fittest could handle the load of the bulky diving suit. Brashear's efforts paid off and after much struggle he returned to active dutee. He became the first amputee to return to active service in the Naval history.
Cuba Goodings Jr. plays the role to perfection. He succeeds in bringing out silent grit of Brashear. After Denzel Washington, perhaps, he is the only black actor in hollywood who can play his character with such great empathy that the characters always turn out intese and believable. I don't remember, if the movie has any memorable scenes, but Gooding Jr.'s acting redeems an otherwise dull feature. He stands out because of charisma and an ability completely letting go himself for the sake of the character.
For details on life of Carl M. Brashear click on the following link
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