Harrison Ford has signed up for a movie based on the taking of Fallujah based on an upcoming book No True Glory, strangely entitled No True Glory: The Battle for Fallujah. Clever chaps.
The story is being carried by lot’s of sites, but The Guardian covers the topic with the following quote about the story and Fords character:
Harrison Ford is to star in what will be Hollywood’s first feature about the current Iraq war.
Producers Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher have bought the option for No True Glory: The Battle for Fallujah, a non-fiction written by Slate reporter Bing West.
The book is due to be published in May and tells the story of an assault on Iraqi insurgents in Falluja, from the perspective of US marines.Variety reports that Ford is already attached to play General Jim Mattis, in charge of the attack.
Okay, so there are comparisons being made to the other Iraq War film Three Kings, although to me that film could have been in any troubled country. This film is specifically set to tackle some of the harsher parts of the War in Iraq and the decisions made by high ranking officials showing how these actually affected the men on the ground. Actually, I should say let’s hope so, as we are all well aware, scripts change by the nanosecond, and may never actually appear to be what they first were.
The BBC provide some interesting comment:
According to Variety, the film will use “the Fallujah assault as a way to explore the dangerous intersection of war and politics, depicting the drama from the viewpoints of soldiers, military leaders and politicians” (er, what about the Iraqis?).
Interestingly the film will tell the story of the two attacks ordered by the military. The first was, in a strange echoing of past Iraq attacks, halted. A second attack was ordered some time later to complete the job. Coming Soon:
After four Americans were mutilated and hanged in Fallujah, the White House ordered an assault on the insurgent stronghold to be led by Gen. Jim Mattis (to be played by Ford). Marine forces devastated the opposition and were 48 hours away from taking control of Fallujah when the White House abruptly ordered them to stop. The Marines lost 28 soldiers the first time around and added another 50 fatalities after the White House ordered them to go back and finish the job six months later.
The book’s writer will also deal with the Screenplay duties:
Bing West, an ex-Marine and former assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs who is now a foreign correspondent covering the Iraq war. West will write the script with son Owen, a longtime Marine rifleman who left the service to become a trader at Goldman Sachs but returned to fight in Iraq for a year.
To me this project could really give a true view of the street fighting war and of events of these attacks as well as the general life of a soldier in Iraq. It is a shame it might miss out the civilians view, but let’s be honest, in a movie it’s difficult to show both these viewpoints when they can be so opposed. Perhaps what we are more likely to see is another movie showing the civilians side, and I do say that we should definitely see that kind of movie.
However, that aside, this could make for a really good movie. The strange thing that hits me right away is how close this is to the actual events. It looks like it will have to contend with some outrage (perhaps they’ll just buckle as in His Dark Materials). It will also have to contend with Jarhead, although different periods of the Iraq War, they still cover similar ground.
Live virgins trying to describe sex, most of you have no idea what the hell you are talking about. You are entitled to your opinions, but have not the right to make unfounded acusations. How do you know that we denied Iraqis hospitals? Ambulances were packed with arms and ammunition, not patients. I medivaced countless numbers of civilians to include wounded insurgents. Believe me, they were treated far better than they deserved. Unless you were there, I suggest you keep your c@ck holster shut and enjoy the liberties borne by many who felt the need to earn them instead of feeling they are just entitlements. To those who have seen the beast, God bless you and Semper Fi.
I was a corporal in the the third battalion fourth marines during the battle for fallujah. In my sincerest opinion my marines and I did everything to minimize collateral damage and civilian casualties. Fact of the matter is, war is hell. We accepted death and faced the same fate as the people of Fallujah. Believe me, we face the consequences of our actions every single time we close our eyes. You cannot judge us! Fact is, we have more respect for the insurgents whom we killed than the protesters who we cannot. If you wanna make a difference than stop talking and take some action. Gen. Mattis is a war hero and should be treated as such.
OK, all these assumptions and we don’t even know what the movie is going to be like or acted out
Robert Clause, Mattis is a fine general. Harrison is a fine actor.
I don’t think Harrison disrespectful to the military and neither should anyone else. Mattis is not Nazi and if you can’t tell the difference then look up your damn history books, what ignorance, that only comes from word of mouth not actually learning facts.
Ahmed, freedom from occupation doesn’t mean giving up all your personal rights to be slaves some criminals pretending to be the islamic caliph of iraq. The people you appologize don’t believe in peace, so they will never see it. They are after power, America has helping the world for way longer than 9/11, including money to your native country, yet all you know is, it’s very sexy to hate America.
tao quote “extremes become opposites”
I don’t stand on either side of this fence but I would say if Ford was smart he would quietly back away from this project and just focus on being Indiana Jones one last time. This topic does seem a little too fresh. I initially thought why not make it. Why is it when they make a WWII film like Private Ryan everyone loves them but this war they would be villified for making a movie about it? Were Speilberg and Hanks just trying to cash in on the blood of soldiers who died in France or were they being patriotic? How would everyone see this film if they were making it? We know they love America and the sacrifices soldiers make. Still if I were Ford I would walk away. I can understand soldiers who were there not wanting this film made and perhaps soldeirs fresh from the beaches at Normandy would have hated Private Ryan. Maybe Hollywood should wait forty years before making a movie about this war. Give the soldiers and civilians on both sides time to live before rehashing their experiences on the big screen. I myself am a fan of Ford’s but maybe in this case I will turn my back on him.
It’s very simple indeed.
Buy a DVD called “A Letter To The Prime Minister”
released in 2005 by Year Zero Films.
It’s a doumentary filmed by Jo Wilding and PROVES the flaunting of International Law and Geneva Conventions by the US military.
THis is not to say that all US Marines are “evil” but when you see old women shot down by snipers in Fallujah, you realise the arbitrary manner in which these sorts of “seiges” are carried out.
SIGN THE PETITION
To: Patricia McQueeney, Mr Ford’s agent
Harrison Ford has announced that he wishes to play the role of the general in charge of the assault and seige of Fallujah, in an upcoming movie to be entitled No True Glory. This action resulted in the destruction of the city and the loss of many thousands of innocent lives, and caused over 300,000 people to become homeless, while the insurgent Iraqis mostly slipped away to attack again from elsewhere. We do not trust Hollywood to show the abuses of the US forces, who broke Geneva Conventions and denied civilians hospitals, water, and food, opening fire on ambulances and denying the press access.
We do not wish Mr Ford to play General Mattis, and we vote against the making of this film. We ask the studios to examine history before they rewrite it. We ask Mr Ford to read up on the truth.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
http://www.petitiononline.com/b7qrlb5/petition.html
For the record, the Army did as much fighting in Fallujah (Nov ’04) as the Marines, only they didn’t go house to house in the MOUT fighting – they sat inside their Bradleys. They left the close in door-to-door fighting to the Marines. But the Army took casulaties and fought hard with honor right alongside the Marines.
Additionally, MajGen Mattis was NOT involved in the second round of the Fallujah fighting (November 04), he had already (several months prior) relinquished command of the First Marine Division to another great man – MajGen N*******. It’s too bad Hollywood is trying to lump these two great men together. MajGen N is definitely worthy of his own actor/rep to play his part and he is a very different man from Mattis – but both are true warriors and great leaders in their own right.
If West wants to make money on what he saw, then so be it. He was a Marine, and that is his prerogative. I trust he will tell the truth as he saw it.
What I know and have written about Fallujah above is based on my own personal experience…I was there.
Dear Mr. Ford,
I remember the 3 a.m. phone call from my son just prior to him going into Fallujah. As a parent, that was a tough call to take. My son told me that he loved me, not worry and keep the news turned off for a few days. As a member of USMC Kilo Co. out of Camp Pendelton he was one of the first units into Fallujah and was wounded in the battle of hell house. I request that you please honor the sacrifice made by my son and that of his buddies wounded and KIA during this battle, lord knows the media will NOT. These men were just doing their jobs. We civilians back in the USA living in the safety of our homes should not judge the military harshly, leave that to Teddy Kennedy and others like him. I am honored to be a father of a US Marine.
God bless America and the USMC!
Charles
Dear Mr. Ford,
My son was one of the first US Marines into Fallujah and was wounded during the battle of Hell House. I hope this movie respects the sacrifice my son made and that of his wounded and killed comrads. I ask Mr. Ford to please honor my son, the US Marines and all the brave men and women in the military who fought and died for all of us. Lord knows the media will NOT. These brave military men & women were just doing their jobs and deserve the best you can give them because they gave you their blood. My son returns to Iraq in September for his second tour of duty. God Bless the US Marines and God Bless America.
Charles
To Ahmed:
Yes you are human and you chose Sadam for all these years.I hate the fact that American Life’s and Blood continue to be lost on account of ungrateful a–h—ss like you.
Oh yeah, and of course you all know that the “US civilians” killed and hung from the bridge were in fact Mercenaries, with guns, dog tags and the whole nine yards. They were in fact the same mercenaries that had been doing home raids, ransacking homes, detaining and killing family members in Fallujah for many months preceding that incident.
You can understand that some Fallujans were upset with the US at that point…and were in fact fighting for their freedom, or leveling revenge for killed and missing family members. Or for tortured family members.
Also interesting is that Fallujah was historically very anti-Hussein. The city should have been an ally! But the US did a terrible PR job, creating enemies where it once had friends.
The facts are all there. Hollywood just needs to do its research: http://dahrjamailiraq.com
But, I suppose the facts do not make good propaganda for the US in the information war it is rapidly losing.
Hi,
I am appalled that Harrison Ford would make such a mistake in his career
as to be associated with such a piece of US propaganda. It is inevitable
that just a couple years down the road, when the rest of the world
catches up with the brutal reality of what happened in Fallujah,
Harrison will be demonized.
The US used chemical weapons on a civilian population in Fallujah. The
US bombed and captured Fallujah hospitals in order to keep civilians
from obtaining medical care. These actions alone are clear war crimes and not heroic acts worthy of a movie.
There was nothing heroic about the US Siege of Fallujah.
Before anybody gets involved with a blatant Hollywood lie, they should
at least check the facts first.
The truth about what happened in Fallujah will be featured in Project
Censored’s top 25 censored stories of the year. Hope that Harrison knows
this. Because as the rest of the world realizes what happened there-and
they are realizing it-movies such as Siege of Fallujah and those
associated with them are in for a big embarrassment.
Please refer to http://dahrjamailiraq.com for more information about
Fallujah.
Thanks,
Jeff
well i was among the first of marines to walk into fallujah in november. this movie better be all marines. the army didnt do a damn thing but medevac wounded and dead marines.
reminds me of those wonderful days of WW2 and the propaganda films the studios pumped out.
What the fuck. making a movie about the one battle that I am trying to forget. You werent there so how the hell can you make an accurate movie. Oh wait blood and guts sell. Well I got shrapnel in my arm so this movie better dipict the bravery of the American Soldier. I can gaurentee you no military personnel who live through those days of hell will be there to see it.
When would these double standards end? if a murderer is an America, he’s a hero as long as he kills other people. Why does USA celebrate the 4th of July if fighting against occupation is wrong? For us, the US is the invader, that came illegally, to master our lives without any right, except “Might Is Right”. Shame on all the Nazis of America who support such wars. Please just take a moment to give us the same rights you give to yourselves. That we don’t want to be invaded like you don’t, we don’t like to be occupies or bombed or shot, or tortured or raped, or controlled.. just like you don’t. Because, believe it or not, we are also humans who can think and choose our way.. Which doesn’t have to be the same like yours, becausepeople everywhere must have different cultures, and it is a good thing to exist..
The fact About Harrison’s movie being the first is only half true. There is an independent feature coming out in february called The Fallujah Option. It’s about two agents sent into fallujah to negotiate the release of an american election official three days before the election. It is a gritty story based on true events. All crew and actors have confidentiality orders and there is no media allowed due to the sensitive material;hostages and executions.
Harrison Ford has lost my respect if he plays the part of James Mattis who said, “It‚Äôs a hell of a hoot. It‚Äôs fun to shoot some people.” Mattis appears to have the instincts of a serial killer. He is in league with Nazi Storm Trooper, Mao’s Red Guards and Saddam’s son, Uday.
i was surprise i read newspaper harrison ford comes to star fallujah he become play general jim mattis woow i like so much this this movies action and thriller
ford play want to fight insurgency and terrorist
maybe i like so much this fallujah movie
keep it up harrison ford
irtaza
It’s really too bad that ol’ Bing West got a hold of this story and is whoring it to Hollywood while the dust is still settling. I’ve been reading his articles and books for awhile and I don’t like what I read. A lot of Marines are pretty sore about the way Smith exploits his connections in Iraq and they way events and people are portrayed in his book (Marines and their officers are knights and can do no wrong.) His book about the 2003 invasion of Iraq was reviled among all the Marines I know and caused a firestorm in the Marine Gazette (I’m a former Marine myself). Fallujah is a very important story and probably shouldn’t be rushed to the big screen in a lamentable ploy to exploit the war. Honestly, this is a real shame.
General Mattis’ job of delivering a freedom package to the Iraqi people, had to go door to door. The Avon Lady refused to go, much to the dismay of liberals and pacifists.
People who permit their leaders to enslave them without recourse have to participate in the cost when others offer them a chance to escape slavery.
Betray his dedication, loyalty and devotion at your own risk. The world deserves to see honor and respect for sacrifices he and others paid.
We honor his service in Fallujah and everywhere he has served. He is America’s friend, neighbor, classmate and general. His service and commitment to freedom should endear him to all freedom loving people on the planet.
Amy – Thank you for the kind comments about General Mattis. While I do not know the motivation of Universal Studios, if the movie is made Harrison Ford has a big task because everything you say about General Mattis is true, and then some. He is my friend. He is my brother. Regards, Tom Mattis
[email protected]
What a hypocrite–typical Hollywood. Blast the administration and the troops and then make money off of the blood of Marines, Soldiers, and Sailors. Personally knowing Jim Mattis, I can honestly say NOONE will ever be able to personify this man. He is an incredible leader and wonderful man.
should Harrison Ford change his name to Haliburtan Ford?, they both stand to make millions either in cash or goodwill for exploiting the death, mutilation and disposession of thousands of innocent people. In that toll I include those American soldiers, social workers and buisiness people who sacrificed themselves for a lie bandied about by a government many of them (in good faith) voted for.