View Full Version : Marines in movies
I was just reading that post about Elton John's boyfriend wearing the Marine uniform. Some of you seemed pretty agitated about that (rightfully so). Do you Marines consider it disrespectful for an actor in a movie to wear a Marine uniform? I'm just curious.
davblay
03-18-07, 10:01 PM
Theres nothing wrong with actors wearing the uniform, but only on the set! You should know by now that anyone must earn the right to wear our glorious uniform, with the Emblem attached! One of these days you will understand better.
rvillac2
03-18-07, 11:29 PM
Hollywood is make-believe and at-times, entertaining. Most of us enjoy a good action movie that positively portrays our Corps. However, since there is a shortage of Dale Dyes and R.Lee Ermeys, we'll have to encourage Clint Eastwood and Harrison Ford to act out our fantasies on screen while wearing our uniform.
Side note: My color guard posed as extras on a tv movie back in the 80's. Some exec asked if we were the real thing and wanted a consultant to look over our uniforms. They said that actors who wear the uniform purposely wear something improperly so as to acknowledge the facade. You've probably seen many subtle examples of this in the movies but didn't know it was done intentionally. Of course, the blatant misuses of the uniform are probably just due to ignorance of the film execs.
Examples of subtle mistakes are bad haircuts, ribbon arrangements, and the occasional officer EGA on an enlisted man.
Sgt. V
Christ0ph
03-19-07, 12:11 AM
What about real Marines in movies? :D
My dad played a small part in Heartbreak Ridge, at the time he was a Staff Sergeant(IIRC) in a Force Recon unit. His part was very brief but he also gave Eastwood some good tips on how to act like a genuine hardass! :evilgrin: He still gets miniscule royalty checks from Warner Bros. hahahah.
eta: If anyone has seen Heartbreak Ridge, his part was the lone Marine standing at attention in front of Eastwood while everyone else is in formation in one of the beginning formation scenes. He is up there for a few moments then falls back into formation. that was the whole part :p
Christ0ph
03-19-07, 12:18 AM
eta2: Dang, IMDB even has a page on him!
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0069122/
davblay
03-19-07, 12:49 AM
Us older guys remember "JOHN WAYNE, STEVE MCQUEEN, LEE MARVIN, JIMMY STEWART, etc, then came RAMBO! That was one awsome soldier, should have been a Marine!
Us Tennessee Marines remember a Navy PBR man named Bobby Ray, From McMinnville, Tenn. He revieved the CMH for rescueing sailors and Marines at the risk and price of his own life. He was a Marine at heart. I knew jim personally, He told me before going to Nam that he wished he could be a Corpman or at least in support of the Marines. He gor his wish on that PBR that day in South Viet nam. Semper Fi, Sailor Ray, and thanks for your sacrifice.:thumbup:
Echo_Four_Bravo
03-19-07, 12:57 AM
Depends on the situation I guess. Most times it doesn't bother me at all. But on the TV show Jericho they had an episode named Semper Fidelis this week. Ended up that a bunch of people had jumped some Marines, stole their uniforms and even a tank, and were pretending to be Marines. People pretending even in a pretend world kind of ticked me off.
jryanjack
03-19-07, 10:13 AM
Depends on the situation I guess. Most times it doesn't bother me at all. But on the TV show Jericho they had an episode named Semper Fidelis this week. Ended up that a bunch of people had jumped some Marines, stole their uniforms and even a tank, and were pretending to be Marines. People pretending even in a pretend world kind of ticked me off.
I saw that one too - actually I was glad that they weren't "real" Marines!
I had heard somewhere that unless the service authorizes the wear of correct uniforms for a movie/TV Show, then the actors have to modify the uniforms so there are inaccuracies.
Integrity57
03-19-07, 11:04 AM
Dale Dye and R. Lee Ermey are two of my favortie actors and Marines. Who knew Gunny Ermey was such a hell raiser when he was a kid? I never would have guessed, but I guess the Corps can straighten anyone out. I've heard that there was more kids than just him who arrived at Boot in handcuffs back in the day. Too bad they don't do that these days. All wannabes should look up Dale Dye on Wikipedia, he had one crazy career in the Corps.
recruit0107
03-19-07, 11:43 AM
Us older guys remember "JOHN WAYNE, STEVE MCQUEEN, LEE MARVIN, JIMMY STEWART, etc, then came RAMBO! That was one awsome soldier, should have been a Marine!
Corporal, I'm 19 and if you asked me to list some movie badasses, thatd be my list.
davblay
03-19-07, 12:48 PM
So your going into Echo Company, 2nd BTN, Right? Good luck Poolee!
1stRad2671
03-19-07, 05:13 PM
Many of the extras in Wind Talkers were real Marines from MCAS Kaneohe Bay. The producers did a casting call on the base when I was stationed there. For a week or two real Marines taught actors a thing or two about acting like Marines. Occassionally I'd see them all leaving the chow hall while I was on my way there. One Marine I knew ended up playing the part of a sailor. :D
rvillac2
03-19-07, 06:57 PM
I just saw that Jericho episode. Was outstanding. Someone should have played the Hymm and watched for the reaction. ; )
StefanovicN
03-19-07, 07:00 PM
They filmed "Jarhead" out here around Yuma, there were a few Marines who took part in helping the extras out with rolling their sleeves, etc...