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The Finest Hours Based On the Incredible True Story

While “The Finest Hours” is packed with thrilling, larger-than-life action sequences, it is anchored by the prevailing theme that resonates throughout the story—the strength of the human spirit. “These young men knew exactly what they were getting into when they climbed into that tiny lifeboat,” says producer Dorothy Aufiero (“The Fighter,” “Session 9”). “They had the courage to go out there and put others’ safety first and do something incredible, and I find that truly inspirational.”

Embarking on the Voyage

When the Boston-based filmmaker first read “The Finest Hours,” the book by Casey Sherman and Michael J. Tougias that documented the incredible tale of the Coast Guard’s attempts to rescue survivors from two T2 oil tankers, she was shocked she had never heard about it before. While the SS Pendleton rescue was front-page news at the time, not everyone today is familiar with the story, including families of the men who were part of the rescue itself. “These guys just didn’t talk about it because to them, it was their job,” she explains.

Aufiero brought the project to producer Jim Whitaker (“Cinderella Man,” “The Odd Life of Timothy Green”), who felt an immediate connection to the story. “I was born in Maryland but moved to Nova Scotia when I was 12 and my family lived in an eastern maritime town similar to Chatham, so I related to the story on a personal level,” he says. “I knew about the Coast Guard and about the lives of people who made their living on the water and always knew I wanted to tell a story about the people that I grew up with.”

They agreed that recreating the gallant efforts of these young men on the big screen was the perfect way to immortalize their story and put together a story treatment and sizzle reel incorporating vintage photos and archival footage of the actual events, which they brought to Disney. The studio has released many successful films based on true stories over the years (“Cool Runnings,” “Dangerous Minds,” “Invincible,” “Miracle” and “A Civil Action,” among others) and green-lit the project that same day.

Bringing the Characters to Life

Audiences will be captivated by the story of the Coast Guard’s legendary maritime rescue, but the compelling characters brought to life on screen are exceptional in their own right. The humility and selflessness characteristic of those in the service of saving lives is truly notable, and the producers wanted to ensure that the actors cast could effectively convey those qualities on screen.

When Chris Pine is considering upcoming projects with which to become involved, a clear indication for the actor is a screenplay he can read in one sitting. With “The Finest Hours,” he couldn’t put it down. Pine, who has starred in the “Star Trek” films, “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” and “Into the Woods,” among numerous others, appreciated the story’s simplicity and was drawn to the character of Petty Officer First Class Bernie Webber, the amiable captain of the CG36500 lifeboat, who becomes an unlikely hero.

Station Chief Warren Cluff assigns his more-experienced men to assist with the SS Fort Mercer rescue efforts taking place off the coast of Nantucket, but the crew believes it is impossible to cross the Chatham Bar due to the storm and even though it will take longer, leaves from Stage Harbor instead. Webber, on the other hand, does not object and departs with his crew from the station as ordered, heading directly into one of the deadliest spots in the Atlantic Ocean.

Academy Award® and Golden Globe® nominee Casey Affleck (“Interstellar,” “Oceans 13”), a native Bostonian, plays Raymond Sybert, the mid-level crew member aboard the Pendleton who suddenly becomes the man to whom everyone looks for guidance.

Ben Foster (“3:10 to Yuma,” “Contraband”) is Richard Livesey, a veteran Coast Guard seaman who, despite his reservations about Bernie’s leadership abilities, volunteers to join him on the lifeboat. The actor was honored to pay tribute to men who are responsible for saving human lives, and who do it with modesty, earnestness and good will.

British actress Holliday Grainger (“Cinderella,” “Bonnie & Clyde”) is Miriam, the headstrong fiancée of Bernie Webber who has no problem speaking her mind, especially when it comes to Bernie’s safety.

Recur Historical Facts & Details

In addition to the historical facts and details which the filmmakers wanted to be sure were believable and technically accurate, it was also important that the characters’ relationships were authentic as well. “We wanted to be very specific and very clear with how things happened, and the scene in the film where Bernie and Miriam go on their first date is verbatim from the story,” says Whitaker. “Being able to get those nuances and truths makes it all the more interesting and allows us to present such unique individuals, and both actors were great at being able to run with it.”

This difficult situation is the backdrop in which Cluff must make the tough, potentially fatal decision to order Bernie to choose a crew and take the lifeboat out into the storm. After making the decision he is confronted by Miriam and has the opportunity to rescind it before it’s too late, but doesn’t. “It’s an interesting predicament,” explains Bana. “He could be responding to his authority being questioned by Miriam, but I think deep down he’s sending the men out because it’s the right thing to do—it’s their job. They didn’t have the checks and balances system in place back then like they do now, so he’s making a judgment call, but I don’t think there was ever any doubt that he was going to send them out.”

Recreating the Extraordinary Tale

With a story like this where the real facts are so compelling, it was important to the filmmakers to remain faithful to the actual events. Michael Condon, executive director of the USS Salem, came aboard the project as technical advisor and the production enlisted the support of Commander John W. Pruitt, III from the U.S. Coast Guard’s Motion Picture & Television Office in Los Angeles.

“We were on set to help ensure the actors were driving the boats exactly how we would do it,” says Pruitt, “so that what you see on screen is exactly what the Coast Guard would have done.”

The U.S. Coast Guard was originally established on January 28, 1915, as a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces before being taken over by the Department of Transportation. Today the Coast Guard is part of the Department of Homeland Security, providing a steadfast presence on our country’s coastline, as well as its rivers, ports and on the high seas. They are responsible for the enforcement of maritime law and for the protection of life and property at sea.

The producers also lined up an impressive roster of talented craftsmen to help bring the Cape Cod of the 1950s to life on screen, including: Javier Aguirresarobe, ASC, as director of photography; Michael Corenblith as production designer; Louise Frogley as costume designer; Tatiana S. Riegel, ACE, as editor; and Carter Burwell as composer.

The actual CG36500 lifeboat skippered by Webber in 1952 still exists and was recently restored by the Orleans Historical Society and Museum in Orleans, Massachusetts. The actors took the lifeboat out in Chatham harbor, but it was not used on camera as the harsh demands of moviemaking could have compromised, if not seriously damaged, the historic vessel.

The filmmakers spent months looking for authentic alternatives, which proved to be quite challenging as most of the lifeboats disappeared when the Coast Guard took them out of service in 1968.

Synopsis

A heroic action-thriller, “The Finest Hours” is the remarkable true story of the greatest small boat rescue in Coast Guard history. Presented in Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D, the film will transport audiences to the heart of the action, creating a fully-immersive cinematic experience on an epic scale. On February 18, 1952, a massive nor’easter struck New England, pummeling towns along the Eastern seaboard and wreaking havoc on the ships caught in its deadly path, including the SS Pendleton, a T-2 oil tanker bound for Boston, which was literally ripped in half, trapping more than 30 sailors inside its rapidly-sinking stern. As the senior officer on board, first assistant engineer Ray Sybert (Casey Affleck) soon realizes it is up to him to take charge of the frightened crew and inspire the men to set aside their differences and work together to ride out one of the worst storms to ever hit the East Coast. Meanwhile, as word of the disaster reaches the U.S. Coast Guard station in Chatham, Massachusetts, Warrant Officer Daniel Cluff (Eric Bana) orders a daring operation to rescue the stranded men. Despite overwhelming odds, four men, led by Coast Guard Captain Bernie Webber (Chris Pine), set out in a wooden lifeboat with an ill-equipped engine and little, if any, means of navigation, facing frigid temperatures, 60-foot high waves and hurricane-force winds.