1196 men aboard, 5 days in water, 317 survived|Sep. 22, 2016|United States|128 Min.|R
Genre: Action;War
Description: In 1945, Captain Charles McVay, played by Nicolas Cage, commanded the USS Indianapolis, a heavy cruiser tasked with delivering components of the atomic bomb used in the Hiroshima attack during World War II. While navigating the Philippine Sea on July 30, 1945, the unescorted ship was torpedoed and sunk by the Japanese submarine I-58, resulting in the loss of 300 crew members. The survivors faced five harrowing days adrift in shark-infested waters without food or water.
Many succumbed to dehydration, saltwater poisoning, or injuries, while others disappeared after hallucinating about nonexistent islands. Sharks claimed numerous lives before a pilot spotted the survivors on the fifth day, initiating a rescue operation. Only 316 crew members survived the ordeal.
The U.S. Navy court-martialed Captain McVay, blaming him for the ship’s sinking despite substantial evidence, including testimony from the Japanese submarine commander, supporting his innocence. Years later, McVay took his own life, overwhelmed by harassment from grieving families and media scrutiny. The film concludes with President Bill Clinton’s posthumous exoneration of McVay in 2000.
Cast director: Mario Van Peebles
Cast actor: Nicolas Cage, Tom Sizemore, Matt Lanter, Thomas Jane, Emily Tennant, Craig Tate, Cody Walker, James Remar, Max Ryan, Currie Graham
Original name: USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage