The Finest Hour (film)
Encyclopedia
The Finest Hour is a 1991 war
-drama film
. The film stars Rob Lowe
and Gale Hansen
as Navy SEALs-in-training who become best friends. When a woman comes between them, however, it takes a war to bring them back together again.
. Both men quest to become Navy SEALs. During the training Hammer is shown as cocky and not a true team player. Mazzoli is a natural leader who is respected by the other trainees. The two men clash over time due to Hammer’s attitude making a bad name for everyone. The two men’s feud eventually is seen by the training instructs and after being punished in a “military manner” the two become friends. On liberty Mazzoli takes an interest in Barbara, a known love interest and friend of Hammer’s. Barbara and Mazzoli share a romantic moment under a capsized canoe but Mazzoli breaks away before anything further happens knowing that his friend Hammer is has been “with” her for a while. Later that night Hammer and Barbara elope and Mazzoli is shocked but accepts the marriage.
The two finish their BUD/s training and Mazzoli informs Hammer that he is completing his SDV training
on the East Coast, not the West Coast as Hammer will be doing. A brief confrontation between the two occurs on the beach and subsides when Mazzoli says it’s because of Babara. Soon Iraq invades Kuwait and Hammer is seen on a recon mission with Bosco who was Mazzoli’s and Hammer’s former lead training instructor. After coming under enemy fire Bosco is taken prisoner. Hammer and Mazzoli reunite when Mazzoli comes to aid in the rescue mission of Bosco. While preparing for the mission the two catch up with Hammer talking about how Barbara and her son Josh both miss seeing him. He further goes on and tells of his infidelities and about Barbara knowing about his unfaithfulness. Hammer and Mazzoli successfully rescue Boscoe but Hammer is severely injured during the mission.
While Hammer is hospitalized, Mazzoli picks up Barbara at the airport to bring her to see her husband. The two exchange a level of awkwardness and it is clear they both have feelings for each other. After ensuring that Hammer is okay, Barbara and Hammer began to argue and we learn that Hammer slept with Barbara’s best friend. While remaining around for Hammer’s sake, Barbara is guided around the area by Mazzoli. They two share some alone time together and their romantic feelings come back with each aware of the other’s feelings. Barbara informs Mazzoli that she will be leaving Hammer.
The SEAL commanders inform Hammer while in the hospital that they will be sending the SEALs back in to destroy the island facilities where Boscoe was being held. The island is a chemical weapons manufacturing base. Hammer intends on participating in the mission but is denied for medical reasons. He falsifies paperwork and is released from the hospital. He attends the briefing for the mission and produces his falsified medical clearance which gains him a spot on the mission roster.
The mission is launched and Mazzoli learns early on that Hammer wasn’t medically fit for diving. He raises his concern that Hammer put the whole team and mission in jeopardy. The mission is successful but the SEALs are discovered and are on the run. They commandeer a boat and plan on blowing up the boat. Hammer ensures he is the last one off the boat but becomes snagged by netting on his jump off the boat. The boat explodes and Mazzoli is seen searching the water for his friend. He finds Hammer and Hammer tells him “I’m dying” to which Mazzoli responds “You’re always dying.” The Seals are rescue and Hammer is being attended to when he goes into cardiac arrest. Upon the ships return to the docks Barbara is seen waiting and smiles when she sees Mazzoli. The smile turns to grief when she sees a saddened Mazzoli and other SEALs carrying a body bag containing Hammer's corpse off the ship. The movie ends with Mazzoli coming back into narration saying when Barbara and him both lost Hammer, they lost themselves as well, meaning they did not pursue a relationship.
War film
War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
-drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
. The film stars Rob Lowe
Rob Lowe
Robert Hepler "Rob" Lowe is an American actor. Lowe came to prominence after appearing in films such as The Outsiders, Oxford Blues, About Last Night..., St. Elmo's Fire, and Wayne's World. On television, Lowe is known for his role as Sam Seaborn on The West Wing and his role as Senator Robert...
and Gale Hansen
Gale Hansen
Gale Hansen is an American film and television actor best known for playing Charlie Dalton in Dead Poets Society.-Filmography:*Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction .... Security Guard...
as Navy SEALs-in-training who become best friends. When a woman comes between them, however, it takes a war to bring them back together again.
Cast
- Rob LoweRob LoweRobert Hepler "Rob" Lowe is an American actor. Lowe came to prominence after appearing in films such as The Outsiders, Oxford Blues, About Last Night..., St. Elmo's Fire, and Wayne's World. On television, Lowe is known for his role as Sam Seaborn on The West Wing and his role as Senator Robert...
as Lawrence Hammer - Gale HansenGale HansenGale Hansen is an American film and television actor best known for playing Charlie Dalton in Dead Poets Society.-Filmography:*Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction .... Security Guard...
as Dean Mazzoli - Tracy GriffithTracy GriffithTracy Griffith is an American actress and chef. She is the daughter of actor and producer Peter Griffith and model/actress Nanita Greene, and the older sister of production designer and set decorator Clay A. Griffith. She is also the half-sister of actress Melanie Griffith...
as Barbara - Eb Lottimer as Bosco
- Baruch Dror as Greenspan
- Daniel Dieker as Albie
- Michael Fountain as Carter
Plot
Lawrence Hammer (Lowe) and Dean Mazzoli (Hansen) are two Naval Officer undergoing the rigorous and demanding Navy BUD/s training programUnited States Navy SEAL selection and training
The average United States Navy SEAL spends over a year in a series of formal training environments before being awarded the Special Warfare Operator Naval Rating and the Navy Enlisted Classification 5326 Combatant Swimmer or, in the case of commissioned naval officers, the designation Naval...
. Both men quest to become Navy SEALs. During the training Hammer is shown as cocky and not a true team player. Mazzoli is a natural leader who is respected by the other trainees. The two men clash over time due to Hammer’s attitude making a bad name for everyone. The two men’s feud eventually is seen by the training instructs and after being punished in a “military manner” the two become friends. On liberty Mazzoli takes an interest in Barbara, a known love interest and friend of Hammer’s. Barbara and Mazzoli share a romantic moment under a capsized canoe but Mazzoli breaks away before anything further happens knowing that his friend Hammer is has been “with” her for a while. Later that night Hammer and Barbara elope and Mazzoli is shocked but accepts the marriage.
The two finish their BUD/s training and Mazzoli informs Hammer that he is completing his SDV training
SEAL Delivery Vehicle
The SEAL Delivery Vehicle or is a manned submersible and a type of Swimmer Delivery Vehicle used to deliver United States Navy SEALs and their equipment for special operations missions....
on the East Coast, not the West Coast as Hammer will be doing. A brief confrontation between the two occurs on the beach and subsides when Mazzoli says it’s because of Babara. Soon Iraq invades Kuwait and Hammer is seen on a recon mission with Bosco who was Mazzoli’s and Hammer’s former lead training instructor. After coming under enemy fire Bosco is taken prisoner. Hammer and Mazzoli reunite when Mazzoli comes to aid in the rescue mission of Bosco. While preparing for the mission the two catch up with Hammer talking about how Barbara and her son Josh both miss seeing him. He further goes on and tells of his infidelities and about Barbara knowing about his unfaithfulness. Hammer and Mazzoli successfully rescue Boscoe but Hammer is severely injured during the mission.
While Hammer is hospitalized, Mazzoli picks up Barbara at the airport to bring her to see her husband. The two exchange a level of awkwardness and it is clear they both have feelings for each other. After ensuring that Hammer is okay, Barbara and Hammer began to argue and we learn that Hammer slept with Barbara’s best friend. While remaining around for Hammer’s sake, Barbara is guided around the area by Mazzoli. They two share some alone time together and their romantic feelings come back with each aware of the other’s feelings. Barbara informs Mazzoli that she will be leaving Hammer.
The SEAL commanders inform Hammer while in the hospital that they will be sending the SEALs back in to destroy the island facilities where Boscoe was being held. The island is a chemical weapons manufacturing base. Hammer intends on participating in the mission but is denied for medical reasons. He falsifies paperwork and is released from the hospital. He attends the briefing for the mission and produces his falsified medical clearance which gains him a spot on the mission roster.
The mission is launched and Mazzoli learns early on that Hammer wasn’t medically fit for diving. He raises his concern that Hammer put the whole team and mission in jeopardy. The mission is successful but the SEALs are discovered and are on the run. They commandeer a boat and plan on blowing up the boat. Hammer ensures he is the last one off the boat but becomes snagged by netting on his jump off the boat. The boat explodes and Mazzoli is seen searching the water for his friend. He finds Hammer and Hammer tells him “I’m dying” to which Mazzoli responds “You’re always dying.” The Seals are rescue and Hammer is being attended to when he goes into cardiac arrest. Upon the ships return to the docks Barbara is seen waiting and smiles when she sees Mazzoli. The smile turns to grief when she sees a saddened Mazzoli and other SEALs carrying a body bag containing Hammer's corpse off the ship. The movie ends with Mazzoli coming back into narration saying when Barbara and him both lost Hammer, they lost themselves as well, meaning they did not pursue a relationship.