Filming Has Begun on Movie About Adventist Medic in WWII
November 10, 2015: The production company has started filming Hacksaw Ridge, the dramatic movie about Desmond Doss, the Adventist who is the only American soldier to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor as conscientious objector. This was reported last week by Variety, the primary trade journal for the Hollywood cinema industry.
The report traced the history of the movie project since 2001, when noted produce David Permut first heard the story of Doss. “It stopped me in my tracks,” Permut is quoted. “The notion that he would not even touch a gun. He’s a forgotten hero. This is such a unique way into a war story; a man who stood by his convictions.”
Doss was a Seventh-day Adventist in the American state of Virginia who was drafted during the Second World War into the U.S. Army. He followed his religious convictions and Adventist teaching at the time, serving as an unarmed medic. Even if a war was just, he believed that killing was wrong. During the Battle of Okinawa near the end of the war, Doss saved 75 men from death, lowering them down a steep escarpment named Hacksaw Ridge by the soldiers.
Earlier in the story Doss is shown receiving ridicule for his Sabbath-keeping, Bible study and prayer from some of the men he later saved. An unknown number of young Adventists drafted during that war took a similar stand and quietly shared a witness for a nonviolent approach to life that has historically been part of Adventist faith but not required of members.
The Variety story outlines the 14 years of business negotiations that have gone into assembling a $53 million production budget for the movie and a partnership of eight producers. In addition to Permut, William D. Johnson of Demarest Media, Brian Oliver and Tyler Thompson of Cross Creek, Bill Mechanic of Pandemonium Films, Bruce Davey, Paul Currie, and Terry Benedict, the producer of the 2004 documentary The Conscientious Objector, will all share the production credits.
Originally the producers wanted a family movie that would be rated PG-13. More recently Mechanic told Variety, “I thought the story would be hurt if we went that way because it’s so intense.” Consequently the end product may not be something that can be shown at Adventist schools and youth groups, due to the violence displayed. The battle for the island of Okinawa is remembered as one of the bloodiest in the war.
The Adventist denomination was approached early on by a producer attempting to purchase the rights to the story, Variety reports based on the memory of Steve Longi from the production team. “But the church opted to give control over to Benedict, who was working on the documentary.” Mechanic later made a deal with Benedict. The report does not indicate that the denomination will receive any residuals from the movie or, in fact, was paid anything at all.
Well-known film star Mel Gibson is the director for the movie. He famously and controversially produced a movie about the crucifixion of Jesus. “Mel has never made a bad movie” as a director, Oliver is quoted in the report.
The financial package came together in February of this year at the annual Berlin film festival when Lionsgate (a major cinema distribution company) bought the U.S. rights and IM Global sold rights to distribute it in many different languages and nations around the world. On August 17, YouZoo Pictures completed a deal to distribute the movie in Chinese, Variety reported.
Despite the fact that the medium is one long condemned by Adventists, commercial cinema will carry the witness of an Adventist young adult in the 1940s to many millions of people around the globe. Pieces of the Adventist message are embedded in the story and will be heard by some for the first time. It will also create a massive number of conversation opportunities during which Adventists can share faith with neighbors, coworkers and relatives.
“Will the denomination do anything to prepare people specifically for this opportunity?” Adventist Today was asked by one veteran minister. “You do not have to go see the movie to talk about it or explain why we believe in nonviolence and the Sabbath.”
“There could be no creativity without the curiosity that moves us and sets us patiently impatient before a world that we did not make, to add to it something of our own making.
— Paulo Freire
By watching the Ben Carson media circus, and the way the church “handles” or fails to “handle” the media, I have learned some valuable lessons. As individuals and as a church, there are four major mistakes we need to avoid in dealing with the media spotlight.
1. Not understanding the ‘media mindset’. The more you understand how the journalist thinks, the more likely you are to be able to deliver something he or she is looking for. What many in the media want is something that will catch the attention of their readers (or viewers, or listeners).
2. Not communicating truthfully. Problems most often occur when people just respond to the journalist’s questions, rather than thinking clearly about what they want to get across. Communication is the trnasfer of meaning. Desmond Doss lived a life of integrity. Our communications regarding his life should reflect the truth.
3. Not getting to the point. This is particularly important if you get the chance to go on radio or TV. Journalists are under pressure to deliver a lot of material quickly. They get frustrated by people who go into endless irrelevant detail rather than getting on with it.
4. 4. Talking in jargon. Don’t make the mistake of assuming everyone knows as much about your church as you do.
Sam,
Speaking as a former newspaper writer/editor, I would add #5: Give them something substantive. This is only possible when we follow the four steps you’ve outlined so we can know the difference between giving them something that will be interesting to the public, or if we’re just trying to pat ourselves on the back.
William, excellent point, thanks for your input!
I could not agree with you more. As an example, a friend cancelled his subscription, and got upset when a local newspaper did not print a picture of his grandson’s VBS graduation picture in the local news section. It may have been of intense pride and joy for him but not “substantive” enough for a metropolitan newspaper with a constituency of over a half-million readers.
Thanks.
Regarding Ben Carson and the SDA church response,
For whatever reasons, it appears that the NAD PR people have been advised to stay as far away as possible from identifying in any way with Ben Carson’s political campaign. And they may be right. There is likely no “winning” for the church in the political/press coverage arena.
Not that I consider it likely, but there is a possibility that Dr Carson could be elected President of the US of A. I wonder how the NAD PR people would handle that? In reality they would probably breathe a huge collective sigh of relief when and if he is no longer campaigning for that office.
Dr. Carson seems on course to provide many interesting asides on matters of faith and Bible history, and these by and large are his own views, not his Church’s. One of the strengths of an independent Adventist press is that we all can comment here to our hearts’ content, in a way that permits the institutional church to appropriately remain above this particular fray….
I heard that Jean Weidner was approached about making a film of his WW2 experiences, based on “Flee the Captor” by herb Ford. The filmmakers insisted on putting a fictitious love interest in the film. Weidner refused; the film was never maid.
Sounds true but I can’t verify it.
“The film was never maid”??? I guess you can’t spel either.
To Hoffer:
You could have just pointed the mistake and the suggested correction. NO need to denigrate others.
The idea that Doss is the only soldier to be awarded the Medal of Honor (the correct name) who was a conscientious objector is simply false. An African American, conscientious objector medic, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his service in saving lives during Viet Nam.
A Roman Catholic priest was awarded the Medal of Honor for his service during WW II. Under international agreement military chaplains are considered non-combatant and required to refrain from the use of weapons. So, he was officially considered non-combatant. Whether or not this was his personal belief in not known.
Doss was rightfully considered a hero. But, he should not be thought to be the only person who as a conscientious objector was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Doss has been considered the first, NOT the only. A CO medic in Afghanistan also received the MOH. In the final Hacksaw Ridge script, there is no fictionalization of the Doss story, his life, his beliefs, his integrity, the biblical principles he adhered to or the SDA church. Truth will make a better movie in this instance than fiction.
1) Many Adventists have wrongly claimed that Doss was the only conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor. In recent times some have begun to say that he was the first.
2)With a few exceptions, conscientious objectors (CO) have not been allowed to enlist in the military in recent times. With the end of the so-called “draft” conscientious objectors have not generally been allowed to serve in the military. What is the documentation for the statement about the medic who served in Afghanistan. Enlisted medics are generally armed and not allowed to serve as COs, since the draft ended.
Sandra Blackmer, writing in the November 14, online edition of the REVIEW says:
NOTE: Steven Chavez in a comment on the above article says that the other two are Thomas W. Bennett and Joseph G LaPoint, both Baptists.
[quote]Over several days in May 1945 Doss rescued more than 80 wounded comrades on the Pacific island of Okinawa. For his bravery he is one of three conscientious objectors to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor.1 His citation reads in part, “Through his outstanding bravery and unflinching determination in the face of desperately dangerous conditions, Pfc. Doss saved the lives of many soldiers.”[/quote]
Sandra Blackmer writing in the November 14 online edition of the REVIEW tells us that Doss was one of three COs who has been awarded the Medal of Honor.
Steven Chavez, in a comment on the above article tells us that the other two were Thomas W. Bennett and Joseph G. LaPoint, both Baptists.
[quote]Over several days in May 1945 Doss rescued more than 80 wounded comrades on the Pacific island of Okinawa. For his bravery he is one of three conscientious objectors to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor.1 His citation reads in part, “Through his outstanding bravery and unflinching determination in the face of desperately dangerous conditions, Pfc. Doss saved the lives of many soldiers.”[/quote]
Interesting that it has to take a doctor running for president (politics) and a movie (“medium is one long condemned by Adventists”)to get more public exposure to the “remnant church”. The leadership can cry..”share your faith or the 3 angel’s messages” until they are blue in the face yet many/most Americans do not know what SDA is about.
Jimbob,
If we are to tell stories that draw positive attention to the church we must first have positive stories that are worth telling. Doing that about the Adventist church is difficult because of how few good stories exist to be told. For example, in 1984-85, I was part of the Faith For Today team when we began producing “Christian Lifestyle Magazine.” Each program featured Christians in action ministering their faith and a complaint we often received was that we had so few Adventist stories. The simple truth was that we tried very hard to find SDA stories, but there were extremely few to be told because most of what was suggested for stories turned-out to have enough substance to be worth telling.
Today, I lead a ministry team at my church that helps people with home-related challenges. We do things that change lives and draws people to God. I’m not sure a whole lot of it is photogenic, but it sure is heart-tugging! Contrast that with the person who has on a few occasions in their life given a few Bible studies but hasn’t for 20 years and thinks they’re doing God’s work today and that their old story is worth telling today. The two just don’t compare. I’m not even remotely suggesting that what we do in my ministry is worth making a movie about, but when what most of what the very few active Adventists are doing is closer to the second type of “ministry” it is easy to see why there are so few Adventist stories worth telling.
In regard to Adventist stories worth telling, it has been my experience that those most active in sharing their faith and ministering in the community often are the least diligent scribes of their experiences. It reminds me of the Christians gathered with Jesus in the judgment, when the Lord tells them the wonderful things they have done—things they had never associated with a supernatural experience, and they protest: (Matthew 25:37)… ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? 38 And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? 39 And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’
John in his epistle says that most of what happened while Jesus was on earth never made it into print. I suspect we’ll be learning about these experiences in our postgraduate experience after the Lord returns. In my personal experience, the “great stories” come back to me as I meditate. Left to my own devices, I would tend to dismiss the drama as “all in a days work”; In fact, most of the inspiring stories “come back to me” in their majesty and inspiration as I meditate on the goodness of God, after the fact. We must “be still” and know… I grew up in a culture that taught me to “Go, go, go.” It’s hard to slow down and listen to the still, small voice….
William,
Thanks for the reply/feedback.
I am not surprised. Some will not share their experiences or stories because they don’t want to sound conceited. Probably few in this category.
The SDA organization does not train to share. They give cliché lip service like spread the 3 angels message, share your faith, touch people with Jesus, give bible studies….
Most SDA can’t share about the health message because they would come off as hypocrites.
It is absolutely pathetic.
Most SDA pastors are not into EPH 4:12..equipping the saints for the work of the ministry. This is why there is so much infighting…people frustrated and just rant on each other.
I carry GLOW tracks in my car to hand out, outreach on various internet sites and not just gripe here and Spectrum. I study my SS lesson because so much is missed in the class on comments so I fill in the gaps that is missed in discussion.
What I see that seems a waste of money is the paid staff of ministerial secretaries. Most SDA pastors do not know what their job assignment/description is and are poorly trained.
this is erroneous, Gregory Crosby never wrote the script for the movie. And you are discrediting his skills by saying that he wrote something that was not acceptable. I would be very interested to find where you got this information from, and why facts are not verified before they publicly discredit somebody skills who was also a member of the writers Guild of America. Somebody did write a script, which is not acceptable, it was not Gregory. Gregory wrote the treatment which Sold Bill mechanic on the concept of doing this movie. This transcript was transcribed by Siri.
A Documentary Film about Desmond Doss by Terry Benedict was made in 2004, Copyright by the Georgia-Cumberland Assn, of Seventh-day Adventists. http://www.desmonddoss.com Its title: “The Conscientious Objector, A True Story of an American Soldier.”
Squibs on DVD jacket: “Audience Choice Award 2004 Cinequest Film Festival
Best Documentary Film” and “Director’s Award 2004, Cinequest Film Festival
DxD (Digital by Digital.” “Produced and Directed by Terry L. Benedict.
Written by Terry Benedict and Jeff Wood. Music by Bob Christianson. A Chaparral West.Inc. Production in association with D’Artagnan Entertainment.
Running time 101 min.”
“It’s… 1945… World War II… The Place… Okinawa… The Scene… An
impregnable 400-foot high cliff-a.k.a Hacksaw Ridge… The Engagement… a battle so fierce the odds of survival were 1 in 10. The Act… Medic Pfc. Desmond T. Doss braved intense enemy fire to rescue 75 wounded G.I.s over the precipice. THE STORY… Infantrymen who once ridiculed and scoffed at Desmond’s simple faith and refusal to carry a weapon-now owed their lives to him. Director Terry Benedict tells Desmond’s incredible story through the eyes of the men who witnessed this humble man’s heroic acts. Winning the respect of his fellow soldiers, they recommended him for the highest honor America can bestow on one of her sons-The Medal of Honor.” This is an interesting documentary. (I was a Korean War CO Medic who worked stateside, already a Registered X-Ray…