Taking Chance - the Movie

Posted By Blackfive

Remember LtCol Michael Strobl's account of escorting the remains of Marine Lance Corporal Chance Phelps (must read)?

It's going to be made into a movie for HBO.

HBO PAYING TRIBUTE TO CHANCE PHELPS
Lance Cpl. Chance Phelps' story will be told in movie form next year. HBO Films is starting production this summer on "Taking Chance." It is based on a firsthand account of Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, the volunteer military escort officer who accompanied Phelps' body across America. Phelps and Strobl share the same hometown of Dubois, Wyo., population 983. Filmmakers shot footage at Thursday's ceremony. The film should debut in 2007. Phelps' family said at first they were hesitant about the film but are hopeful it will be a positive film that rings true for many." This movie is actually going to be a way to honor everyone" who has died in service, said Phelps' mother, Gretchen   Mack.

And A Soldier's Perspective has more on a building commemorated in Chance's name at 29 Palms.

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Remember LtCol Michael Strobl's account of escorting the remains of Marine Lance Corporal Chance Phelps? If you don't, go there and read it now, it is a MUST READ! Back? Good now for the good news via Blackfive...It's going to be made into a movie... [Read More]

Comments

[David M]

Great news...but I only have one issue. Lt Col Stobl and Lance Corporal Chance are not from the same hometown. It was Lt Col Stobl's mistaken belief that he would be transporting a fallen Marine to his own hometown that had him volunteer to escort LCPL Chance's body.

However, this "mistake" resulted in an even more powerful message and event for Lt Col Stobl that we can all now share in when he ended up escorting Chance all the way to Wyoming, and then penned this; his account.

I'm not suprised that those in TV/Movieland didn't catch that as they probably didn't even read the entire first hand account.

Anyway, it is good news that OUR stories are being told and hopefully it won't be twisted into a hit peice against the military and the US.

[David M]

Crap in my haste to point out this error I made one of my own...Chance's full name is LCPL Chance Phelps. Not LCPL Chance.

[thebronze]

That's awesome news!

I hope they follow through...

[Jim]

Excellent news.

I hope they get it right.

Jim
Sloop New Dawn
Galveston, TX

[rt]

everytime i read that article, i tear up.

it is singularly one of the most powerful works of nonfiction that have been so far in this decade.

i pray to god they do the movie right. i hope to god that they don't turn it into some left-wing diatribe about 'war for oil' or 'bush lied' or some other nutso cause.

chance deserves better. so do the marines and every other fighting man and woman in uniform past, present and future.

and so does america.

[jordan]

This worries me.

While it's great that attention is being paid to the sacrifices our troops are making over there, I'm bothered by the fact that issues of interest to filmmakers always seem to revolve around the wounded and the dead. None seem interested in the greatest movie-friendly event of this war, the Battle for Fallujah.

As we've noted, so many films celebrating heroism were made during WWII, but we have yet to see even one made on this war. Many, such as Iwo Jima, covered the pain and loss as well as the feats of skill and endurance, and eventual triumph.

Today's NYT has an account of an HBO documentary called Baghdad ER, about the 86th Combat Support Hospital. Filmmakers were given wide access, and one nurse quotes, "This is hard-core, raw, uncut trauma."

After it's initial screening at the Pentagon, the military apparently "scaled back" it's involvement, feeling the film focused on the blood, guts and stress, and could end up demoralizing soldiers.

Gen. Schoomaker and Gen. Kiley (surgeon general of Army) were expected to attend a major screening, then backed out after the initial preview. Secretary of the Army Francis Harvey also declined. There apparently was concern that the grim scenes could demoralize soldiers and their families, and "negatively affect public opinions about the war." One said it's not something you'll stand up and cheer at when it's over.

One of the producers said, "Anything showing the grim realities of war is, in a sense, antiwar...you see in it what you bring to it." Oh. That's when I started worrying.

While it's great to show what our incredible medical corps deals with, I would hate to see another episode where the military or it's individual members is taken in and used as an ideological soapbox.

[Lisa Gilliam]

I guess the left takes us for fools or something!what do these morons know about the hardhships of war?their time was spent protesting something that they knew nothing about!We all already know that war is hell,my dad knows it first hand as well as many other combat vets,but,I don't need rich and spoiled lefty's to tell me about reality,and I don't think the military and their families need to here that old drumbeat repeated over and over,there are more interesting stories these folks can tell,If I want to see or here another "If it bleeds,it leads"story,I can get it from the Alphabet soup networks or the Al-AP, or the NYT's.

[BillieJean]

I was an Extra in "Taken Chance" and it really touched my heart and soul to even be apart of that movie. Just to know a fallen soldier story was amazing,and to meet the real Lt. Col. and his family was awsome( the crew & cast to) and truly we all take life for granted and how fast in a blink, its gone. Just grab ahold of the one(s) you love and just hang on tight. Thanks to all of the cast and crew and the talent aggent who let me be apart of that!

[burnsbarb]

I think this is a great way to show the way that military members are taken care of. Chance was a great person and this is a reflection of the sacrifice he made and the lives that he touched. Being from a small town, people don't get much recognition until something bad happens. Chance deserved to be known and this story makes me cry every time I read it. We miss you Chance and your soul lives on in everyone who knew you!!