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American Morning
'Pearl Harbor' Focuses Attention on WWII Vets
Aired May 28, 2001 - 10:39 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL TUSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: "Pearl Harbor" blitzed the box office this Memorial Day weekend and helped get the summer movie season off to an explosive start. Disney's highly-hyped, loosely- historical epic, "Pearl Harbor," is proving itself worth its $135 million price tag.
According to early estimates, the movie collected $75.6 million at the box office for the weekend. That makes it No. 1 for the weekend. But it didn't break the Memorial weekend record set by "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" back in 1997.
He may have slipped to second, but that jolly green ogre "Shrek" didn't do too shabby himself. The DreamWorks animated fairy tale took in a giant amount of green again this weekend: $54.4 million, according to early estimates. And "The Mummy Returns" wrapped up the top three. The adventure starring Brendan Fraser brought in an estimated $19.1 million.
From movie theaters to Main Street this Memorial Day weekend, World War II veterans, especially those who served during the attack on Pearl Harbor, are getting special attention -- as they should -- because of the film.
CNN's Paul Vercammen talked with some Pearl Harbor veterans about Hollywood's version of events.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As "Pearl Harbor" debuted before clusters of moviegoers, revelry echoed at a gathering of American Pearl Harbor veterans in Los Angeles. Pearl Harbor survivors say when the movie makes war, not love, it's gripping.
Marine machine gunner Glen Roberts:
GLEN ROBERTS, PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR: The battle scenes and all were terrific. They looked realistic. They really wrung it back in your head.
VERCAMMEN: This is actual footage of Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941. The new movie stirred the emotions of Army gunnery Sergeant Tony Iantorno, now 81 years old. TONY IANTORNO, PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR: Especially the part where they were carrying all those wounded guys into the hospital, because I was stationed right there at Hospital Point. And I was asked by the crew of the motor launches that were picking the bodies up if I would help carry the bodies into the hospital.
VERCAMMEN: "Pearl Harbor" shows the women at those hospitals and their unsung bravery. Navy nurse Peggy Swann Dye, 27 years old in 1941, pretty and more conservative than her on screen counterparts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "PEARL HARBOR")
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: See you on the beach, boys!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PEGGY SWANN DYE, PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR: Well, the nurses were a little far out in this one. I don't remember being so risque, but...
(LAUGHTER)
IANTORNO: We couldn't talk to nurses in Hawaii. But the story about the attack at Pearl Harbor is pretty much right.
VERCAMMEN (on camera): For the cast and crew of "Pearl Harbor," what seems most important for them is that this day that lived in infamy not be forgotten, especially the sacrifices made by American service men and women in this harbor.
(voice-over): The actors get high marks from 83-year-old Ed Sowman (ph), a sailor who fought at Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Coral Sea and other key battles on the heavy cruiser USS New Orleans.
ED SOWMAN, WORLD WAR II VETERAN: Their performance will spark a lot of things in the young people. And they will think about Pearl Harbor. And maybe they'll know more about it.
VERCAMMEN: Vets say many students ask them, "Where was Pearl Harbor?" Future generations won't hear stirring firsthand accounts of this attack; 79-year-old Warren Hutchens, a Bugle Corps corporal, explains, 1,000 Pearl Harbor veterans are passing away each year.
WARREN HUTCHENS, PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR: We're losing survivors very fast. We have -- nationwide, we have 7,400 left. We used to have 16,000.
VERCAMMEN: Just as the Memorial Day flags serve as reminders of valor, perhaps "Pearl Harbor" the movie can provide a gallant generation with a lasting salute.
Paul Vercammen, CNN, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TUSH: Some memories. That's what's happening this morning in entertainment news. I'll be back here at 11:30 Eastern for our next "Showbiz Today Reports" with our box office analyst to discuss the big holiday weekend at the movies.
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