The captain and the crew were taken hostage, and the pirates took the captain, richard phillips, off the ship into a lifeboat. English pronunciation help info is a convicted somali pirate. Ray to tell the true story of richard phillips, a u. Richard phillips, they say, is no hero, and the film is one big lie. The lead hijacker of the mv maersk alabama off the coast of somalia nearly 10 years ago has lost nearly half of the teeth in his mouth, according to. Richard phillips still sailing seas after 2009 pirate attack. Is adam driver s character based on ron stallworths reallife partner in the investigation. Travel thru history 25 facts about captain phillips and the. Hard to believe, but phillips considered that something of a victory. All of this is the basis for captain phillips, starring tom hanks as the titular, reallife hero.
Its autumn, my friends, a time of falling leaves and. Although the movie makes it feel like tom hankss character is only held hostage on the maersk alabamas lifeboat for about a day and a half, exploring the captain phillips true story reveals that the real richard phillips was held on the lifeboat for almost five days. The first thoughts to come to mind about piracy is wooden galleons on. Captain phillips lawsuit says he risked maersk alabama crews. He was rescued on sunday, april 12, 2009 after having been on the lifeboat since wednesday. Captain phillips is a 20 biographical survival thriller film directed by paul greengrass and starring tom hanks and barkhad abdi.
Inside a navy seal rescue the guidedmissile destroyer uss bainbridge tows the lifeboat from the maersk alabama to the amphibious assault ship uss boxer on. The captured pirate was released, but the pirates left with phillips in the lifeboat before the crew could take action. The film is heavily inspired by the true story of the 2009 maersk alabama hijacking, an incident in which merchant mariner captain richard phillips was taken hostage by somali pirates in the indian ocean led by abduwali muse. Captain phillips, who was said to be resting comfortably, spoke to officials of the maersk line, who quoted him as saying. Tom hanks phillips employs almost all the same strategies the reallife captain did to save his crew and himself from the armed pirates. He is the sole survivor of four pirates who hijacked the mv maersk alabama in april 2009 and then held captain richard phillips for ransom.
Phillips, 63, was the captain of the mv maersk alabama in the spring of 2009 when four somali pirates in an open skiff in the indian ocean pursued and boarded the cargo ship he was sailing. The crew of the alabama had decided to follow the lifeboat and their captain. Captain phillips stars rise from limo driver to oscars contender. Us warships track lifeboat containing pirates and captured captain.
It is through director paul greengrasss distinctive lens simultaneously a pulsepounding thriller, and a complex portrait of the myriad effects of globalization. But so too did two us warships, which blockaded the lifeboat and ordered them to hand phillips over. The real life lifeboat that is seen in the movie can be found in the u. One of the most remarkable things about us is also one of the easiest to overlook. When the navy sends some officers to check on captain phillips tom hanks in the lifeboat, najee faysal. But in 11 lawsuits crew members say they were knowingly. Richard phillips says he has gone back business as usual since being. Captain phillips condenses the story of the maersk alabama hijacking, omitting a few details, changing a few others, and, in paul greengrass signature style, zooming in on the key events in a. The producers of the captain phillips film visited the museum in the process of recreating the lifeboat and interiors for the set.
He was held in the lifeboat for four days and was psychologically tortured by the pirates who even conducted mock executions with him as the victim. Oct 11, 20 in the new film captain phillips, viewers shouldnt look to the movie for the complete story. But greengrass and screenwriter billy ray shattered glass go one step. The movie about his story and rescue opened friday. The only problem, say some members of the real capt. During the ordeal, commanding officer captain richard phillips tom hanks managed to keep his crew safe, but was taken hostage by somali pirate captain, muse barkhad abdi, and forced into the. Captain phillips is a 20 american biographical dramathriller film directed by paul greengrass and starring tom hanks and barkhad abdi. Apr 19, 2017 captain phillips 20 not here to negotiate scene 810 movieclips. It was highly successful critically and at the box office, with six oscar. Captain phillips 20 not here to negotiate scene 810. The owners of mv maersk alabama donated the bulletmarked 5ton fiberglass lifeboat upon which the pirates held captain phillips hostage to the national navy udtseal museum in fort pierce. The real crew from the maersk alabama that was taken by somali pirates state that the film account of their hijacking was less based on a true story and far more an account of revisionist historical fiction. Richard phillips born may 16, 1955 is an american merchant mariner and author who served as captain of the mv maersk alabama during its hijacking by somali pirates in april 2009. Phillips was held captive in the lifeboat by suspected somali pirates for.
Smiling somali pirate says jailers have ruined his grin. The movie captain phillips was based off the real piracy take over of the cargo ship, the maersk alabama, by somali pirates in 2009. Navy was on the scene, but richard phillips did not see how they could possibly rescue him. Somali pirate sentenced to nearly 34 years in prison. The real commander of captain phillips and one of his first mates have been thrilling audiences with their 4minute cinematic adventure and offscreen personal stories since the film. Oct 14, 20 captain phillips no hero in real life, say ships crew. Captain phillips is, in short, a terrific film, and i look forward to watching it again at a moment when iand, yes, perhaps only iwont be distracted by echoes of the congressional news of. Navy seals rescue captain phillips from pirate captors. Maersk alabama hijacking, incident involving the seizure of a u. The film is a true story of the gripping moments that captain richard phillips faced in 2009 when his alabama maersk container ship was hijacked by somali pirates as depicted by paul greengrass. The real heroes are the navy, the seals, those who have brought me. This is the actual lifeboat used during the filming of captain phillips, starring tom hanks.
Captain phillips, starring tom hanks and directed by paul greengrass, is a proficient thriller with a sly political agenda continue to indiewire skip ad. Tom hanks, left, and barkhad abdirahman star in columbia pictures captain phillips. How close did captain philips get to the real life. Visit captain phillips maersk alabama lifeboat at navy seal.
Phillips turns his head as muse enters the lifeboat. The most famous line in captain phillips was improvised. The real vermont star of captain phillips is still at the. Captain phillips no hero in real life, say ships crew. The story about captain phillips and the hijacking of the maersk alabama is a good nonfiction story however it was tom hanks and a thrilling hollywood spin that made this a winner. The lifeboat had recently been on loan to national geographic for its real pirates exhibition at the nauticus marine science museum in norfolk, virginia.
Dec 25, 20 how close did captain philips get to the real life piracy tale. Captain phillips is a multilayered examination of the 2009 hijacking of the u. The lead hijacker of the mv maersk alabama off the coast of somalia nearly 10 years ago has lost nearly half of the teeth in his mouth, according to a federal civil rights lawsuit he filed from prison. Oct 14, 20 after surviving an attack by pirates, as depicted in a film starring tom hanks, the real life captain phillips is still fightingfor union jobs. In both the movie and in the real thing, captain phillips and his crew prevented the pirates from taking over the ship. On easter sunday, april 12, 2009, us special operations forces, included seal team 6, staged a dramatic rescue of a us captain of cargo ship who had been taken hostage by somali pirates. He is to captain the maersk alabama from oman to mombasa. Mariner details life aboard a lifeboat somali pirates have been holding richard phillips, captain of the maersk alabama, for four days now aboard a lifeboat. The officers name was changed for the book and movie. In the black klansman book, stallworth calls him chuck. Navy snipers took aim into a covered life boat some 75 feet away that was also. This film does start off sort of slow but as soon as i got impatient the action picked up. Oct, 20 all of this is the basis for captain phillips, starring tom hanks as the titular, reallife hero.
Oct 10, 20 captain phillips is based on his memoir of the event, which was widely reported in newspapers and on television. Oct 11, 20 captain phillips is, in short, a terrific film, and i look forward to watching it again at a moment when iand, yes, perhaps only iwont be distracted by echoes of the congressional news of. A scaneagle drone from the bainbridge locates the lifeboat, the pirate mother ship, and the maersk alabama, all within a few miles of each other. In rescue of captain, navy kills 3 pirates the new york. How does the real captain phillips rate the movie version of his private pirate drama. A federal appellate court in chicago rejected the argument of convicted somali pirate abduwali abdukhadir muse, shown here in 2009, that he was just 16 during the 2009 hijacking of a u.
Richard phillips praises tom hanks lowkey portrayal of a harrowing. Captain phillips one of two hanks releases this fall, along with disneys saving mr. Captain phillips and the truth about what happened vb. When you visit the navy seal museum in fort pierce, florida, you can board the lifeboat upon which captain richard phillips was. Somali pirates, navy seals, and dangerous days at sea. In real life, richard phillips never offered the pirates to take or shoot him instead of his crew. During his schooling, phillips worked as a taxi driver in boston.
How close did captain philips get to the real life piracy. Oct 10, 20 tom hanks, left, and barkhad abdirahman star in columbia pictures captain phillips. Phillips, a 53yearold former taxi driver, offered himself to the pirates as a. In the new film captain phillips, viewers shouldnt look to the movie for the complete story. Tom hanks talks captain phillips, meeting the real title.
In the end, when captain phillips was rescued, i was eminently satisfied with the outcome, howard said. Heres whats truetolife and whats manufactured by hollywood according to phillips memoir, a captain s duty. Richard phillips had been held hostage on a lifeboat after pirates tried to. Richard phillips says he has gone back business as usual since being taken hostage in a 2009 pirate attack off the coast of somalia. Najee grabs the knife away from phillips and orders bilal to move away from him. When you visit the museum, you can view the lifeboat upon which captain richard phillips was held hostage for five days before being rescued on april 12, thanks to the accuracy of navy seal snipers. Phillips enrolled at the university of massachusetts amherst. Captain phillips is an american drama film released in october 20 about the real life maersk alabama hostage situation, in which somali pirates boarded and seized a freighter. Before graduating in 1979, he also worked as a cab driver in boston. Of irish descent, phillips was born in massachusetts, and graduated from winchester high school in 1973. Visit captain phillips maersk alabama lifeboat at navy.
The film captain phillips is based on a true story of the 2009 hijacking of an american ship by somali pirates. Richard phillips tom hanks, in a terrific performance is driven to the airport by his wife catherine keener for his next job. But because captain phillips is a big, american studio picture that aims to wow audiences as well as awards voters, greengrass also has to portray good guys and bad guys, winners and losers, and hang those tags on people and struggles that cant be categorized so easily in the real world. Captain phillips, a taut, finely crafted, superbly acted maritime thriller, is just one of a wave of fabulous films heading our way. Nov 06, 20 the real commander of captain phillips and one of his first mates have been thrilling audiences with their 4minute cinematic adventure and offscreen personal stories since the film. The majority of the movie was filmed inside of this small vessel and not in a studio. Richard phillips still sailing seas after 2009 pirate. Captain phillips accuracy captain phillips wiki fandom. Although the crew eventually repelled the attackers, capt. Richard phillips born may 16, 1955 is an american merchant mariner and author who served. Jan 31, 2014 the 20 film captain phillips starring tom hanks is based on a true historical event. Heres a look at the facts surrounding the 2009 hijacking of the maersk alabama.
Phillips tells his version of the gripping story in the 2010 book he coauthored with stephan talty, titled a captain s duty. Captain phillips no hero in real life, say ships crew this article is more than 6 years old sailors who served under phillips during hijacking of maersk alabama dispute captain s actions as. After being held captive by somali pirates, captain richard phillips has now returned to the u. Phillips real life crew member says his captain was just 235 miles off the coast, though phillips says he was 300 miles off. Muse barkhad abdi takes command of the ship, demanding that captain phillips tom hanks produce the crew. Maersk alabama lifeboat and mk 25 sniper rifle from easter seal rescue the maersk alabama was captured by somali pirates on april 8, 2009.
This lifeboat is call a freefall lifeboat because it would fall. It was worse living it than watching it, the 58yearold underhill resident said matteroffactly last. The lifeboat was carrying ten days of food rations, water, and basic survival supplies. How close did captain philips get to the real life piracy tale. Somali pirates in talks with elders and fbi over us hostage richard. As everyone knows and as depicted in tom hankss new movie, captain phillips, the captain ended up spending days in a lifeboat with the pirates until a team of navy seal snipers killed his. The film is inspired by the true story of the 2009 maersk alabama hijacking, an incident during which merchant mariner captain richard phillips was taken hostage by somali pirates in the guardafui channel led by abduwali muse. According to a crew member, phillips and the pirates got into the ships rescue boat, but it would not start, so the crew dropped a lifeboat and met the pirates to switch prisoners and boats. Federal court in chicago rejects appeal of convicted somali. Richard phillips was captain of the us container ship called the maersk alabama that was hijacked in 2009 by pirates from the nation of somalia. May 18, 2010 somali pirate sentenced to nearly 34 years in prison. This is the actual lifeboat used during the filming of captain phillips, starring. Phillips looks at muse with suspicion shane murphy.
Oct 01, 20 in the tom hanks movie captain phillips is the hero who risked his life for his crew when pirates took the maersk alabama in april 2009. Tom hanks as captain phillips is pushed into a lifeboat by a. Oct 11, 20 reallife captain phillips recalls highseas drama. Justjust however many times it takes, pump it and youre in the water and on the go.
When the navy sends some officers to check on captain phillips tom hanks in the lifeboat, najee faysal ahmed gets. Navy, and specifically navy marksmen, fatally shot all but one of the pirates and rescued captain phillips. The owners of mv maersk alabama donated the bulletmarked 5ton fiberglass lifeboat upon which the pirates held captain phillips hostage to the national navy udtseal museum in fort pierce, florida, in august 2009. This historic movie boat is in the same condition as when it left the set with the broken out drivers window, bullet holes and fake blood spatter. An american ship captain was held at gunpoint by four somali pirates inside a lifeboat. The identity of the real officer who posed as the white stallworth has not been revealed. Tom hanks stars as the eponymous captain richard phillips. Richard phillips was taken hostage aboard one of the maersk alabama s lifeboats. He was rescued on sunday, april 12, 2009 after having been on the lifeboat. It doesnt depict the aftermath inside the lifeboat or the criminal investigation that followed.
On 16 february 2011, muse was sentenced to over 33 years in u. Maersk alabama lifeboat national navy udtseal museum. Merchant captain taken hostage in 2009 by somali pirates. On orders from president obama, the brave men and women of the u. Captain phillips, according to his crew, proved to be no hero during the 2009 pirate attack on the cargo ship maersk alabama. The maersk alabama was captured by somali pirates on april 8, 2009. The sea rescue of captain phillips after his dramatic rescue, richard phillips was reunited with his his mother, virginia far left, his wife, andrea far right, and his children, daniel and mariah, at the airport in burlington, vt.