PT 109 (film)
| PT 109 | |
|---|---|
original theatrical poster
|
|
| Directed by | Leslie H. Martinson |
| Produced by | Bryan Foy |
| Written by |
Screenplay: Richard L. Breen Adaptation: Vincent X. Flaherty Howard Sheehan |
| Based on |
PT 109 by Robert J. Donovan |
| Starring | Cliff Robertson |
| Narrated by | Andrew Duggan (uncredited) |
| Music by |
David Buttolph William Lava |
| Cinematography | Robert Surtees |
| Edited by | Folmar Blangsted |
|
Production
company |
|
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
140 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $4 million |
| Box office | est. $3,500,000 (US/ Canada) |
PT 109 is a 1963 biographical war film which depicts the actions of John F. Kennedy (JFK) as an officer of the United States Navy in command of Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109 during the Pacific War of World War II. The film was adapted by Vincent Flaherty and Howard Sheehan from the book PT 109: John F. Kennedy in World War II by Robert J. Donovan, and the screenplay was written by Robert L. Breen. Cliff Robertson stars as Kennedy, with featured performances by Ty Hardin, James Gregory, Robert Culp, and Grant Williams.
PT 109 was the first commercial theatrical film about a sitting United States President released while he was still in office and still alive. It was released in the United States on June 19, 1963, five months before Kennedy was assassinated.
U.S. Navy Lieutenant, junior grade John F. Kennedy (Cliff Robertson) uses his family's influence to get himself assigned to the fighting in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Theater during World War II, much to the surprise of Commander C.R. Ritchie (James Gregory). Kennedy lobbies for command of a PT boat, and is assigned to the "109", a badly damaged boat that is in dire need of repair and overhaul. Initially, Ritchie seems to regard the young, inexperienced Kennedy as something of a lightweight, but his enthusiasm to build a crew and refurbish the "109" to operational status eventually earns Ritchie's grudging respect. The crew includes Kennedy's executive officer, Ensign Leonard J. Thom (Ty Hardin), and sailors "Bucky" Harris (Robert Blake) and Edmund Drewitch (Norman Fell).
...
Wikipedia