Pressure
The story of D-Day is well documented; still, this film
captures the intense pressure to launch the invasion and the critical role of
the meteorological forecast. This all sounds very technical, but it's just a
background for some outstanding acting.
The story begins three days before D-Day, when Eisenhower
demands that his meteorological team provide a forecast with certainty. The
Scottish Group Captain James Stagg is appointed chief meteorologist, and he
soon clashes with the American Colonel Irving P. Kirk. Kirk has served with
Eisenhower on several campaigns, so he has Eisenhower's confidence.
General Eisenhower is played by Brendan Fraser. He gives an
intense performance, capturing the immense pressure of Eisenhower’s decision to
launch the largest sea and air invasion and putting thousands of soldiers’ lives
in peril. He wants certainty in the forecasts, but what he gets is conflicting opinions.
This uncertainty is the crux of the movie.
Andrew Scott plays James Stagg; he delivers a brilliant
performance. He is very confident in his forecast and remains steadfast even in
the face of Eisenhower’s haranguing. Eisenhower never lets up on the pressure,
and Stagg does not bend.
Chris Messina plays Irving Kirk. His confidence borders on
arrogance, and his antagonism toward Stagg is palpable. Kirk relies on
historical weather patterns, whereas Stagg argues that the North Sea is
unpredictable and that weather patterns can shift within the same day.
Another important character is Kay Summersby, portrayed by
Kerry Condon. She is Ike’s personal assistant and something of a whisperer,
calming him and chiding him. There are salacious stories about Ike and Kay, but
that is for another movie.
I learned something new from this film, Operation Tiger.
This was a rehearsal for the invasion. Slapton Sands was the site of the
exercise because it resembled Utah Beach. Live ammunition was used to accustom
soldiers and recruits to the sounds and smells of combat. There was a
miscommunication about the start time of the exercise, and when the
bombardments began, more than 700 servicemen were killed by friendly fire.
Aside from the story's historical nature, the film is
well-scripted and well-acted. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a score of 87%.
