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A hauntingly beautiful photograph of six United States Marines raising their country’s national flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima in the final stages of the Pacific War led to a book being written — which inspired the 2006 Hollywood film, ‘Flags of Our Fathers’. Director Clint Eastwood was drafted into the army in the early 1950s, where he served as a swimming instructor at Fort Ord, California, before being honourably discharged in 1953. Decades later, he brought this captivating story to life on the big screen.
Three of the six Marines in the photograph—Sergeant Michael Strank, Corporal Harlon Block and Private First Class Franklin Sousley would later be killed in action in the same battle. The well-timed image became an iconic symbol of victory to a war-weary nation who were one of several that had sacrificed a lot during the war effort. The book, ‘Flags of Our Fathers’ was written in 2000 by James Bradley and Ron Powers. James’ father US Navy Corpsman John Bradley was believed for many years to have been one of the men captured in the iconic image but a thorough investigation by the United States Marine Corps later discovered in 2016 that there had been two cases of misidentification. James was initially surprised to hear that the Marine Corps had started an investigation into the identities of the men in the flag-raising photo, but said “I’m interested in facts and truths, so that’s fine, but I don’t know what’s happening.”
Soon after the announcement of the investigation, the man previously identified as John Bradley was clarified as then Private First Class Harold Schultz. James said he no longer believed his father had been in the photograph, citing research originally published in the Omaha World Herald in 2014. In 2019, the corps announced the man previously identified as Rene Gagnon was Marine Corporal Harold Keller.
The film was released before these developments came out into the public eye but it provided a harrowing account of the tenacious fighting that occurred on the small volcanic island. It achieved critical acclaim including a score of 76% from 239 critics on the film review site, Rotten Tomatoes.
Sydney Morning Herald writer Sandra Hall wrote: “It’s a strong, intelligent film and a deliberately unsatisfying one, since it possesses all the frustrating scrappiness of real life.”
Fort Worth Star journalist Christopher Kelly critiqued: “Eastwood has been more interested in breaking down myths and showing us the human cost of violence and conflict. Flags of Our Fathers soberly and intelligently continues that tradition.”
Audience reviewer Michael H added his thoughts alongside the professional critics as he stated: “This film shows you what a true hero is, with gripping, emotional, awesome war seens that are utterly brilliant.”
The site’s overall consensus states: “Flags of Our Fathers is both a fascinating look at heroism, both earned and manufactured, and a well-filmed salute to the men who fought at the battle of Iwo Jima.”
The film is taken from the American viewpoint of the battle. It was filmed almost entirely in Iceland and Southern California, with a few scenes shot in Chicago. Shooting ended in early 2006, before production for Letters from Iwo Jima, which told the story from the perspective of Japanese soldiers began in March of the same year.
