Robert Downey, Jr. Producing Film About Sinking of the USS Indianapolis
Posted on Thursday, August 18th, 2011 by Russ Fischer
To movie fans, the WWII sinking of the USS Indianapolis is a familiar tale. Robert Shaw’s gruff, poetic account of the ship’s fate — and of the shark-infested waters into which the crew plunged after torpedoes broke the ship into pieces — is one of the crowning moments in Jaws. It’s one of the enduring film monologues, period. Want to see grown men cry? Play Shaw’s speech a couple times.
There is a newish wrinkle in the story of the Indianapolis, however, as in 1996 a young boy, inspired by Jaws, set out to exonerate Captain Charles McVay, who had been court-martialed for his role in the ship’s sinking. The boy was successful, and five years later the Captain’s record was amended. Now Robert Downey, Jr. and Susan Downey will produce a film with Warner Bros. about the boy’s efforts to clear the name of Captain McVay. Read More »
