The Hunt for Red October

"It was people like these who had built the American Dream, and people like these who were needed to maintain it." - Tom Clancy The Hunt for Red October on the defecting Russian officers.

It was a post from CDR Salamander that got me thinking about Tom Clancy and The Hunt for Red October. It has been so long that I read a Clancy novel or seen the movie that I forgot which I did first - read the book of see the movie. I do remember seeing the movie when it first came out with my brother and we loved it. It holds up to the point that its hard not to picture Captain Marko Ramius anyone other Sean Connery whether you read the book or see the movie.

There were many differences between the two. The book was more detailed with the same basic plot but various differences. There was no US President in the movie or Ritter at the CIA while the role of Judge Moore was reduced to just a miniscule appearance in the movie now.

The dialog was also better in the movie. This is no surprise since Sean Connery only took the role because it was promised that the gun toting, cigar chomping John Milius would write Connery's big speech to the crew. Guessing Milius punched up the rest of the script too. He is, of course, uncredited. Hollywood seems to want to erase any memory of the man who directed Conan (giving Arnold his first big role) and Red Dawn.

The ending in the book is different than the movie but you can't hep but notice in neither case were the Americans the cause of Russian sailors' deaths. There was no blood on their hands.

Now to re-watch the move sometime.