Faith of My Fathers (2005)

"Faith of My Fathers" tells the tale of Senator John McCain's survival as a POW in Vietnam under the harshest of circumstances. His arms and one leg broken in his shoot-down over Hanoi, McCain is stabbed, denied adequate medical treatment and eventually left for dead by his captors, saved only when two other American POWs, Bud Day (who later received the Medal of Honor for his heroism as a POW) and Norris Overly become his cellmates and minister to his injuries.McCain is later faced with a greater moral dilemma when the Vietnamese offer to release him just as his father, an admiral, is about to assume command of all the US forces in Vietnam. McCain sees it for the propaganda ploy that it is and refuses early release even though his injuries warranted him accepting it. He sticks it out for three more years before returning with honor.Despite some of the comments by others, I found Scott Glenn's performance as Admiral McCain quite good. Admiral McCain is a war hero himself and he has to balance his role as a father with his role as a military leader. Invariably Admiral McCain sacrifices his personal concerns for his son's safety in favor of his responsibility for all of the Americans in Vietnam. His sense of honor is as stout as his son's. Admiral McCain seeks no privileges for himself or his son despite his son's harrowing ordeal.The Obama camp can only hope that his movie, first broadcast in 2005, isn't run again and again during the on-going election in 2008. Nothing in Obama's life story begins to even compare to the heroism and character that McCain demonstrated in his life and which is depicted in this movie. People should watch it to get insight into this man who may become President.

Faithful biography depicting the life of Sen. John McCain as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War.Coming from a strict military family, McCain is able to weather the storm on confinement and brutality of the North Vietnamese during the conflict.A weak student at the academy, McCain is backed up by his father, a very good performance by Scott Glenn. Glenn portrays a totally dedicated military official who doesn't even shake an eyelid when he informed that his son has been captured.The torture chambers and the torture inflicted on McCain and others is well shown.McCain is definitely pictured as a hero in this film. He refused to be released if it meant having to participate in North Vietnamese propaganda.A very good story dealing with military honor, call to duty and undying patriotism by our men and women in uniform.

I expected more for an A&E production, and I found the budget lacking. After watching other A&E productions, I found the producers cut a few corners with the high standards of previous A&E movies sets. Faith of my fathers has an excellent message about character, and going the extra mile. I find with my studies, work and my sick wife the movie is inspirational. It shames me into not feeling sorry for myself. The story is lacking in spots. I have never read the book, but I bet it is a long one. When you compress a long book into a hour and a half the viewer only gets a glimpse of the event. I love the part with grandpa and when John talks to his father and the reply is that John left nothing behind. God bless him and his character. I have no idea what I would do in such a situation. I give it a 6 out of 10. The movie left me looking for more. I think I will read the book after finishing one of my majors.

This story is a great tribute to those who withstood the horror of being a prisoner of war not only during the Vietnam War, but any conflict. I knew of Senator McCain's story at the time for I was 21 years old when he was released, but did not know the whole story until now. The young man who portrays McCain, Shawn Hatosy, is riveting, he catches every emotion the senator must have gone through during those five years. You can see the touching relationship he had with his career-navy father was the strength he drew from in the years he was imprisoned. It makes you think....how can another human be so utterly unfeeling to another human to think nothing of inflicting such torture and pain. I know the recent photos of our own military inflicting horrible torture upon others makes me see that any human can be inhuman, that it doesn't matter who you are or what country you were brought up in. But that is no excuse and you can see that in this story of how one man stood high and above his captors and never lost his respect for himself or the other prisoners there with him. God bless John McCain.