Fox's 'Honor' on the line in Hollywood

Gooding Jr. plays hero in Navy diver biopic

By BILL HIGGINS

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Bob Teitel, Cuba Gooding Jr. and helmer George Tillman Jr. at the preem of 'Men of Honor.'

 

Carl Brashear, whose life story forms the basis for "Men of Honor," got a laugh during the pre-screening remarks at Wednesday's Academy preem when he recalled his family's poverty-stricken life as 1930s Kentucky sharecroppers and said his father once told him they "lived in Plumb, Nellie -- plumb out of town and nellie outta the country."

The old-fashioned humor seemed appropriate as producer Bob Teitel said Brashear wanted the biopic "to be an old-fashioned inspirational movie like they did in the '40s."

One guest called the film "an R-rated 'Remember the Titans.' "

Director George Tillman said, "Audiences today are so cynical. I wanted to do something where people can be inspired and have a hero."

Among those on hand for the heroics were Fox's Peter Chernin, Tom Rothman, Jim Gianopulos and Bob Harper; stars Cuba Gooding Jr. and Michael Rapaport; plus guests Tyra Banks, Jerry Bruckheimer, John Singleton, Forest Whitaker and Reginald Hudlin.