TAKING CHANCE (TV)
Summary
This televised drama film is based on the true story of Marine Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl's decision to personally escort the body of 20-year-old PFC Chance Phelps back to his hometown in Colorado. The story begins in April 2004 as two Marines notify the Phelps family of Chance's death and Strobl reads through an Internet list of recent casualties. At work, he informs his superiors about the need for additional Marines to replace the fallen, though they seem to disagree with his analysis. As Strobl returns home to his family, the bodies of several Marines arrive at the base in Dover, Delaware. When Strobl notices Phelps' name on the casualties list, he volunteers to escort him back to Colorado, noting that he hails from the same town, and explains his decision to his wife. The mortician carefully prepares Phelps' body and cleans his personal effects, and Phelps travels to Dover and receives detailed instructions for transporting the remains and attending the funeral. He spots a group of Marines sewing uniforms and learns that Phelps was highly decorated for a Private First Class, then politely rejecting Colonel Bell's offer of a psychiatrist's number. Master Gunnery Sergeant Demetry gives Strobl Phelps' personal effects and two flags, as his parents are divorced, as well as a personal letter from his commander. The mortician then explains that Phelps' body is not in a state to be viewed, and Strobl makes another routine identification before heading off to the Philadelphia airport.
The young driver, Rich, explains that he was fearful of enlisting and is surprised when Strobl reveals that he himself joined up at age seventeen and found the Corps experience fun. Rich admits that he has doubts about the war overall and has lost friends overseas, but wanted to help in some way, offering his condolences to the Phelps family. Strobl is gratified to receive an upgrade to first class at the airport, though encounters some trouble at security when he refuses to allow Phelps' personal effects into the x-ray or to "denigrate" his uniform by removing his jacket. He talks with an airport worker about the military life as he observes the coffin being loaded onto the plane, and once aboard, a flight attendant gives him a small crucifix without explanation. Upon arriving in Minneapolis, Strobl is troubled when he encounters a young sergeant also from Dover who is escorting his own brother's remains back to their hometown of Rochester. He opts to stay overnight in the hangar with Phelps' body rather than retiring to a hotel, again looking through the young man's personal effects. In the morning, he meets pilot Tom Garrett, also a veteran of Desert Storm, demurring that he is now only a "numbers-cruncher" and has not seen action for some time. On the plane to Billings, he is amused to see his pretty young seatmate texting about the "hot soldier" beside her, and when they land, Garrett respectfully allows Strobl to disembark first with Phelps' coffin and commits the Marine's name to memory.
Strobl meets Gary Hargrove from the funeral home, who comments that he knows Phelps' father. On the long drive back, a number of other cars on the road observe the flag-draped casket in the car and form a symbolic funeral procession. Strobl then meets Major Thompson, who made the notification, who invites Strobl to a small get-together at a bar in Phelps' honor. He signs the papers at the funeral home and, despite the fact that it will be a closed-casket funeral, checks Phelps' uniform one last time and deems it "perfect," though he is clearly disturbed by his injuries. He attempts to fill out his escort trip report and then heads for the bar, where he meets an older Marine, Charlie Fitts, as well as many of Phelps' friends and family. They share funny stories about him, though Cpl. Arenz then relates the story of Phelps' death, explaining that he was in the tank's turret at the time and attracted enemy fire onto himself to save his friends, and expressing guilt over the demise of a young man he trained. Strobl tells Fitts that he himself should have been there, feeling that he is less of a Marine for taking an "office tour," but Fitts sternly tells him that it is no less honorable to be a "witness" to Phelps' service. Later, Strobl meets the Phelps family and turns over Chance's effects and the flight attendant's crucifix, explaining that he was treated with dignity all along the way, recalling Rich, Garrett, and all the other strangers who were affected by Phelps' death. Mr. Phelps reads the letter from Chance's commander, which commands his bravery and friendly nature, and the official funeral service is performed as the townspeople observe and Phelps' parents receive their symbolic flags. Strobl offers one final salute and then flies back home in his civilian clothes, writing an essay entitled "Taking Chance" about the experience and admitting that he misses the young Marine, though he did not know him in life. The film closes with images of the real Phelps.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: February 21, 2009 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:17:40
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 103564
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Military
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV, 2009
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Brad Krevoy … Executive Producer
- Cathy Wischner-Sola … Executive Producer
- Ross Katz … Executive Producer, Director, Writer
- William Teitler … Co-Executive Producer
- Lori Keith Douglas … Producer
- Fred Berger … Associate Producer
- Frank Schaeffer … Associate Producer
- Michael R. Strobl … Writer, Based on the journal by
- Marcelo Zarvos … Music by
- Kevin Bacon … Cast, Lt. Col. Mike Strobl
- Tom Aldredge … Cast, Charlie Fitts
- Blanche Baker … Cast, Chris Phelps
- Guy Boyd … Cast, Gary Hargrove
- Gordon Clapp … Cast, Tom Garrett
- Mike Colter … Cast, Machine Gunnery Sgt. Demetry
- Ann Dowd … Cast, Gretchen
- Noah Fleiss … Cast, Army Sergeant
- Enver Gjokaj … Cast, Corporal Arenz
- Brendan Griffin … Cast, Major Thompson
- John Bedford Lloyd … Cast, General Kruger
- John Magaro … Cast, Rich Brewer
- Wolé Parks … Cast, Major Schott
- Victor Slezak … Cast, Sgt. Mulcahy
- Sarah Thompson … Cast, Annie
- Paige Turco … Cast, Stacey Strobl
- Sharon Washington … Cast, Mortuary Technician
- Julie White … Cast, Colonel Karen Bell
- Tom Wopat … Cast, John Phelps
- Nicholas Reese Art … Cast, Nate Strobl
- Tom Bloom … Cast, Navy Chaplain
- James Castanien … Cast, Robert Orndoff
- Henry Coy … Cast, Marine Driver
- Joel De La Fuente … Cast, Ticketing Agent
- Liza Colón-Zayas … Cast, Ticketing Agent
- Tate Ellington … Cast, A.V. Scott
- Julian Gamble … Cast, Jeff Mack
- Adam Hayes … Cast, Dover Team Leader
- Danny Hoch … Cast, TSA Agent
- Ruby Jerins … Cast, Olivia Strobl
- Tom Kemp … Cast, Business Man
- Matthew Morrison … Cast, Robert Rouse
- Maximilian Osinski … Cast, Sgt. Neuman
- Del Pentecost … Cast, Minneapolis Cargo Handler
- Dominic Colon … Cast, Minneapolis Cargo Handler
- Christina Rouner … Cast, Tall Flight Attendant
- Felix Solis … Cast, Philly Cargo Worker
- Emily Wickersham … Cast, Kelley Phelps
- William Wise … Cast, Larry Hertzog