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PrintFinest Hours Author Michael Tougias on Its Hollywood Option for a Movie
Local Cape Cod author talks about his story of an historic Coast Guard rescue off Cape Cod being picked up by Hollywood
Michael Tougias has an eclectic mix of published works. He’s penned guide books, recounted the tales of the King Philip Wars in New England, and even wrote about when animals attack humans. Recently, however, he has found his niche: writing about history’s most courageous ocean rescues. He’s become quite the expert, with 2006’s Ten Hours Until Dawn, 2007’s Fatal Forecast (which we excerpted in this magazine), and last year’s Overboard. Now The Finest Hours, which Tougias coauthored with Casey Sherman in 2009, is being optioned for a movie. The book takes place in February 1952, when the Coast Guard attempted to rescue eighty-four men who were in danger off Cape Cod after a ferocious Nor’easter split their ships in two.
What particularly makes The Finest Hours good material for a movie?
I think audiences crave an inspirational story about overcoming great odds. The fact that this is a true story makes it even better. Co-author Casey Sherman and I were attracted to this story because the main hero, Bernie Webber, had failed in an earlier rescue attempt. This time nothing was going to stop him from trying, including losing his windshield and compass on the Chatham Bar.
There were numerous rescue attempts on this fateful night, no?
While the rescue of the Pendleton was going on, another tanker, the Fort Mercer, had also split in half, and the early rescue attempts for survivors on the bow of the Fort Mercer ended in death. There were four attempted rescues because there were four different sections of the two ships about to go down.
Who were your favorite characters? And who in Hollywood could you see playing them well?
I don’t have a favorite character. Every man I interviewed played a role, and it was the combined effort that ultimately saved lives. I’ll let the producers decide who is best to play the main characters.
Why did your producer think Disney would be the best studio for the project?
I have full faith in co-producer Dorothy Aufiero. From what I understand the executives at Disney had the same vision for the film as both Dorothy and the screenwriters do. The producers and screenwriters will be visiting Chatham and that area of the Cape soon for research.
Will you have any role in the adaptation of the screenplay or in the technical aspects of the rescue?
Casey and I have been told we will have input into both the screenplay and the movie. However I will make sure my suggestions are limited since I have no background in film. I do know that they plan to stay true to the story as it actually happened.
Why do we see so many true stories being made into movies?
I think there are a lot of readers and movie-goers just like me who prefer a true story over something that is fictitious. That’s why I loved movies such as The Fighter, Cinderella Man, Apollo 13, etc. I like to put the reader in the action and in the “shoes” of the survivors, so they ask themselves “What would I have done?”
Could you have done what Bernie Webber did?
I don’t think so. The whole process of decision-making under pressure fascinates me, and I’ve put together a presentation for business groups about what I learned from all the different extraordinary people I’ve interviewed over the years. Those people had some techniques they used that could work for all of us when faced with adversity.
What are you working on now?
My next book is another true story. It might be described as a cross between Tuesdays With Morrie and Love Story.
Tougias will be speaking at the Cape Cod Retired Men’s Club on November 10, and the Marstons Mills Library on December 1. More information on upcoming talks can be found on his website www.michaeltougias.com.
