'Greyhound' Tells the Story of Ernest Krause, a Newly-Appointed Naval Captain
Updated March 6 2020, 6:08 p.m. ET
"We will bring hell down from up high," Ernest Krause (Tom Hanks) tells his marines in a crucial scene of Greyhound.
Set in 1942, at the height of the Battle of the Atlantic, the movie tells the story of a professional Naval Captain heading to the front for the first time, capturing how he takes on the mighty task of commanding a convoy of 37 ships to triumph over a wolf pack of Nazi U-boats. So, is Greyhound based on a true story?
'Greyhound' was inspired by true events, but the movie isn't based on a true story.
At the focal point of the movie is Ernest Krause, a professional marine whose first mission as a Naval Captain involves overseeing a convoy of 37 ships as they make their way across the Atlantic Ocean.
"In Greyhound, which is inspired by a true story, Krause leads 'an international convoy of 37 Allied ships [...] in his first command of a U.S. destroyer, crosses the treacherous North Atlantic while hotly pursued by wolf packs of Nazi U-boats," reads the official synopsis cited by The Daily Mail.
Based on The Good Shepherd, a 1955 book by C.S. Forester, the movie zooms in on a Captain's firsthand experiences with commanding a group of veteran marines. The only one out of the group who hasn't been to war yet, he develops a sense of inferiority that impedes him from performing his duty to his best abilities.
The Good Shepherd revolves around how the Captain manages to seed out his negative thoughts and overcome his crippling sense of self-doubt. The book also offers insight into the difficulties posed by the increasingly obsolete technological apparatus. Communicational failures play a significant role in the unfolding of the narrative. The malfunctioning radar equipment and the HF radio bear an equally disastrous impact on the operation, Wikipedia notes.
Although The Good Shepherd was inspired by true events — the Battle of the Atlantic was the longest-running military campaign to take place during WWII — its main character is fictional.
'Greyhound' was written by Tom Hanks.
Directed by Aaron Schneider — the creator behind the 2003 Two Soldiers, the 2009 Get Low, and the 2014 Into the Storm — the war drama promises plenty of spectacularly shot battle scenes, an action-packed narrative, and a close exploration of the internal life of an experienced marine who faces unfathomable dangers for the first time in his life.
Written by Tom Hanks — who also penned the script of the 1996 comedy-drama, That Thing You Do!, and the 2011 Larry Crowne — the movie will feature a healthy ratio of eerily beautiful explosion scenes, insightful dialogues exploring the tense relationships between various crew members, and a handful of flashbacks capturing Ernest Krause's faraway past as a civilian.
Elisabeth Shue is set to play Evie, Ernest Krause's long-lost lover, while Maximilian Osinski will appear in the role of Eagle. Other cast members include Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Karl Glusman, Stephen Graham, and Lee Norris.
Greyhound will premiere on June 12, 2020.
