The Guardian

Year:

2006

Duration:

139 min

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama

IMDB rate:

6.8

Director:

Andrew Davis

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 2006-09-29

Filming Locations: Kodiak, Alaska, USA

Earnings

Budget: $70,000,000

Opening Weekend: $18,006,064 (USA) (1 October 2006)

Gross: $54,983,983 (USA) (31 December 2006)

Cast

Actor

Character

Shelby Fenner

The Guardian

Dorian Kingi

Kevin Costner

Ben Randall

Ashton Kutcher

Jake Fischer

Sela Ward

Helen Randall

Melissa Sagemiller

Emily Thomas

Clancy Brown

Capt. William Hadley

Omari Hardwick

Carl Billings

Alex Daniels

Wild Bill

Daniel J. Molthen

Co-Pilot Wakefield

Andrew Schanno

Pilot Mitchell

Adam Pena

Benjamin Reyes

Joe Arquette

Co-Pilot Antunez

Gary Billburg

Julian Zankich

Joshua Mitcheltree

Mitcheltree

Rusty Tennant

Mover #1

James Barnes

Doctor #1

Stephanie Barnes

Doctor #2

Andrea Martynowski

Ops Commander (as CPO Andrea Martynowski USCG)

Ron Fien

Wickham

Nevada Smith

Co-Pilot Krauss

Jay Bingham

Ops Tech

Keith Sweitzer

Whaley

Shane Walker

Swimmer Nelson

John Heard

Capt. Frank Larson

Neal McDonough

Jack Skinner

Joseph 'Butch' Flythe

Butch Flythe

Robert E. Watson

Robert Watson

John F. Hall

John Hall

Johnell Gainey

Johnell Lewis

Jeff Loftus

Executive Officer (as Cdr. Jeff Loftus USCG Ret.)

Brian Geraghty

Billy Hodge

Dulé Hill

Ken Weatherly

Michael Rady

Nick Zingaro

Peter Gail

Danny Doran

Brian Patrick Wade

Mitch Lyons

Benjamin Ciaramello

Benny Partida

Travis Willingham

Travis Finely

Matt Laub

Matt Stokes

Matthew L. Rucker

Matthew Bunch

Tanica Jamison

Tanica Treadwell

Paul Wallace

Paul Metz

Tilky Jones

Tilky Flint

Megan Melgaard

Megan Hyde

Scott Mueller

Scott Reeves

Jacob Stevens

Jacob Pavich

Austin Lash

Austin Vogel

Mark Gangloff

Mark Colby

Damon Lipari

Damon Bennett

Roger Edwards

Roger Cable

Gregory J. Barnett

Pilot Victim

Kenny G. Krauss

Groom

Gioacchino Brucia

Waiter

J.D. Evermore

Jailer

Bryce Cass

Manny

Bonnie Bramlett

Maggie McGlone

Richard Davis

Guitar - Chicago Catz

James Burton

Guitar - Chicago Catz

Tony Brown

Bass - Chicago Catz

Wendall Wayne Stewart

Drums - Chicago Catz (as Wayne Stewart)

Chris 'Hambone' Cameron

Keyboards - Chicago Catz

Mark Ohlsen

Trumpet - Chicago Catz

Gene Barge

Sax - Chicago Catz

Steve Eisen

Sax - Chicago Catz

Josie Aiello

Singer - Chicago Catz

Devin Thompson

Singer - Chicago Catz

Tina Treadwell

Singer - Chicago Catz

Corinne Van Ryck de Groot

Bartender (as Corrine Degroot)

Greg Sproles

Huge Navy Guy

Ron Dean

Navy Captain

Brandon Molale

Navy Guy

James Landers

Navy Guy

August Kincaid

Navy Guy

Jesse De Villa

Navy Guy

Eric Norris

Navy Guy

Leigh Hennessy

Drowning Woman

Tanner Gill

Husband

Norm Compton

Sea Captain

Donald Fisher

Young Crewman

Yoshio Iizuka

Cargo Crew

Thomas Rosales Jr.

Cargo Crew

Tony Snegoff

Cargo Crew

Vladimir Tevlovski

Cargo Crew

Henry Kingi Jr.

Cave Victim #1

Deborah Boone

Victim's Aunt

Roxanne A. Brooks

Victim's Mother

Conrad E. Palmisano

Fishing Boat Captain (as Conrad Palmisano)

Michael James

Fisherman #1

Danny Cosmo

Fisherman #2 (as Danny Cosmo Higginbottom)

Gene Hartline

Fisherman #3

John Rottger

Survivor

Heather Bloom

Laundromat Patron (uncredited)

Dodie Brown

Wedding Guest (uncredited)

Ray Donn

Wedding Guest (uncredited)

Zachary Flores

Student (uncredited)

Shun Hagins

Bar Patron (uncredited)

Tim Hickey

Bartender at Squid Bar (uncredited)

Derek Wayne Johnson

Wedding Reception Guest (uncredited)

Cynthia Riser

Wedding Reception Guest / Dancer (uncredited)

Delmaine Samuel

Bar Patron (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

One of the students was Mark Gangloff, an Olympic swimmer who won gold in Athens.

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(at around 51 mins) In one of the sequences, stunt coordinator Alex Daniels was shown in a picture hung up on the wall where Ashton Kutcher was looking. The photo of Daniels was taken in his years spent as a lifeguard.

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The opening story of the helo rescue gone bad was loosely based on a real event that occurred August 7, 1981. The crew of CG1471 from Airsta Kodiak was responding to a distress call of a fishing vessel near Prince William Sound. As the crew attempted to hoist the survivors of the boat, a wave hit the tail of CG1471 causing the helo to crash into the seas. A painting named "So Others May Live" hangs on CG Airsta Kodiak depicting the rescue.

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Goofs

(at around 16 mins) When the C-130 overflew the rescue chopper crash site, they chose to use the sound from a multiengine reciprocating aircraft such as a DC-3. The proper sound would have been from turbine powerplants; the C-130 has turboprop powerplants and they do not sound like reciprocating powerplants.

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The motto quoted in the film and mentioned in the closing title card - "So Others May Live" - is not an official motto of the Coast Guard. However, Many members of the Coast Guard say this is an unofficial motto that many use anyway. It is very close to that of the creed of the Pararescue Jumpers, "That Others May Live", part of US Air Force Special Operations Command. The actual motto of the Coast Guard is "Semper Paratus", Latin for "Always Ready" or "Always Prepared".

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Several times, we're told that Fischer was offered swimming scholarships by "all the Ivy League Schools." Ivy League schools do not offer athletic scholarships. Also, the Ivies haven't had first rate swimming programs since Yale in the early sixties. An outstanding high school swimmer would be receiving scholarship offers from schools in conferences such as the SEC or Pac 10.

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Quotes

Jake Fischer: You do *not* want to hear about my day.

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Jake Fischer: Hey, there was a question I wanted to ask you back as school, but I didn't. When you can't save 'em all, how do you choose who lives?

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Ben Randall: I've been trying to peel the layers back for a while now and I, I just don't get it. I mean this kind of work seems a little remedial for someone like yourself. A big swim champ offered to every Ivy League, you give it up to be here with us. Why?

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Faq

Q

Did Ben Randall survive?

A

Many people say yes, and no. After Ben cut the cable and falls to save Jake, he is not seen resurfacing. Jake then narrates that the Coast Guard conducted one of the largest searches in Naval history, but to no avail. Weeks later, Jake saves a man who constantly asks where his companion is. The man explains "He wouldn't let go". This is implied that Ben's spirit perhaps lives on to rescue men left behind at sea.There is another ending where Ben does survive.

Q

Is the training in the movie the same of that in real life?

A

Yes, the producers and actors worked very closely with real members of the Coast Guard simulating the exact process that recruits would have to accomplish in order to become a Coast Guard. It is considered as some of the toughest training around in the 'Life Saving' community. In the movie they cast actual Master Chiefs to play roles to give it more authenticity.

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