QWhy did Ramius want to defect?
ATwo reasons. Captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery) wanted to defect because of the circumstances surrounding his wife's death one year ago. What happened to his wife is not shown in the movie but talked about in depth in the book. She was killed because the corruption of the Soviet system allowed a drunk doctor (the son of a Politburo member) to operate on her with poor quality drugs and, as a result, she died from a simple operation. This showed Ramius the corruption of the Soviet system. The other reason is that Marko hates the cold war, its cost on the lives of him and his men, and above all else he wants to avoid a real war. Marko knows that the Red October was created as a "first strike" weapon to get a first nuclear strike on America in event of a war, and therefore give them a significant advantage in the war and increase the odds of it happening. When Marko and his friend are talking about what they want for the future, Marko talks about the peace he enjoyed when fishing as a young man. Marko states earlier that he came up with his plan (to defect) when he saw the plans for the Red October. He steals the Red October to prevent the Russian government from being able to use it to start a war.
QIs this movie based on a book?
AYes. The Hunt for Red October is a 1984 novel by American author Tom Clancy. It was inspired by two real events: (1) the deviation of a Soviet Navy submarine to Gotland in 1961 by Captain Jonas Pleskys (a Lithuanian), and (2) a 1975 mutiny aboard the Soviet frigate Storozhevoy, which was an attempt to defect to Gotland by Captain Valery Sablin. Clancy's novel was adapted for the movie by screenwriters Larry Ferguson and Donald Stewart.
QWhy did Ryan ask for a cigarette when he boarded the Red October? He doesn't smoke.
AThe exchange of cigarettes between military men in the field is often seen in films as a sign of good will.
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