What happens in Finest Hours?

The Finest Hours tells the story of the historic 1952 United States Coast Guard rescue of the crew of SS Pendleton, after the ship split apart during a nor’easter off the New England coast, and the movie depicts the daring rescue of 33 men stranded at sea in the middle of a devastating nor’easter. The film chronicles the heroic actions of Coast Guard coxswain Bernie Webber and his crew as they risk their lives to save the crew of the SS Pendleton, and it is based on a true story that showcases the bravery and selflessness of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

1. Does The Finest Hours have a happy ending? The Finest Hours is a classic Disney film that features a riveting true story and gives viewers the uncomplicated happy ending they expect, making it a great choice for those looking for a feel-good story with classic heroes.
2. How many people were saved in The Finest Hours? The Finest Hours brings to life the story of the most daring rescue in the history of the U.S. Coast Guard, in which a crew of four risked their lives to save 33 men stranded at sea in the middle of a devastating nor’easter.
3. What is The Finest Hours about in Chatham? The movie, “The Finest Hours”, is based on a small coast guard boat that rescued 32 crew members from a tanker that had broken in half in 1952, and the lighthouse in Chatham is still an operating Coast Guard Lifeboat Station.

Storyline and Characters

4. What happens at the end of the finest hours? The end of the film shows photographs from the event that briefly document the aftermath of the rescue, and it also shows that Bernie and Miriam marry two months later and stay together for 58 years until Bernie’s death in 2009.
5. How many died in the finest hours? A total of 70 were rescued by the Coast Guard from both wrecks, and 14 died, according to Michael Tougias, co-author of the book “The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Most Daring Sea Rescue”.
6. Who rescued SS Pendleton? Coxswain Bernard Webber was told to pick his crew and rescue the shipwrecked sailors, and three men volunteered for the suicidal mission: Coast Guardsmen Ervin Maske, Andrew Fitzgerald, and Richard P. Livesey.

Setting and Filming Locations

7. What is special about Chatham? Chatham is a fascinating maritime destination with a history stretching back over 400 years, and it is famous for its pristine beaches, wild barrier islands, tidal shoals, fleeting sandbars, circular coves, and miles of saltwater inlets.
8. Why is Chatham famous? Chatham is famous for being a decidedly maritime place with a unique way of life, and it is also home to the Historic Dockyard Chatham, which was the birthplace of many famous ships, including Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory.
9. Where did they film Finest Hours? The movie was filmed in Chatham, Cohasset, Duxbury, Marshfield, Norwell, and Quincy in 2014, and the film crew built an 800,000-gallon water tank at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy to replicate the storm effects.

Historical Significance and Impact

10. What is the greatest sea rescue in history? The rescue of the Pendleton survivors is considered one of the most daring rescues in the history of the United States Coast Guard, and all four crew of CG-36500 were awarded the Coast Guard’s Gold Lifesaving Medal.
11. How much of the finest hours is true? The rescue took place largely as depicted in the movie, with the exception of the song the men sang to soothe themselves during a moment of overwhelming fear, and the movie is based on a true story that showcases the bravery and selflessness of the U.S. Coast Guard.
12. How accurate is the movie The Finest Hour? The Finest Hours is a faithful and truthful telling of the rescue of crewmen on the tanker the SS Pendleton, although there are some compounding of characters and time is both stretched, cut, and pasted to make the story more engaging.

Cast and Crew

13. Is Nicole Kidman in Chatham? Nicole Kidman was in Chatham to film a new Netflix series, although the series takes place in Nantucket.
14. Who were the Native Americans in Chatham? The area that is now known as Chatham was for centuries the home of the Monomoyick tribe, who lived primarily on fish and shellfish and had settlements near the coves and harbors.
15. What does the word Chatham mean in English? Chatham refers to a town in Kent, England, on the River Medway, which was established as a royal dockyard for building ships by Henry VIII and was the birthplace of many famous ships, including Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory.