THE FINEST HOURS Interviews with Chris Pine, Casey Affleck and More

Each year Walt Disney Pictures gives us at least one emotional drama inspired by true events, such as “Million Dollar Arm” in 2014.

Now the same director, Craig Gillespie, steers to the big screen THE FINEST HOURS. The film is based on a historical rescue by the US Coast Guard in the cold and stormy Massachusetts of 1952.

At the London Hotel in Beverly Hills I recently had the opportunity to talk to the protagonists. After having to deal with tons of cold water during the filming all the actors were eager to share this heartwarming story of survival and altruism.

Chris Pine plays Bernie Webber, the young Coast Guard that leads an almost suicidal rescue mission.

“This was like an earnest, heart-felt, old studio picture about romance and normal men doing great things. I love the character, this wide-eyed, soft, not hard-edged hero. Nowadays even James Bond for god’s sake is brooding. There was a simple, elegant story, without the usual 2016 Freudian complications that seem to bug everyone down now. It’s so dark in the world that it is nice to have some escapism.

We talked on set about this idea of being a builder. We may wear fancy clothes when we walk the red carpet, but each day we build scenes. It is good to remember that we share that with these men. They didn’t ask for credit or a pat in the back, they just did it. Either if your job is being an entertainer or saving lives, we can all learn from that commitment and humility.”

One of the brave characters accompanying Bernie is Richard Livesey, brought to life with determination by Ben Foster.

“The body stores all the memories and emotions. When the body is challenged you think less. In moments of emergency the mind can trick you and you get yourself in trouble. I enjoy the physical aspect and any kind of training. It’s one of the great privileges of the job of an actor.

The four of us are together in a boat for four months straight, on a swimming pool, getting hit by a hose. So you hope they are decent guys. Sometimes you don’t leave feeling too much respect for your fellow people, but I left the film with some best friends.”

The love story, which serves as an emotional anchor in the movie, is between Bernie and Miriam, a beautiful and strong young woman portrayed by Holliday Grainger.

“I think that both Chris and I fell in love with their relationship […] While we were shooting I couldn’t resist smiling every time I saw him playing Bernie in such a sweet manner. I think that you leave the theater with a message of karma: If you give hope and love they will get back to you.

For that [confrontational scene with Eric Bana] we didn’t get the chance to rehearse because I few in the night before. I love rehearsing but in situations where characters don’t know what each other will do it may be better for the actors not to know what the other will bring and just react. We had enough time to do quite a few takes until Craig felt that we had it.”

Casey Affleck described his Ray Sybert, the sailor that reluctantly leads the stranded crew in need of a miracle.

“You have a guy that has never been in a position that being a leader was expecting of him. Then everyone who was in charge perishes in this storm so suddenly he has to step up and lead these men. But he does it in a very quiet, thoughtful and intelligent way.”

THE FINEST HOURS is now playing in theaters nationwide.

In February of 1952, one of the worst storms to ever hit the East Coast struck New England, damaging an oil tanker off the coast of Cape Cod and literally ripping it in half. On a small lifeboat faced with frigid temperatures and 70-foot high waves, four members of the Coast Guard set out to rescue the more than 30 stranded sailors trapped aboard the rapidly-sinking vessel.