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| Why I love … the 'Captain, I cannot concur' scene in Crimson Tide | Why I love … the 'Captain, I cannot concur' scene in Crimson Tide |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| Reading on mobile? Click to view Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman both give blistering performances in this now classic submarine film, and the tension that crackles between them comes to an explosive head in the central "I cannot concur" scene, in which the two go shouty crackers at each other – and then, shockingly, what looks very much like a mutiny takes place. | Reading on mobile? Click to view Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman both give blistering performances in this now classic submarine film, and the tension that crackles between them comes to an explosive head in the central "I cannot concur" scene, in which the two go shouty crackers at each other – and then, shockingly, what looks very much like a mutiny takes place. |
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| Washington and Hackman are such superb actors that if you had them yelling at each other, and over each other, while arguing about their shopping, or a pair of gardening gloves, it would be worth tuning in for. But the makers of Crimson Tide go to a lot of trouble to make this scene special. | Washington and Hackman are such superb actors that if you had them yelling at each other, and over each other, while arguing about their shopping, or a pair of gardening gloves, it would be worth tuning in for. But the makers of Crimson Tide go to a lot of trouble to make this scene special. |
| Obviously the film is set on board an American nuclear sub at a time when rebels are running around Russia and threatening to unleash nuclear weapons. "There's trouble in Russia," Hackman, the submarine captain, tells his crew: "and they called us!" | Obviously the film is set on board an American nuclear sub at a time when rebels are running around Russia and threatening to unleash nuclear weapons. "There's trouble in Russia," Hackman, the submarine captain, tells his crew: "and they called us!" |
| Washington plays his new number two, the executive officer or "XO" onboard the sub. Captain and XO clash, subtly and then increasingly less subtly, from their first meeting. Denzel is Harvard educated, a new breed of sophisticated officer; Hackman is of the old-fashioned point-me-and-I'll-shoot-it variety, but smart enough to be threatened by his XO's nuanced cool. When Denzel says he enjoys riding Arabians in his spare time, Gene says that he couldn't manage a horse like that himself: "Just give me an old paint." | Washington plays his new number two, the executive officer or "XO" onboard the sub. Captain and XO clash, subtly and then increasingly less subtly, from their first meeting. Denzel is Harvard educated, a new breed of sophisticated officer; Hackman is of the old-fashioned point-me-and-I'll-shoot-it variety, but smart enough to be threatened by his XO's nuanced cool. When Denzel says he enjoys riding Arabians in his spare time, Gene says that he couldn't manage a horse like that himself: "Just give me an old paint." |
| But while the conflict is there, the actors keep it contained. Washington, cleverly, never pitches his voice much above "mildly irate" until the big scene. He is mostly soft, civil and smooth as silk, although you're sure there's steel beneath. And Hackman, even while playing an unapologetic hard man, is quite careful around his XO, quite measured in his responses. So the shouting, when it comes, packs some welly. | But while the conflict is there, the actors keep it contained. Washington, cleverly, never pitches his voice much above "mildly irate" until the big scene. He is mostly soft, civil and smooth as silk, although you're sure there's steel beneath. And Hackman, even while playing an unapologetic hard man, is quite careful around his XO, quite measured in his responses. So the shouting, when it comes, packs some welly. |
| Then there's the very thorough education in nuclear sub procedures – or director Tony Scott's version of it – that we're given in the early stages of the film, without which the big scene wouldn't be half so good. | Then there's the very thorough education in nuclear sub procedures – or director Tony Scott's version of it – that we're given in the early stages of the film, without which the big scene wouldn't be half so good. |
| We are taught that in the event of a weapons drill, and indeed prior to the actual release of weapons, the men must hear the XO's voice right after the captain's. The captain gives the order, and then the XO repeats it, or says: "I concur, captain." (A phrase we might all like to hear more often from co-workers.) There are several scenes which make all this very clear indeed – without ever being dull. | We are taught that in the event of a weapons drill, and indeed prior to the actual release of weapons, the men must hear the XO's voice right after the captain's. The captain gives the order, and then the XO repeats it, or says: "I concur, captain." (A phrase we might all like to hear more often from co-workers.) There are several scenes which make all this very clear indeed – without ever being dull. |
| On the one occasion when the XO slightly screws up this process – concerned about a fire in the galley flaring up – Hackman lectures him about it later, in the privacy of the captain's cabin. The men have been trained to do a terrible thing and the only thing that's going to see them through it is their "unqualified belief in the unified chain of command", he says. "We're here to preserve democracy, not to practice it." By the time the big scene comes, you feel like you could pretty much run a nuclear sub, and you definitely know that the XO doesn't disagree with the captain. | On the one occasion when the XO slightly screws up this process – concerned about a fire in the galley flaring up – Hackman lectures him about it later, in the privacy of the captain's cabin. The men have been trained to do a terrible thing and the only thing that's going to see them through it is their "unqualified belief in the unified chain of command", he says. "We're here to preserve democracy, not to practice it." By the time the big scene comes, you feel like you could pretty much run a nuclear sub, and you definitely know that the XO doesn't disagree with the captain. |
| So then the sub, parked somewhere deep just off Russia, receives an emergency action message telling it to launch its nuclear weapons – followed by a broken-off half-message that might countermand the first. And things rapidly fall apart. Hackman is determined to unleash hell. His XO pads about after him, disagreeing quietly, asking him again and again to find out what the second message said, in full, first. We know this is all entirely out of order, and the men in the control room watch the central pair out of the sides of their faces. "It's our duty not to launch until we can confirm," the XO says. | So then the sub, parked somewhere deep just off Russia, receives an emergency action message telling it to launch its nuclear weapons – followed by a broken-off half-message that might countermand the first. And things rapidly fall apart. Hackman is determined to unleash hell. His XO pads about after him, disagreeing quietly, asking him again and again to find out what the second message said, in full, first. We know this is all entirely out of order, and the men in the control room watch the central pair out of the sides of their faces. "It's our duty not to launch until we can confirm," the XO says. |
| Finally, the captain loses patience: "Mr Hunter, I've made the decision, I'm captain of this boat, now shut the fuck up!" Everyone goggles. The XO looks at his captain aghast, and for the first time we become aware that the captain might be crossing some kind of a line here. | Finally, the captain loses patience: "Mr Hunter, I've made the decision, I'm captain of this boat, now shut the fuck up!" Everyone goggles. The XO looks at his captain aghast, and for the first time we become aware that the captain might be crossing some kind of a line here. |
| Hackman then picks up the boat's radio to address all the men, and gives the order to prepare for firing. The XO would normally take the radio and repeat the order, but instead he says: "Captain, I cannot concur." | Hackman then picks up the boat's radio to address all the men, and gives the order to prepare for firing. The XO would normally take the radio and repeat the order, but instead he says: "Captain, I cannot concur." |
| The captain goes bonkers: "You repeat this order or I'll find someone who will!" | The captain goes bonkers: "You repeat this order or I'll find someone who will!" |
| "Oh no you won't sir," says the XO. | "Oh no you won't sir," says the XO. |
| Then they both go at it – guns blazing. It's hard to pick out all the dialogue because they roar so hard over each other, but Washington certainly gets to give a great speech: "No sir I do not concur, and I do not recognise your authority to relieve me of my command under navy regulations … under operating procedures governing the release of nuclear weapons we cannot launch our missiles unless you and I agree … this is expressly why your command must be repeated. It requires my assent, and I do not give it, and furthermore if you continue on this course without confirming this message first I will be forced … to relieve you of your command." | Then they both go at it – guns blazing. It's hard to pick out all the dialogue because they roar so hard over each other, but Washington certainly gets to give a great speech: "No sir I do not concur, and I do not recognise your authority to relieve me of my command under navy regulations … under operating procedures governing the release of nuclear weapons we cannot launch our missiles unless you and I agree … this is expressly why your command must be repeated. It requires my assent, and I do not give it, and furthermore if you continue on this course without confirming this message first I will be forced … to relieve you of your command." |
| "Mutiny!" the captain is shouting, as the XO finishes. | "Mutiny!" the captain is shouting, as the XO finishes. |
| The XO goes quiet again; he tells the captain that he really ought to think things over. The captain disagrees, and then the killer blow comes. "Captain," says the XO, "I relieve your command." | The XO goes quiet again; he tells the captain that he really ought to think things over. The captain disagrees, and then the killer blow comes. "Captain," says the XO, "I relieve your command." |
| This is a genuinely surprising moment, because the one thing Scott left out of our thorough immersion in navy procedure is that the XO might be able to take over the sub. Despite a bit more shouting from the captain, the chief of the boat, reluctantly backing the XO, calls for two men to take the captain to his cabin. | This is a genuinely surprising moment, because the one thing Scott left out of our thorough immersion in navy procedure is that the XO might be able to take over the sub. Despite a bit more shouting from the captain, the chief of the boat, reluctantly backing the XO, calls for two men to take the captain to his cabin. |
| Washington and Hackman just glare at each other, and after one last bark from the captain, Hackman is led away. | Washington and Hackman just glare at each other, and after one last bark from the captain, Hackman is led away. |
| What men! What fun! What a scene. | What men! What fun! What a scene. |
| • Interview: Denzel Washington on Flight • More on Tony Scott | • Interview: Denzel Washington on Flight • More on Tony Scott |
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