President Donald Trump is among the many Americans who are already promising to skip “First Man” when it hits theaters on October 12.
The drama that stars Ryan Gosling (shown above right) recently debuted at the Venice Film Festival.
And though it follows the true story of how America put men on the moon, early reporting has revealed that the film omits the actual planting of the American flag — one of the most definitive moments in U.S. history and an event that riveted Americans when it occurred in July of 1969.
“I wouldn’t even want to watch the movie,” the president said in a Tuesday interview with the Daily Caller.
He added, “When you think of Neil Armstrong and when you think of the landing on the moon, you think about the American flag.”
Trump is far from the only person to have such an opinion.
Social media users having been calling for a boycott of the film, and such right-leaning filmmakers as Robert Davi, James Woods and Nick Searcy all have publicly criticized the movie.
@FirstManMovie and @RyanGosling @RyanGoslingNews think that to OMIT the #AMERICANFLAG on #moonlanding is ok ! DO YOU? – or have THEY JUST SPIT IN THE FACE OF #America and #JFK one of the most important @TheDemocrats in History ? Your thoughts? #ENGAGE
— Robert Davi (@RobertJohnDavi) September 1, 2018
But why not just present the facts as they were? I think Ryan Gosling is a wonderful actor, but omitting the seminal moment in the midst of mankind’s greatest achievement seems a purposeful denigration of the 400,000 Americans who accomplished it. https://t.co/K6SldeBkPA
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) August 31, 2018
You really have to be creative to find a way to alienate half of America with a movie about Neil Armstrong. Hollywood found a way. https://t.co/0EP0T4fBuO
— Nick Searcy, INTERNATIONAL FILM & TELEVISION STAR (@yesnicksearcy) August 31, 2018
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who was on the original moon landing mission, made waves recently when he wore a T-shirt showing the American flag being planted on the moon.
Aldrin, who is now 88, also posted a photo to his Twitter account showing the flag being planted and using the hashtag, #proudtobeanAmerican.
#proudtobeanAmerican #freedom #honor #onenation #Apollo11 #July1969 #roadtoApollo50 pic.twitter.com/gApIwLzaJw
— Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) September 3, 2018
Several people involved with “First Man” have defended the movie’s controversial omission.
Actor Jason Clarke told The Hollywood Reporter that the controversy is “just silly and naïve” in a recent interview.
Director Demian Chazelle also shrugged off the outrage and told Variety, “To address the question of whether this was a political statement, the answer is no. My goal with this movie was to share with audiences the unseen, unknown aspects of America’s mission to the moon — particularly Neil Armstrong’s personal saga and what he may have been thinking and feeling during those famous few hours.”
Gosling, who stars as Neil Armstrong, also defended the movie’s decision and told the (U.K.) Telegraph that landing on the moon was an act that “transcended countries and borders.”
He added, “I think this was widely regarded in the end as a human achievement [and] that’s how we chose to view it.”
The explanation was not and isn’t enough for President Trump.
“It’s almost like they’re embarrassed at the achievement coming from America. I think it’s a terrible thing,” he said.
Check out the trailer for “First Man” right here:
(photo credit, article image: Donald Trump…, CC BY-SA 2.0, by Michael Vadon)
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