"Annapolis"

<p>the Yard, which in reality is one of the most picturesque and beautiful of all American college campuses; with its French Renaissance buildings, Severn River, USNA Chapel (truly a landmark), ended up looking like something from the Rust Belt. Believe me, USNA is as historic and beautiful as USMA, and Annapolis is much more fun than West Point (hurry, give me the coordinates or at least Map Quest) when the mids have liberty!</p>

<p>Former Navy Sec and '68 USNA grad Jim Webb comments on the movie, "Annapolis." <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/28/AR2006012801376.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/28/AR2006012801376.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Washington Post - Reliable Source
Sunday, January 29, 2006; C03</p>

<p>"This is going to be painful," James Webb is saying as the theater lights go down.</p>

<p>That's why we invited you, we're thinking.</p>

<p>The movie is "Annapolis," a glossy Hollywood drama about the struggles of midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy, climaxing in an epic boxing match known as the Brigade Boxing Championships.</p>

<p>Webb, an author and highly decorated Marine combat veteran, graduated from Annapolis in 1968 and oversaw it as the famously outspoken Navy secretary during the Ronald Reagan years. A boxer for eight years, he even fought against classmate Oliver North in the championships. But Webb also knows movies. He has a writing credit on "Rules of Engagement," starring Samuel L. Jackson , and is working on a film with Rob Reiner (while mulling a run against Virginia's U.S. Sen. George Allen ). Yet Webb's own academy story -- 1981's popular novel "A Sense of Honor" -- languished in development hell and has never made it to the screen.</p>

<p>Just the man to watch "Annapolis" with.</p>

<p>"You remember 'An Officer and a Gentleman'?" Webb whispers as the opening credits flash. "This sounds a lot like that, and my book."</p>

<p>The movie starts. A young riveter dreams of attending the academy. A Navy officer tracks him down in the shipyard: Last-minute opening , he says. Show up tomorrow. Yeah, right, like that would happen! We glance at Webb, who is placidly watching the screen.</p>

<p>14 minutes in: A regal yet steely-eyed company commander stalks onto the screen. We know immediately he will push our hero to the brink. Webb snorts: "Enter Lou Gossett !" The plebes are abused. A fat kid struggles through an obstacle course. Our hero gives an incorrect answer, and dinner is withheld from his entire company as punishment.</p>

<p>35 minutes: First boxing scene. Our hero throws an impulsive wild punch. Webb perks up. "Ever read 'Fields of Fire' [his acclaimed Vietnam novel]? There's a scene in boot camp -- pugilistics instead of boxing -- that's very similar." He adds: "That's not a complaint."</p>

<p>43 minutes: The fat kid bids farewell to the hero before Christmas leave. "He's gonna kill himself!" we predict. Webb nods: "I was thinking that in the O-course scene."</p>

<p>47 minutes: The plebes return after leave. Fat kid still alive. Oh, well. More stuff happens. The girl midshipman says academy men don't consider women their equals. Plebes do push-ups in drenching rain. The girl punches the hero and they almost kiss. Boxing, boxing, boxing. A plot twist we predicted: "Ka-ching," says Webb.</p>

<p>100 minutes: The End.</p>

<p>"It's pretty good!" Webb exclaims. "Kind of hokey . . . but pretty good. They push all the buttons. You got 'Rocky,' you got the dad thing, you got the against-the-odds thing."</p>

<p>Huh. So, no major inaccuracies?</p>

<p>"They got everything wrong!" The uniforms, the training, the jargon, the way the mids were allowed to battle each other bloody in the boxing ring, the presence of a large shipyard in sight of the academy. But, says Webb, "it's a movie."</p>

<p>Huh. "Hey, did you know they mention you in the press kit?" we ask. Right here: On the list of famous Brigade boxing champions. Webb looks, and chuckles again.</p>

<p>"I never won the Brigades!"</p>