The Popcorn Reel Feature Story: United 93 and The Families

ALMOST FIVE YEARS ON, GRIEVING FAMILIES, THEORIES, AND "UNITED 93" CONVERGE ON A SENSITIVE SEPTEMBER 11TH RUNWAY

Disputed facts, film fiction and true reality: left to right: a shot from the controversial documentary "Loose Change"; a scene from the new film "United 93"; and grieving families at the film's U.S. premiere in New York City. Middle photo: Jonathan Olley/Universal Studios. Last photo: Tribeca Film Festival.

"It's never going to be over for us families who lost loved ones. It's never going to be over for the country, anyone who witnessed it on TV. It's always going to be touchy, awkward and something that a part of us don't want to see again. But I feel the more films, the better. We can't forget. We have to remember what happened, why it happened. And we can't fool ourselves into thinking that it won't happen again if we forget about it."

-- Allison Vadhan, daughter of United Airlines Flight 93 passenger Kristin White Gould

The endless dilemma that accompanies a film like the one Paul Greengrass has directed is, when is it time to show it? While grieving families are understandably concerned about how their loved ones are portrayed in the last hours of their lives, others are curious about "United 93" and the events it shows. Notably, a small, though growing chorus of people have suggested that the events that "United 93" depicts did not happen at all. In the years since the events of September 11, 2001, reports have circulated on the Internet suggesting that the United Airlines plane that was said to have crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania did not crash at all. While this seems shocking, a look at that day's television news video footage from the site where the crash was said to have happened, shows no traces of plane, or plane wreckage at all. The question that might then be asked is: if the plane did not crash in Shanksville, then where did it crash, and did it crash at all?

Questions like these will anger, disturb and probably offend many, most notably the families of the victims. As with the question of when is it safe to show a film like "United 93" to audiences, a similar question of when is it right to ask questions about the events themselves, is likely to be on the minds of some.

For example, a documentary on the Internet called "Loose Change" challenges the United States government's official version of events, and goes as far as saying that the government itself coordinated the attacks, and that the plane that was Flight 93 actually landed safely in Ohio. There is no way to independently verify this alleged landing, although the documentary raises some highly compelling points and invites its audience to think critically. Recently, a second edition of the documentary attempted to debunk the idea that cellphone calls could be made from the air at a high altitude while on Flight 93. "Loose Change" however, has its own flaws and requires some analysis and careful scrutiny of its own purported version of events.

"United 93", Paul Greengrass' film, recreates the events minute-by-minute as they happened on the plane and on the ground. Mr. Greengrass has said in numerous interviews that he did not believe that Flight 93 ever landed safely in another location, and did not find credible the notion that the United States government itself was behind the attacks. Mr. Greengrass has stated that the hundreds and hundreds of hours of research and interviews that he and his staff had done led him to his conclusions. In some press publications, the director stopped just short of asserting that the ideas some have been floating surrounding Flight 93 were ridiculous.

The film was meticulously researched, with the director interviewing over 100 family members and friends of the victims. Historical facts were culled, flight recordings were listened to (some of the dialogue in "United 93" comes directly from the black boxes that were retrieved.) At all times, the families of those who perished aboard Flight 93 had strongly supported the decision by Paul Greengrass, a British director who has directed such films as "The Bourne Supremacy" and the documentary "Bloody Sunday", about the political strife in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, to make "United 93", and to chronicle the bravery and heroism of their own family members. Mr. Greengrass also directed a documentary called "The Murder of Stephen Lawrence" about the 1993 murder of a black man by several white men in London, England.

Writer/director Paul Greengrass on the set of Universal Pictures' United 93 The boarding gate monitor in Universal Pictures' United 93 Lewis Alsamari reflects on his role as hijacker Saeed Al Ghamdi in Universal Pictures' United 93

British director Paul Greengrass on the set of "United 93". He also wrote and produced the film. An airport flight monitor of the fateful flight; and on the set, Iraqi actor Lewis Alsamari as a hijacker - the actor was denied a visa to the U.S. premiere of the film. Photos: Jonathan Olley/Universal Studios

In "United 93" the actors are virtually all unknowns. Perhaps the fact that the events are too raw in the American conscience may have shied away big-name actors from the film. The answer is in the film's press notes, where it states that, casting calls went out for both actors who resembled the actual people aboard the flight, as well as for actors "who may have flight-related experience that could be germane to the characters."

The crux of the dilemma surrounding the film and the events of September 11, 2001 is, how does a country devastated and traumatized by an unforgettable day, collectively remember the events as the years pass by? There is more than a single way to do this.

On the one hand, films may have an enduring legacy in the public memory. Already this year, including "United 93", there are three films that will attempt to memorialize the events. "Flight 93", a dramatization of the same events, was shown on the A&E cable television network in the United States earlier this year (and will replay again this weekend.) And in August, Oliver Stone, no stranger to controversy, has his film released which pays tribute to the sacrifices of New York/New Jersey Port Authority workers, basing the film on the true stories of two workers who escaped the rubble of the Twin Towers. The film, simply titled "World Trade Center", stars Nicolas Cage and Michael Pena (of the Oscar-winning best picture "Crash").

Mr. Greengrass himself freely admits that the real events of United Airlines Flight 93 are not known, and may never be known. In the press notes for "United 93" he states that "[f]ilmmakers have a part to play, too, and I believe that sometimes, if you look clearly and unflinchingly at a single event, you can find in its shape something much larger than the event itself -- the DNA of our times..." Indeed, "United 93" may be the ultimate Rohrschach test. One person may see the chilling and powerful truth of what the world witnessed on that day, another (at least in the skeptic's case) may see a mythology intended to make us heal and better process or avoid our deepest fears, but both will surely see horror and heroism. In part, the closing credits for "United 93" state that it "is a creative work based on fact...certain events, dialogue and chronology have been fictionalized and of course much has been left out." (Italics are ours, not the film's.) To his credit, Mr. Greengrass tastefully, and in matters most delicately and with great sensitivity, handles the material and raises some questions that leave the audience thinking.

[Even the trailer is very carefully crafted, although numerous media outlets reported that in early April a New York City movie theater pulled the "United 93" trailer from its program of films after some audience members complained of being upset by it. A Universal Pictures marketing executive stated that the trailer would only play with feature presentations that were adult "PG-13", or "R"-rated. Universal Pictures has also said that ten percent of the opening weekend's box-office gross for "United 93" will be donated to the Flight 93 Memorial Fund.]

Perhaps many people will remember the events of nearly five years ago best by remembering where they were when they found out that on a summer-like day things were at the very least, out of the ordinary. Others will look to the 9/11 Commission's official investigation of what happened on that day. Still other observers will cite that many things remain unknown about the events of almost five years ago.

The courageous crew: actors as the Flight 93 crew. The actress at the far right portrays Wanda Green, who is fondly remembered by her twin sister in this feature news story.
Going down fighting: The final stand by brave passengers, as told by Paul Greengrass in "United 93". Photos: Jonathan Olley/Universal Studios

Undoubtedly in a terrible attack that took the lives of almost 3,000 people, there will be numerous grieving families who see the events in different ways, even as united they all share a tragic result in common. In the case of Flight 93, this is no exception, especially where Mr. Greengrass's "United 93" is concerned. Some families have reportedly expressed doubts about how heroism is portrayed in the film and who is given hero status. [In a recent New York Times story, Alice Hoaglan, who lost her son Mark Bingham on the flight, declared that it would be unfair for everyone who was on board United Flight 93 to be made a hero. Ms. Hoaglan's comments apparently sparked some bitter exchanges during a meeting of victims' families to discuss "United 93" with Mr. Greengrass last fall in San Francisco, according to the story.]

Ultimately, however many films or new revelations about the events aboard Flight 93, or about September 11, 2001 that arise over the next few years and decades, one thing will be certain: the families who lost a loved one on that day, whether aboard a flight, or on the ground, will never be forgotten. "United 93" makes such a strong case that, after viewing it, no one will ever forget that doomed flight.

The families of the fallen, many would say, have a sadly unique and somber way to remember that day as the void in their lives that remains, and will remain, indelible. For example, one such family, the Jamerson and Green family, recalls the loss they suffered, how they are enduring since the loss of their loved one Wanda Green, who perished on Flight 93, and about the film, subsequent anniversaries of the event, and where they go from here.

"It was devastating for our family [but] United (Airlines) couldn't have been more supportive. They showed my sister's adult son and daughter, my mother and all of us lots of concern and love...[they] did everything they could to help us and comfort us," Sandra Jamerson said. She and other family members were among those that President George W. Bush met with in New York City during the week of the nightmarish events.

Admittedly Ms. Jamerson, the identical twin sister of United Airlines flight 93 attendant Wanda Green, has "a few minor concerns and one major issue" about "United 93". "I wish she had been given more lines, because she was a very talkative person." Ms. Jamerson also stated that Ms. Green had to have been killed by the hijackers before the plane went down. (The film shows her unharmed by the hijackers.) She cited the rationale that her sister was working in the first-class cabin. "If she had the opportunity, she would have made contact with us."

Ms. Jamerson acknowledges that "United 93" does not bring closure. "It's really hard. Even though it has been five years, it seems like yesterday. I miss my sister every day. She was not only my twin, she was my best friend. I miss not being able to talk to her....We had gone everywhere and we were making plans to go to Paris."

At the time of her death, Wanda Green, who was born in Oceanside, California, had been working as a real estate agent. She had talked often about retiring from flying after almost thirty years of being airborne. Ms. Green was married and is survived by two children. In part, her obituary reads:

"Wanda fulfilled her passion for flying and her ability to see the world and distinguished herself to others through her loving personality. She had a stellar reputation in the community as a friend. For those of you who knew Wanda, remember the blessed friendship and love that you shared. Her loving memory will be an inspiration to her family and friends forever."

Sandra Jamerson, left, her son and daugher, below left, and twin sister Wanda Green (in white blouse), with her son and daughter, in a photo from the 1980's. Courtesy: Roz Stevenson

Special thanks to Roz Stevenson.

Note: On May 3, 2006, a jury in the United States gave a verdict of life in prison to Zacharias Moussaoui, believed to be the "20th Hijacker" on September 11, 2001.

Read the "United 93" review