Friday, May 14, 1999 Published at 14:32 GMT 15:32 UK
Hollywood acknowledges British heroes
The Enigma story is to be told in a new $90m film
A British naval hero has won a battle against Hollywood - by getting the producers of a World War II film to give credit where it is due.
The news that Hollywood was planning to make a film based on the story - only crediting Americans with the capture instead of the British - upset many British veterans including Lt-Cdr David Balme, who led the boarding party onto the submarine.
When the film's executives found out they quickly offered Lt-Cdr David Balme a walk-on part in the movie and offered to also include a caption acknowledging that the capture of the Enigma machine in 1941 was actually carried out by the British.
Lt-Cdr David Balme said: "They are going to put full credits at the end of the film about the real events.
"They were very sorry they had upset the British and they are trying to put it right. I'm glad the British will get the credit we deserve."
The $90m film, U-571, starring Harvey Keitel, Jon Bon Jovi, Bill Paxton and Matthew McConaughey relocates the Royal Navy's heroics from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean as well as showing the capture being carried out by an American unit.
The film's producers even flew Lt Cmdr Balme to Malta at their expense to meet the film's cast and asked him to describe the real-life operation that inspired the film, in which his role is played by McConaughey.
"They were very nice people and wanted to hear how it was done.
Lt Cmdr Balme's non-speaking walk-on part will be filmed on the Cornwall coast.
"Some time this month I will be going down to Land's End where they will be filming a life-raft coming in with survivors.
'It's very flattering of them to ask me. I'm really looking forward to it," he said.
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