Stars and gripes: Neil Armstrong biopic ‘First Man’ slammed as anti-American for omitting flag-planting on moon
Relatives of the astronaut insist the film is very patriotic, insisting there are plenty of other shots of the flag
Neil Armstrong’s sons and the director of a new biopic on the astronaut are hitting back against criticism that the film is unpatriotic because of the lack of a flag-planting scene.
In a statement issued on Friday, Rick and Mark Armstrong said First Man, starring Ryan Gosling, was intended to show their father’s journey to the moon and delve into “the man behind the myth”.
“This story is human, and it is universal,” the brothers said in their statement issued jointly with First Man author James Hansen. “Of course, it celebrates an American achievement. It also celebrates an achievement ‘for all mankind’, as it says on the plaque Neil and Buzz [Aldrin] left on the moon.”
The trio added they did not feel the movie was “anti-American in the slightest”.
“Quite the opposite,” they said. “But don’t take our word for it. We’d encourage everyone to go see this remarkable film and see for themselves.”
