I know. They created a fictional friend and didn't even mention his real friends. Mentioning that story about how Ira made sure one of the real flag raisers got credit would've been a nice touch, but they left it out.

creating a fictional friend is one thing, but the fictional friend they created helped raise the flag on iwo Jima, they almost had to have someone play James and Renee, but they never mentioned Mike Harlon or Franklin. I understand the movis was about Ira but still

Yeah, I don't understand why they created the ficitonal friend. I didn't like that part with his friend getting killed either.

His death in the movie was pretty powerful, but i wonder if Ira would have been pissed by it since he of the three survivors hated all the bs that went on with the bond tours the most. I also didnt like the part about his best friend dying on Iwo Jima when they were told to report to HQ. Ira was already off the island when he was ordered to DC and the friend was fictional.

Yeah, I read about him doing that. They should've put that in the movie. I know it was a lot of things that destroyed him, but alcohol is literally what got him in the end. He passed out face down in a ditch and died of exposure. Watching The Outsider, it's clear they dramatized is death, but I thought the death scene was very well shot, as I pointed out in my review.

Ira had more problems than alcohol, he had a bad case of post traumatic stress, survivors guilt and living in two different cultures. In 1945 they didnt have support groups for those, AA was in its infancy I believe. He was a good man who was very loyal to his friends and fellow marines, he just couldnt beat his demons. I am disappointed the movie didnt show his trip (mostly hitch hiking) of over 1300 miles to tell Harlon's parents that Harlon was in the Iwo Jima picture so that Harlond would get the honor due him.