Saw a collection of British films on DVD in a second-hand shop today: The Cruel Sea The Ship That Died of Shame Went the Day Well? The Dam Busters The Colditz Story I remember The Dam Busters and wouldn't mind seeing it again. The only one I really have a question about is The Ship That Died of Shame. A post-war smuggling story!?
I haven't seen Went the Day Well for ages but remember it as a really good film - kind of like an early Eagle Has Landed
Yes, I remember the discussion about it some time ago, so I am curious to watch it. But it would be an expensive purchase for just the one film. Has anyone seen The Cruel Sea, The Ship that died of Shame, or The Colditz Story?
Don't remember The ship that died of shame but the others are classic British films. Just buy them watch them & sell them on eBay afterwards.
Cruel Sea is good - very gritty, down to earth, well worth the watch - seen it several times The Colditz story is good as well, especially when the Germans ask the POW's to help them out by considering doing their civilian job, and the French man steps forward and says he will help, to which the German asks 'what did you do' - I was an undertaker is the reply, there is a sense of humour in it TD
'Went The Day Well?' is one of the truly great British wartime movies, far, far superior to 'The Eagle Has Landed'. 'The Ship That Died Of Shame' is definitely worth a watch; it is about a WW2 MTB and her crew trying to come to terms with the world of post-war difficulties. 'The Cruel Sea' is the best of the 1950's war movies; don't care much for the other two, but they are popular. All of these films are frequently on TV, but, presuming that you are a researcher IN Canada (rather than a researcher OF Canada) that probably isn't a lot of good to you.
There seem to be a few short clips and trailers etc for TSTDOS on YouTube to give you a taster. Like The Cruel Sea the book was by Nicholas Monserrat although not as well known. If you haven’t seen any of them you would be in for a treat - lots of 1950s staples of English war film actors etc. If it isn’t expensive I would have thought anyone with an interest in WW2 would find something to enjoy in it. Also interesting to compare a film made during the war (WTDW) with others from the British 1950s war film genre. They probably all qualify in some way as propaganda, but with more of an edge to the contemporary one. And always fun to see if you can spot the Sam Kydds and Alfie Basses of that world alongside the Jack Hawkinses and John Millses. Go for it.
I seem to remember WTDW as a bit creaky, but a splendid example of the British Class system in action. Worth a watch though. Previous comment made me look up Sam Kydd on Wiki - he was in the BEF, captured and spent the war in Stalag XX-A, Thorn (where my Uncle Tom was. Wonder if he knew him !?)
As Colditz has been brought up I thought mention The Cooler King posted some photos of his visit in the Gallery. They haven't had many views yet. Colditz Castle | WW2Talk
Not sure what you mean about "the British class system in action." It's a wartime movie, so everyone pulls together to defeat the evil hun. It's introduced/narrated by the village gravedigger, the posh Lady of the big house throws herself on a grenade to save the village kiddies and, best of all, the village postmistress throws pepper in the eyes of a Nazi beast then finishes him off with a hatchet. Good stuff! The class sytem only re-asserted itself in the 1950's; films like 'The Cruel Sea' and 'The Dambusters' concentrate almost entirely on the officer class.
I def. recommend The Cruel Sea. The Cruel Sea (film) is quite often broadcast by the BBC, I'm quite surprised that they haven't actually got it up on the Iplayer (i.e. due to a recent broadcast) BBC Two - The Cruel Sea They even did an audio version of the book in 2 parts: (on Sounds) that has also seen a few repeats. (but again not up on there at the mo. unfortunately). That I'd recommend. BBC Radio 4 Extra - Nicholas Monsarrat - The Cruel Sea, Episode 1 Dramatised by John Fletcher. 1 of 2. The first part of Nicholas Monsarrat's searing classic novel about the men and ships who fought who fought in the North Atlantic during the 2nd World War. Lockhart ..... Gwilym Lee Ericson ..... Jonathan Coy Ferraby ..... Carl Prekopp Wainwright ..... David Seddon Phillips ..... Peter Hamilton-Dyer Gregg ..... Harry Livingstone Mavis ..... Tracy Wiles Coxswain ..... James Lailey Donnelly ..... Adam Billington Sound by Caleb Knightley Directed by Marc Beeby And in one of the recent: "We Have Ways" podcasts, James Holland and Al Murray too were talking about the Cruel Sea (among other WW2 war films). Around 32 mins in. This episode: War Laws from We Have Ways of Making You Talk | Podbay "Show notes Al Murray and James Holland discuss the massive contradiction in the German state between the law makers and the Nazi anarchists. The boys also discuss pubs and films with a World War Two theme. Was there a raid similar to Where Eagles Dare?"
So long as they are not that expensive, just buy them, watch them, then give/sell them back to a shop TD
