Thanks for posting that, don't think I've watched it before. Really enjoyed the whole movie. Love the line to that Captain , ''I'm short of good officers.''
I wonder if the original novel was inspired by a story Slim used to tell about a soldier who had served under him in Mesopotamia in WW1 who he met in the 20s when the man had (re)turned to crime
Reminds me of a goon show episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX8uQtjMToc&feature=youtu.be&t=588 Seagoon: I tell you, Major Bloodnok, I must ask you to parade your men. Bloodnok: Why? Seagoon: I'm looking for a criminal. Bloodnok: You find your own, it took me years to get this lot! --
Thanks I quite enjoyed every minute of that movie. I've always been a fan of Hawkins. What really jumped out at me and what has always been a source of fascination is the British class structure. It was conspicuous in almost every scene, at least to me. Offering a tip to the scrapyard worker was an odd gesture. Admittedly, relationships in Canada were more formal in the 50's and 60's but I expect that after the war, former officers and enlisted men would certainly be on first name basis. Indeed, during the war it was more informal and first names were widely used between ranks. The word "Sir" was unlikely to be used between colleagues. Because all Canadian veterans were offered free university education after ww2, many used the opportunity to move up the socioeconomic ladder and that further reduced any class distinctions here.
First name basis was nothing to do with class etc. In the 50s and early 60s it was still usual to reserve the use of first name to close friends or small children and use surnames otherwise - even at secondary school. Nick names were exempted - even officer to officer surnames would as like as not be used *what you having Brown?" "Ill have a scotch thank you Jones" I think it was the increase in graduates arriving in industry in the 70s that eased matters. However it should be pointed out that in WW2 the British (and Commonwealth) forces were far more flexible towards commissioning from the ranks than almost all other forces on either side
Robert, Thanks for that context. I have no firm reference point for British society, before or after the period depicted in the film so that is helpful. I was obviously viewing this through a Canadian lens and found the level of formality and deference to be strikingly different.
The Canadian army commissioned a report on how well or otherwise Canadians arriving in Britain from 1940 on interacted with the British population and this was mentioned In general - the use of names is discussed and that British found the use of first names by the Canadians "over familiar" but put it down to a brashness contacted through association with Americans whom, at that time, were mainly known only through the Hollywood films at the pictures. Canadians were regarded as somewhat exotic. Parkinson (Parkinson's law guy not the disease man) makes the point that at one time calling someone who was not family or friend by their first name was a mark of assumed superiority. The stable boy might be called Jim, the coachman James but the butler a superior servant would be Brown. "Home James and don't spare the horses for this night has been ruin to me" As such it could be resented. I think however things were getting less formal in the British army if one compares written dialog from WW1 with WW2, but only slowly. For example at some point in WW2 the custom of referring to subalterns as Mr ("Werl Sarge, Mr Jones orders us to advance cautious like") appears to have been abandoned and this had been in place at least since the Peninsular War.
A 1 Border veteran told me that when they got their first Canloan officers they liked being referred to by first name and would give the lads a lift to the pub, this didn't go down well and words were had and that stopped, officially at least, he did say once out the gate that went by the way
Thanks for posting, I enjoyed that. Never mind the Cromwells, are those Vickers Lights Mk 6 at around 54.40 and following?