Victorian Military Movies

[Mark]

I have taken the plunge and spent £3.50 on The Charge of the Light Brigade DVD! Despite some of the other movies that have been mentioned above I can't remember the last time this one was shown on TV in the UK?!

Mark

[ED, in Los Angeles]

Which "Charge Of The Light Brigade"? David Hemmings or Errol Flynn? Both good.

[Mark]

Sorry I should have said which version! It is the 1968 film starring David Hemmings and directed by Tony Richardson

Mark

[trooper]

A reasonable action film which would have been much better had Richardson listened to the uniform advice of the Mollos' Historical Research Unit. They pulled out in disgust after Richardson's arbitrary decision to equip the entire brigade in crimson overalls. Trooper

[jf42]

I think the Mollos stuck with it but did have a tough time with Richardson's blinkered vision (See my earlier post). There's an interesting Military Illustrated article on the subject.

[Mark]

Sadly film makers have their own agendas and if historical accuracy doesn't fit within that agenda it goes to the wind.

Mark

[jf42]

"Bring on the empty horses!"

[Mark]

Just watched The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968 version) and found it interesting. Although I have seen it before it was a long time ago so had forgotten much of it. One can certainly see the 1960's influence in it!

Mark

[trooper]

As a film it is quite enjoyable, I just wish I could switch off that part of the brain that registers uniform inaccuracies!! Trooper

[Mark]

It is quite comical in places too

Mark

[jf42]

I never quite got over the trauma of Jill Bennet in her underwear.

[Jonathan]

In the USA, the following movies are available on Netflix Instant Watch: "Khartoum", "Zulu", "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (1968), and "North West Frontier" (aka, "Flame Over India").

[trooper]

"Breaker Morant" is a good film. Accurate uniforms and weapons and it sticks closely to the facts. Having watched it is then worth reading "Scapegoats of Empire" by George Witton, the officer condemned to death who had his sentence commuted to imprisonment with hard labour. Trooper

[Maureene]

"Scapegoats of Empire" by George Witton

This book is available an a Gutenberg of Australia eBook
http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks04/0400611.txt

This link from Deakin Universty Library is about the book
http://www.deakin.edu.au/alfreddeakin/s ... egoats.php

Cheers
Maureen

[jf42]

[b][i]"Breaker Morant" is a good film.

Second that. One of Edward Woodward's best performances.