David_Bluestein Posted 1 March , 2003 Share Posted 1 March , 2003 I have just learned of a movie called “Play The Game”, about the first day on the Somme! I am crossing my fingers that for the first time since 1981 (Gallipoli) we might get to see a decent Great War movie! Does anyone know anything about this film? Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 1 March , 2003 Share Posted 1 March , 2003 David, Are you confusing this with 'The Trench'? If not - apologies. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 1 March , 2003 Share Posted 1 March , 2003 Sounds like the one about the footballs, with Eric Cantona as a French Liaison Officer, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 1 March , 2003 Share Posted 1 March , 2003 Eric Cantona as a French Liaison Officer "Le Dieu" in a WW1 movie? - ....Heaven!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 1 March , 2003 Share Posted 1 March , 2003 I also understand Vinnie Jones is in it... hopefully not playing Billie Neville!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 2 March , 2003 Share Posted 2 March , 2003 Hi David The film is "Play the Game" with Eric Cantona. There is a link to a bit of info about the film in another topic in the Forum at present. In the section "Other" and topic "Somme Footballs" It is the third reply by "Dragon" ta ta Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Bluestein Posted 2 March , 2003 Author Share Posted 2 March , 2003 Thanks all for your help, Terry, I will check the link. Hey! I made Sgt. Sgt. David Bluestein! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Lines Posted 2 March , 2003 Share Posted 2 March , 2003 According to what I have heard the film opens with Captain Cantona looking over the bow of his returning leave boat muttering something about seagulls. The climax comes when ex. Cpl. (busted 15 times) R. Keane is shot for bursting into a chateau several miles behind the lines and throwing the General's prawn sarnies out the window! Whilst in the backgound the England cricket team can be seen narrowly losing to the Australian one legged third team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Bluestein Posted 2 March , 2003 Author Share Posted 2 March , 2003 well there goes any hope for this one being worth the wait! When? I often ask myself, will there ever be a major motion picture release on the Great War the REALLY tells some of the story in a truly meaningful and powerful way???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stoner Posted 3 March , 2003 Share Posted 3 March , 2003 David get your writing pen out and pen one! It seems that "Loves lost, human hardship, Commeraderie, suffering, family bonds, terror, poetry, class intergration" & so on and so on aren't high on a film makers list nowadays, mutant spiders and a bloke that says "Oi" alot seem to be far more important!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 3 March , 2003 Share Posted 3 March , 2003 Cantona was never any good in Europe anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWills Posted 3 March , 2003 Share Posted 3 March , 2003 Real films on the Great War .... Hmmmmm... I think I would put in a vote for "Tell England" which had a showing at the IWM a couple of years ago. It's a version of Ernest Raymond's novel filmed in the earlyish thirties. A lot of work went into making the scenes of the Gallipoli Landings as accurate as possible and can be heartily commended. It is certainly much better the Peter Weir's Gallipoli which is a good film but not a realistic Great War film. What do others think? What do you think is a "real great war" film? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain mchenry Posted 4 March , 2003 Share Posted 4 March , 2003 Martin, A reply to your question about Great War movies, to be honest I have'nt seen a great deal. However I really enjoyed "The Trench", the movie that led up to the first of July '16. Not for the action but how the innocence of the young lads was completley shattered in the final minutes of the movie. I also thought the Platoon Sergeant (whose name escapes me ), played an very realistic part. Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Birch Posted 4 March , 2003 Share Posted 4 March , 2003 I think the battle scenes in "Gallipoli" were good. The most poignant impression was just how short a time the actions took. The tension prior to going over the top was very well portrayed, then the whistles blew, up they went and within seconds and yards were dead. The Turkish machine guns stopped firing and there was a weird silence. As a viewer you are left feeling numb and shocked, but many disasterous attacks were like that. For many men those few seconds was the total of their fighting experience. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 4 March , 2003 Share Posted 4 March , 2003 taken from a website the name of which escapes me right now.... will post it later 16th FEBRUARY 2002 - ERIC CANTONA IN THE ROLE OF A WW1 POILU The Courier Picard, local newspaper to the Somme area, reported today that French International Footballer, Eric Cantona, will star in a new film about the Great War, Play The Game. The film, by Stéphane Barbarto and Sam Kaye, will see Cantona take the role of Victor Raboul, a liaison officer who served with the 8th East Surreys on the Somme in 1916. It will follow his friendship with Captain Billie Neville, whose men kicked footballs as they went into the attack on Montauban on 1st July 1916. Neville was killed that day, and is buried in Carnoy British Cemetery. The event became famous throughout the world, and was used as propaganda by both sides! Filming will begin shortly, and will cost an estimated 152 000 €. The well known Dominique Zanardi, of Le Tommy Café in Pozières is involved in the project and parts of the film will be made in his reconstructed trenches. For further information and to follow the progress of the film, see the official web site at: http://www.everybody-playthegame.com/ Hope that helps..... John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 5 March , 2003 Share Posted 5 March , 2003 David asked: When? I often ask myself, will there ever be a major motion picture release on the Great War the REALLY tells some of the story in a truly meaningful and powerful way???? I suggest La Chambre des Officiers / The Officers' Ward, read in a pairing with the original novel by Marc Dugain. I found the film to be a sensitive, noble depiction of the hospitalisation and convalescence of a group of officers horrifically disfigured at the start of the Great War. It was filmed with considerable compassion yet avoids sentimentality. Gwyn I am pixilated by the quote facility. Can someone please point me in the direction of Quoting For Dummies. Or Italics for Dummies... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 7 March , 2003 Share Posted 7 March , 2003 Officers Ward BBC4 Sat 8tyh March I believe, will tape it.... oh and part 3 of Great war.. missed part 2.. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Whippy Posted 7 March , 2003 Share Posted 7 March , 2003 I heard a rumour that in the film Cantona charges the German lines then as he gets there he does a flying drop kick across the parapet and gets a red card from a nearby umpire ! and gets sent to the dugout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 11 March , 2003 Share Posted 11 March , 2003 John - did you tape and watch The Officer's Ward? If so, what did you think of it? Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woodyudet Posted 11 March , 2003 Share Posted 11 March , 2003 The Lighthorsemen is a sequel to Gallipoli [of sorts]. Well worth checking out I reckon; i prefer it to Gallipoli as its much more balanced [certainly less anti-British]- has an interesting recreation of Australian charge at Beersheba. I also saw a yugoslav/bavarian co-production about Gavrilo Princip and the planning of the assasination of Franz Ferdinand. Unfortunately i can't remember what its called ... it was made in 1991 or thereabouts. Lawrence of Arabia ... probably the greatest movie ever made, happens to be set in WW1 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 11 March , 2003 Share Posted 11 March , 2003 I see "Deathwatch" - with Jamie 'Billy Elliott' Bell - disappeared without trace (some said rightfully, too). What was amusing was that one newspaper reviewer said "In 1917, a platoon of British soldiers seize a Nazi trench..." (I think it was in that estimable journal 'Metro'?) I felt greatly satisfied to see letters in reply pouring scorn on the ignoramus who wrote that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownag Posted 11 March , 2003 Share Posted 11 March , 2003 Staffsyeoman - yes it was the 'Metro'. You can't really complain about the quality of reviewers though when it's a free newspaper Woodyudet - I have to disagree with you about 'The Lighthorsemen', I saw it a few years ago and thought it was terrible. The German accents are particularly poor. Was it made by the same people who made 'Anzacs'? (Cherry blossom in France in November!!) Football and The Great War - surely some of the greatest British films ever made have involved these subjects. By combining the two its bound to be a sure-fire hit! I for one can't wait. Cheers Adam p.s. Best War Film - 'Sea of Sand' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 11 March , 2003 Share Posted 11 March , 2003 Dragon I was out and missed it..... Anyone help? or will it be repeated? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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