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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Downton Abbey 2


Alan Tucker

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I agree, in part, and have reflected on that presentation by Major Corrigan. There is a perception of the Great War as the loss of a generation that has been discussed at length previously in other threads and this is no place to rehearse those arguments again but, I wonder if without a perception that has been powerful enough to survive almost a century would there have been as much interest now? Has such a belief about the enormity of loss, inaccurate though it be, not helped to preserve the memory of the war to the extent that there will be an explosion of interest come 2014? So, when we hear an actress make such a comment and the historians amongst us ache to point out the inaccuracy should we not also remember that it is such inaccuracies that keep the memory alive?

Good afternoon All,

I think Mr Corrigan corroborated Alan's (Jack's) point at the GWF Conference. Villages were not wiped out, they suffered losses, some greater than others, some considerable but I would have hoped such hyperbole could be consigned to history as we approach the 100th anniversary

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I suppose that I can include this here as it could be a form of "inaccuracy" but there's a real Downton in Wiltshire, south of Salisbury, though it doesn't have an abbey. I wonder if they get visitors looking for one,having seen the TV series. Apparently visitors to Buckingham have been known to ask where the palace is...

Moonraker

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"...with upsidedown 1908 belt"

As I said earlier, we didn't kit out the main cast but '08 belts always seem to appear upside down on film and television. It drives me nuts. In fact all ours have large WD arrows inked in them indicating the top for the times we send them out on hire jobs which are not under our control.

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Well ... the video BLOCKED me ...

I cannot understand why they haven't invited you lot to be advisors ... they could have made a generous donation to the coffers :rolleyes::innocent::blush:

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I liked the 1st series and am looking foward to the new one. Highclere is near to me and I have linked to a Charity event there next month. I bet though I was not the only one who has seen the 1st few seconds of this trailer and was disaponted to see how one of the main actors had been dressed.

http://www.myvidster.com/video/2605836/Downton_Abbey_Series_2_-_Trailer

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I've looked at it and my untutored eye didn't see anything amiss. Any chance of a clue, Wardog?

In today's Telegraph there are two full-page ads publicising the new series, though I would have thought it's had plenty of free publicity.

(I'm not going to look at the clip again: life is so short. And I'm about to watch my video recording of "The Draughtsman's Contract", shown on BBC2 last night and set in the 17th century. There's a long thread debating whether a yellow van drives past in the background 10 minutes in to the film. I'm doing my best not to get distracted by whether I can spot it or not.)

Moonraker

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It's the buckles and straps attached to the rear of the belt. They are wide apart at the top of the belt- if it was the correct way up they would be closer together. Easy thing for a dresser to get wrong and a common mistake as Taff says. Just one of those things that stands out if you are familiar with how it should be worn. Cheers, Paul.

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Now the academics are throwing their toys out of their prams Click

Think I might watch 'Spooks' which is on at the same time and guaranteed to be historically accurate and true to real life :ph34r::w00t:

NigelS

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There seem to be two ways to watch this tonight.

a ) With a forgiving eye and relish the fact that the war may well be portrayed in a reasonably accurate, sensitive and adult way to a mainstream audience.

b ) Watch it with an eagle eye and let the inaccuracies spoil the show, and leave a string of faults here for anyone inspired to find out a bit more about the period to find and shake their heads at.

Option(a) for me, I think.

Steve.

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If Professor Light is quoted correctly she appears to believe that the series is ludicrous because all Edwardian grandees were nasty. Hmm, I seem to remember from my brief sojourn in the groves of academe that responses like this to historical questions were awarded poor marks for being 'assertive' and 'stereotyped'.

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On the "trailer" to the programme, ( just finished on ITV) Rupert Brook was described as being killed in action

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"It is very paternalistic and benign and generous, and nobody is nasty to anyone. So it is very much of the present...."

Which planet is Professor Light living on?

I shall watch the programme and make my own mind up but keep my eye open for the detail just for the hell of it.

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If he should die, I will think only this of him...

I once arranged a funeral for a family who requested a Civil Ceremony. The deceased was ex Royal Navy and for some reason the Celebrant mentioned Rupert Brooke being killed in action on the Western Front and buried in France.

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And also in the Countrywise 'trailer' this evening, Lady Carnarvon who's written a book on Highclere in the Great War seemed to think that it finished in September 1918, or did I mishear?

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Yaaay! The program just gave me the opportunity to explain the significance of the white feather to my wife, who usually glazes over at the very mention of WWI, militaria etc. etc. For that alone, thank you ITV!

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Mark,

Have they said the Somme has actually started yet?

Steve.

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Almost the first frame of the programme said 1916 The Somme across the bottom of the screen with battle scene behind. Well spotted Mark.

Mandy

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I thought that part was in the future?

The character was shown during the Somme during the opening. Then he thought back to life at home..... and the programme started?

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