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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Journey's End movie


Steven Broomfield

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On 2/7/2018 at 19:01, 593jones said:

 

Also in some regiments earlier in the war, see Robert Graves 'Goodbye to All That' and his reception in the 2nd RWF after being attached to the Welsh Regiment in 1915.  Graves was wearing shoulder stars and a senior RWF officer accused him of wearing 'a wind-up jacket'.

 

 

And some tunnelling companys' officers wore their badges of rank on their shoulders

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Sorry that this has taken up most of the post. Have to say, at this point I'm at a loss on how to control it's size or content.

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In various  photos/ drawings  of 9th East Surrey officers from early 1917, most seem to have their badges of rank on the cuff. New Year 1919 photos show  a similar situation. In 1917 the battalion was wearing green crosses on each shoulder, with a diamond coloured by company above, as the scheme introduced in summer 1916. With the reorganisation of the Division to 9 battalions, the battalion stayed in the same 72nd Brigade, but would have become the most senior battalion, by regimental number, in the Brigade. It presumably exchanged crosses for a horizontal bar of the same colour then. Some seem to be evident in the 1919 pictures.

Michael

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Finally got round to seeing this film this afternoon at my local cinema. Well, what can I say? I did enjoy it a lot. It conveyed the claustrophobic atmosphere of the trenches and dug-outs well. The tension of waiting for an attack, the strain of both officers and men. No big battles and 'over the top, lads' as depicted in other films. Glad to see the trench raid scene. It gave me a sense of the mad scramble to capture a German prisoner and hurtle back to the comparative safety of the trench. That's how my great-uncle copped it, although at least the raid he was on was at night. Although that was probably more terrifying!

 

Yes, there were a few common WW1 cliches - the unfeeling Colonel sending his men to certain death. The endless scenes of boots walking along muddy trenches (I suppose it was March, but was that sector of France as muddy as Flanders?) I particularly liked Paul Bettany as 'Osbourne' and could understand Stanhope gut-wrenching grief at his loss. I must read up on the Spring Offensive. Another great-uncle of mine was involved in this and was badly wounded in a sustained German attack on his trenches. Happily he survived the war., although he was in hospital for 9 months and died aged 53.

 

Anyway, I'm glad I got to see the film, There's not enough films about WW1 in my opinion. You would think in this centenary period, there would have more made, but hey ho, we should be grateful for what we've had.

 

Sue.

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On 2/7/2018 at 07:55, Steven Broomfield said:

 

 

The only quibble I have with the film is the dodgy set of statistics at the end: did 700,000 men really die in the Spring Offensive? Were all the German gains made really recaptured a month after the offensive ended? Did a million more men die in the  Advance to Victory?

 

Surely they mean total casualties for Germans, French and British++

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Saw it today and thought it was good , but to be honest I think the 1988 made for T.V adaptation was better . I also think that Toby Jones should

have swopped parts with Stephen Graham .

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Off at a tangent as usual. Last October/November I went to a performance of 'Journey's End' in Ypres at the tiny theatre at the 'Magazine' near the station. So close to the performers, almost lived it. Wonderful. Even chatted to the actors afterwards. I think it is being repeated next autumn. Well worth a visit.

Ken

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Any idea of when the play is on Ypres in the autumn? I'll be there in October.

 

Sue

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On 28/02/2018 at 13:23, suesalter1 said:

Any idea of when the play is on Ypres in the autumn? I'll be there in October.

 

Sue

 

It will be from October again - last year it was 10 October to 12 November at the Kruitmagazijn near the station. The dates will be the same, daily at 15:00h (except Monday) plus Tues, Thurs and Sat at 19:00h. So it says in last year's programme cover.

 

Very small and intimate but excellent atmosphere. As it's 2018 I think the tickets might be in heavy demand. It was presented by the MESH Theatre Company.

Hope you enjoy it.

Ken

 

 

 

Quote

 

 

 

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Thanks, I'll check this out. We're staying in Ypres until the 13th October.

 

Sue

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Saw the film last night, finally shown at the Kinema in the Woods. Thought it excellent although, as has been stated above, the casualties shown on the end credits raised an eyebrow or several. Taff did a really grand job.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello ALL.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_9_3?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=journeys+end&sprefix=Jou%2Caps%2C259&crid=MHZYX0P3IX9I   

 

For those like myself who could not get to seethe film on the big screen.

 

Cheers.

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I've got tickets to see the play in Ypres in October. Can't wait!

 

Sue

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1 hour ago, suesalter1 said:

I've got tickets to see the play in Ypres in October. Can't wait!

 

Sue

The Am Drams doing it here tomorrow too

http://georgiantheatreroyal.savoysystems.co.uk/GeorgianTheatreRoyal.dll/TSelectItems.waSelectItemsPrompt.TcsWebMenuItem_1352.TcsWebTab_1353.TcsProgramme_534875

 

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  • Admin
On 23/03/2018 at 18:32, 17107BM said:

Hello ALL.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_9_3?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=journeys+end&sprefix=Jou%2Caps%2C259&crid=MHZYX0P3IX9I   

 

For those like myself who could not get to seethe film on the big screen.

 

Cheers.

Many thanks for the heads up. Birthday money from the in laws put to good use! 

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Just (another) plug for https://www.rolandwales.com/  Especially his blog entries about the fate of the 9th East surreys 21-26 March 1918.   One of my Grandfather's cousins was one of the few survivors of "B" coy taken prisoner on 21st , I've only managed to trace about 5 other "B" coy men taken prisoner at the same time.

Edited by Chris_B
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3 hours ago, squirrel said:

17107BM Thanks for the link.

Very welcome Sir.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hoping to get to see the film at Aller (Somerset) next weekend...

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Well, I've finally seen it and think it's definitely the most powerful version I've seen to date (I'm familiar with the old TV version, BBC radio version and the German adaptation Die Andere Seite). I'm not ashamed to admit that Raleigh's death brought tears to my eyes, and the missus wept freely. The casting is great, it looks amazing and the liberties taken with the script (which are no more extensive than previous adaptations) are all dramatically justified. I was a little disappointed that we didn't see Hardy drying his socks over a candle, but that's a minor quibble.

Edited by bierast
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I can only agree with bierast's assessment - I was totally absorbed and gripped, and the feel of it is still hanging around my memory. Paul Bettany was the standout casting as Osborne for me - I have to confess that (never having seen play or film) I had trouble distinguishing Stanhope from Hibbert at times, but that wasn't the film's fault.

 

It was shown at The Seed Factory, Ebenezer's, a local arts venue in Aller, and the organiser had been able to get one of the producers to come down for the showing, who answered questions afterwards. I am very pleased to say that none of the usual clichés were trotted out - indeed all the questions were about the making of the film and not about the war; nobody in the audience took it upon themselves to turn a question into a lecture on the Somme :)

 

The DVD will be on the market in June (I asked).

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  • 2 months later...

Well here in Canada we are a little behind when it comes to this film as it was FINALLY released here July 3. I had been waiting quite a while for this and purchased it immediately. I wanted to let you all know that I thought it was very well done and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks to any pals who may have been involved in the film. Operation Michael must have been horrendous for those who were holding the line and the story needed to be told. Very very well done! All the best,

- J  

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  • 3 weeks later...

Watched this on DVD with my other half last night and thought it excellent as has already been stated above. When discussing it with my son who hasn't seen it yet I paid it the greatest compliment when I said "the pals on the forum suggest that they have got the uniforms, the equipment and the trench construction pretty much spot on". If you want to see a film that gives a sense of what it was like to be there this is probably as good as it gets.

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  • 1 month later...
On ‎19‎/‎12‎/‎2016 at 13:39, Dragon said:

I haven't come across negativity towards the film in particular. What has infuriated quite a lot of people is the claim by the theatre critic Robert Gore-Langton that women made up a large part of the original audiences because they wanted to find out what the war had been like,  but now “.... Women might not buy history books about the first world war, but they would go and see that play.”

 

Just read this... actually looking for a review on the movie... somebody please locate this Robert GL-guy so that I can give him the treatment he deserves for such misogynistic comments ... groumph!

such comments make me really angry !!

Apart from that... looking forward to seeing the movie ... one of these days !!

 

M.

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I watched the movie last week from a non-disclosed, secure location.

 

I was a bit disappointed that there were no surprises in terms of the environment, condition, uniforms, etc. Obviously I spend way too much time hanging out here.

 

Other than that, I thought it a very powerful anti-war movie. It focused on the futility of it all.

For me, the message was that in the end no personal qualities mattered. Young or old, brave or cowardly, experienced or callow, educated or not, working class or posh, thin or fat, a gentleman or a cad. It did not matter, they all ended up dead. Evey one of them.

 

Meanwhile, everywhere I go, I am reminded of older conflicts: 1798 memorials in all the towns, villages, and along the roadsides....

Edited by Wexflyer
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