John Mills and Richard Attenborough

[Mark Hone]

I watched the recent two-part profile on TV of Richard Attenborough (not, admittedly my favourite actor and director) with some interest. There was quite a long section on the film version of 'Oh, What A Lovely War' which the commentary suggested was a rather bigger critical and popular success than I seem to recall. Attenborough was visibly moved as he contemplated the final sequence of the film, with the backtracking from the graves. The documentary made out that the film project had basically been the brainchild of John Mills, who of course played Haig. This brought to mind something that has occurred to me before. John Mills was by all accounts a close friend of the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Haig, of course, had very close Royal connections through his wife and is utterly vilified in the film. I wonder if the Queen Mother, John Mills and other members of the Royal Family ever discussed this and what their opinion was of his unsympathetic portrayal of the Field Marshal?

[armourersergeant]

My only experience of this play/film was once many moons ago watching the film and wondering how anybody could believe that these men were really like that. Then some years later my brother played a part in a local actors group and all i could think of was why the hell was Robertson speaking with a posh accent. When i asked my brother he said oh shut up or words to that effect they were all toffs. Where upon a small history lesson took place and a further argument.(hes my big brother you see, big brother ,little brain.)

Where does this play/film originate from? and what was the 'meaning' of its making as i dont quiet understand the reason for it!!

Arm.

[Kate Wills]

"Oh What a Lovely War" has its origins in a BBC programme about the songs of the Great War. Although she was only born in 1914, these songs had formed a part in Joan Littlewood's childhood memories, and she used them to link scenes depicting the course of events, in the show that was first produced in 1963. Pierrot companies were very much a part of light entertainment in theatres across the land, not just at the end of the pier shows (but for end of the pier, we can read simply 'end'), and much recruiting was done via patriotic songs and encouragement from the stage (theatre-going being something many people, from all backgrounds, did regularly at that time).

Littlewood held extreme left wing views, and her concept has, to my mind, bedevilled the public perception of the war (as exemplified by Arm's brother) at a time when interest in the period was beginning to rekindle. The film followed in 1966(?), and from then on, with regular TV screenings, generations have been inculcated with the 'Lions led by Donkeys' line.

Leaving its political stance aside, it is a classic show, and one that seldom fails to entertain, even if characature replaces complete historical accuracy.

[michaeldr]

Apropos John Mills and since this is a quiet evening at the tail of the summer holidays I shall impose upon you, dear reader, with an old soldier's tale

How many of you ex-servicemen out there, like me, suffer from tinnitus?

John Mills did, having served I believe, with the gunners in WWII

Some twenty-odd years ago while shooting a film in the nearby desert, he and his good lady were hoping for a restful weekend and they found their way to a hotel where I was working and I had occasion to attend to them.

Picture the scene if you will; two men, each with a hand cupped to his ear, leaning across the desk towards one another and trying hard to make out what the other has just said. With this dear lady turning first to one and then to the other, repeating in turn what they each had just said so that something resembling a meaningful conversation could take place. It could have been a scene strait out of an Ealing comedy (or if you will, Fawlty Towers, with sand).

Forgive the interruption

Regards

Michael D.R.

[Terry_Reeves]

Michael

Tinnitus and high tone deafness for me. Never mind, at least I can turn a Nelson's blind ear when the occasion arises if you know what I mean.

I can find no evidence of Sir John Mill's military service, he seems to have spent the war making films, 12 between 1939-45. But I may be wrong.

Terry Reeves

[Charles Fair]

The impact of OWALW on the perception of the Great War in 1963 an afterwards was discussed recently in Brian Bond's outstanding book of essays "The Unquiet Western Front: Britain's Role in Literature and History" pub Cambridge UP 2002. (see pp 59-68). It was also discussed in an essay by Alex Danchev "Bunking and Debunking: The Controversies of the 1960s" in the collection "The First World War and British Military History" pub Clarendon Press Oxford 1991. (pp 281-287)

The military adviser was Raymond Fletcher - military commentator for the Tribune, Labour MP for Ilkeston 1964-83, who I believe had links with the KGB.

Danchev writes (p. 282) quoting from a 1988 interview with Fletcher: "Very early in the play's evolution [Fletcher] delivered to the assembled Theatre Workshop an overview lecture designed to give the war some reocgnizable shape: a marathon three hour session memorably described by the lecturer as 'one part me, one part Liddell Hart, the rest Lenin!' "

[Terry_Reeves]

Another production of Littlewood's was the adaptation of Jaroslav Hasek's novel "The Good Soldier Schweik" by her husband Ewan McColl. By way of passing, the book, about the trials and tribulations of a reluctant conscript in the Austrian Army in WW1, can still be found quite easily on the second-hand market.

Terry Reeves

[Clive Maier]

According to the brief biography here, John Mills was unfit for service because of a duodenal ulcer.

[armourersergeant]

the Good Soldier Svejk by Jaroslav Hasek.

picked up my copy when in prague couple years ago , sorry havent actually got round to reading it yet. Went and had a meal in a resturant dedicated totally to this topic with scribble etc all over walls, good meal aswell.

Arm

this the fellow i think.

[michaeldr]

I can turn a Nelson's blind ear when the occasion arises if you know what I mean.

Terry,

I shall be very sorry if your research into JM's WWII career turns out to be correct;

I have dined out on that story for years

Regarding your tinnitus; I recognize exactly what you mean

in our family it known as (the navy would approve) ASDIC

"Acute Selective Deafness In Company"

Best Regards

Michael D.R.