Calling a Norman polite is a bit of a stretch, but not as far as some of this film. I have as yet seen very little of it, but can tell you this, Josephine was a creole, born in the Caribbean and not the snow white wench depicted. She was adored by the Army and when Nap got shot of her for the arrogant Austrian Marie Louise that name became a byword for snotty arrivistes
Army Rumour Service
Register a free account today to join our community
Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site, connect with other members through your own private inbox and will receive smaller adverts!
-
Advance notice that the site is going to go offline at approx 2359 on 30 Nov 23 whilst we move to a different server.
It should be back on by 0400 on 1 Dec 23 but you can click here for further information and discussion
Upcoming Napoleon movie
- Thread starter Quoth
- Start date
javaguzzisti
LE
bbc news on R4 this am claimed the movie had some innacuracies in it.
I presume this means it fails to show Napoleon as black.
I presume this means it fails to show Napoleon as black.
Bodenplatte
LE
lokiuk
LE
Black Kettles Matter!
Mediaeval
LE
She was (almost) certainly born in the Caribbean and I concur that it would have been a good opportunity to use a non-white actress, but from all historical evidence (including many portraits), Josephine was of entirely white French ancestry and had dark hair and pale skin, more akin to Gallic/dark Celt than a mixed race Creole....
Mediaeval
LE
Agreed. looking at the initial dispositions of the Allied Army, and given Napoleon's reputation, Wellington appears to have thought that the main French effort would be to turn his flanks, which were strongly held. It is probable that but for the appalling state of the ground Napoleon would have prioritised doing so. But, with the day rapidly passing and the Prussians still a potential threat to his own right flank (later to be realised), he was forced to rely on frontal assault.
By chance, he nearly succeeded with his first attempt. Wellington's centre was relatively weakly held, with a mixture of Dutch-Belgian forces and British formations already battered at Quatre-Bras. Luckily, Picton and Uxbridge spotted the threat and counter-attacked with fresh British troops just as the French were breaking through east of La Haye Sainte. Less experienced commanders could well have panicked at this point, allowing the French to roll up the Allied line to right and left.....
I'm hoping to go this weekend, but convincing my wife will be difficult.
Judging by the quote above and Ridley Scott's slapdash attitude to history, I suppose it will be the usual fare - pretty to look at, but Napoleon has access to drones and Iron Dome. See also - Robin Hood's landing craft, also filmed by Mr Scott.
One of the reasons I like "Battle of Britain" is because Hugh Dowding isn't a 400lb black cross-dresser called Frenchie. It sticks mostly to the established facts of the time and doesn't go wandering into the boonies of unreality (hey "Dunkirk," I'm looking at you).
Judging by the quote above and Ridley Scott's slapdash attitude to history, I suppose it will be the usual fare - pretty to look at, but Napoleon has access to drones and Iron Dome. See also - Robin Hood's landing craft, also filmed by Mr Scott.
One of the reasons I like "Battle of Britain" is because Hugh Dowding isn't a 400lb black cross-dresser called Frenchie. It sticks mostly to the established facts of the time and doesn't go wandering into the boonies of unreality (hey "Dunkirk," I'm looking at you).
Yonks since I last went to the flicks, but I'm going tomorrow afternoon. Local Odeon.
If it shows just two hours of this, It'll be worth the £5.53 (Defence Card discount)
I will never not take the opportunity to rave about the 6-minute long take of Dunkirk in the film Atonement. It captures it so well - the desperation, the fear, the resignation, the hope, the breakdown of discipline of a defeated army. It's a masterpiece and a shame the film wasn't just a straight up war film.
Last edited:
Exactly this.
I wasn't in Dunkirk, but the army in retreat, broken and battered and to my mind would've looked a lot more like the scene in "Atonement" which looked and felt more authentic than the pristine beaches in "Dunkirk" which showed just soldiers lining up on the beach.
Last edited:
That captures the disarray and mess of Dunkirk in an authentic way, IMHO.
Dunkirk didn't sell me at all on it being realistic. And that's before Sir Kenneth BranaGHHHHH said: "I have 300,000 men on this beach," and the camera pans to show maybe 300. Didn't sell me at all.
Spanny
LE
That was negated by some ridiculous nonsense in the narrative. Example? Convicted child molester gets released from jail if he joins the army. This is probably the fault of the source novel but even so ...
Don't forget the Spitfire with infinite fuel.
Oh I agree. But the Dunkirk scene is worth watching.
