"There are countless horrible things happening all over the world and horrible people prospering, but we must never allow them to disturb our equanimity or deflect us from our sacred duty to sabotage and annoy them whenever possible." -Auberon Waugh
JeffS, don't bother, "Zulu Dawn" will only tarnish the cinematic brilliance that is Zulu.
Incidentally, the story in Zulu is more or less factual but some of the characterisations have been altered for dramatic effect and when it was released there were still people alive closely enough related to be annoyed by it. For instance, Colour Sergeant Bourne was only 24, not the grizzled veteran depicted and Private Hook was an upstanding soldier rather than the neer do well drunk shown. Still it remains an outstanding bit of cinema and tribute to an incident which saw the most VCs awarded for a single incident in the history of the British Army.
cac: I always wondered why Bourne didn't get a VC (assuming the conduct of the historical original was anything like that portrayed by the actor). Perhaps that kind of cool efficiency and rock-solid heroism was the norm among British sergeants.
I think it might have been more that they probably awarded too many, even given the tremendous heroism of the defenders. VCs were a bit easier to get back then (not least because there were far fewer standard decorations of any type) but it was still suppposed to be an exceptional gong so some deserving types did miss out. He did get a DCM though and these have generally been seen as for doing stuff very close to a VC even if they don't have the mystique of the purple ribbon and bronze cross.
While on the subject of VCs you may or may not have seen a wonderful news report from last year. The VC is still the top gong in Australia and our first recipient (SAS) got his at Buck House along with a UK recipient and Royal Marine who had got a George Cross (equivalent status but not involving direct enemy action) and went out for a celebratory pint. Some local yobs with anti military views took exception to these apparently effete chaps in suits (one of whom was in a wheelchair) and decided to express this physically. End result 2 in hospital and 2 limping away. You might suppose that this would end with our heroes in legal trouble but in a rare victory for common sense Constable Plod decided there was nothing to see.
Thanks, cac -- I admit to watching the first 20 minutes or so of "Zulu Dawn", and realized that it was more of a moral lesson than story telling. I figured anything that had Burt Lancaster in it was worth watching......and I was wrong.
Paco, Color Sergeant Bourne in fact was doing his duty. If the movie was accurate for his role, then he did an outstanding job. But he did not perform beyond what would be expected of his position, which is generally what high level awards are for. As the senior NCO, he ran the troops according to what the commanding officer said to do. In a sense, that's not heroic. That's standard.
But only in a sense. Being able to do that under such conditions is the mark of an outstanding soldier and NCO. But he didn't quite reach the level of a VC, and hence was awarded the DCM.
And cac, I'm glad to hear that the lefties got what they deserved!!!
You find a great deal of that "altered for dramatic effect" stuff going on to some degree or other. I think I post on the absolute historicial joke that was "My Darling Clementine". You can put in that list "They Died With Their Boots On" as well. Having visited that site twice I can tell you the battle went down noting like it was portrayed in the movie. And I know for a fact that Anthony Quinn did not stick a lance in Errol Flynn!:)
Then you have the Navajo Code Talkers movie where the Code Talkers were going to be shot by the Marines if there was a chance of capture. That is absolute rubbish.
That's a great movie!
ReplyDeleteThe same director did a prequel to "Zulu", "Zulu Dawn", with Burt Lancaster and Peter O'Toole. I haven't watched it yet, but I do have the DVD.
"Men of Harlech" - that's what Rick Rescorla sang as he went back into the towers on 9/11 to get his people out.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.blackfive.net/main/2009/09/today-is-a-day-to-be-proud-to-be-american.html
JeffS, don't bother, "Zulu Dawn" will only tarnish the cinematic brilliance that is Zulu.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, the story in Zulu is more or less factual but some of the characterisations have been altered for dramatic effect and when it was released there were still people alive closely enough related to be annoyed by it. For instance, Colour Sergeant Bourne was only 24, not the grizzled veteran depicted and Private Hook was an upstanding soldier rather than the neer do well drunk shown. Still it remains an outstanding bit of cinema and tribute to an incident which saw the most VCs awarded for a single incident in the history of the British Army.
cac: I always wondered why Bourne didn't get a VC (assuming the conduct of the historical original was anything like that portrayed by the actor). Perhaps that kind of cool efficiency and rock-solid heroism was the norm among British sergeants.
ReplyDeleteI think it might have been more that they probably awarded too many, even given the tremendous heroism of the defenders. VCs were a bit easier to get back then (not least because there were far fewer standard decorations of any type) but it was still suppposed to be an exceptional gong so some deserving types did miss out. He did get a DCM though and these have generally been seen as for doing stuff very close to a VC even if they don't have the mystique of the purple ribbon and bronze cross.
ReplyDeleteWhile on the subject of VCs you may or may not have seen a wonderful news report from last year. The VC is still the top gong in Australia and our first recipient (SAS) got his at Buck House along with a UK recipient and Royal Marine who had got a George Cross (equivalent status but not involving direct enemy action) and went out for a celebratory pint. Some local yobs with anti military views took exception to these apparently effete chaps in suits (one of whom was in a wheelchair) and decided to express this physically. End result 2 in hospital and 2 limping away. You might suppose that this would end with our heroes in legal trouble but in a rare victory for common sense Constable Plod decided there was nothing to see.
cac: Three cheers for the good constable!
ReplyDeleteThanks, cac -- I admit to watching the first 20 minutes or so of "Zulu Dawn", and realized that it was more of a moral lesson than story telling. I figured anything that had Burt Lancaster in it was worth watching......and I was wrong.
ReplyDeletePaco, Color Sergeant Bourne in fact was doing his duty. If the movie was accurate for his role, then he did an outstanding job. But he did not perform beyond what would be expected of his position, which is generally what high level awards are for. As the senior NCO, he ran the troops according to what the commanding officer said to do. In a sense, that's not heroic. That's standard.
But only in a sense. Being able to do that under such conditions is the mark of an outstanding soldier and NCO. But he didn't quite reach the level of a VC, and hence was awarded the DCM.
And cac, I'm glad to hear that the lefties got what they deserved!!!
You find a great deal of that "altered for dramatic effect" stuff going on to some degree or other. I think I post on the absolute historicial joke that was "My Darling Clementine". You can put in that list "They Died With Their Boots On" as well. Having visited that site twice I can tell you the battle went down noting like it was portrayed in the movie. And I know for a fact that Anthony Quinn did not stick a lance in Errol Flynn!:)
ReplyDeleteThen you have the Navajo Code Talkers movie where the Code Talkers were going to be shot by the Marines if there was a chance of capture. That is absolute rubbish.
YoJ: Clementine is best enjoyed as complete fiction, featuring a bunch of people who just happened to be named Earp, Clanton, etc.
ReplyDelete