In Which We Serve
I caught this 1942 film last night on TCM as tribute to the NY Film Critics Winners that did not end up winning the Oscar and I really enjoyed it.
Maybe it's because I like men in uniform, maybe it's because I like the Noel Coward/David Lean partnership, or maybe it's because I like WWII films but either way I really enjoyed this one.
In Which We Serve is a British WWII propaganda film about a royal navy ship and it's crew. The ship has been sunk and through flashbacks we learn about the lives and heroism of the crew. Noel Coward played the lead but my real love in the film was Bernard Miles who played the most adorable sailor. What I also love about the film is it went through a lot of the historical moments for England in the war such as the Blitz, Battle of Crete, and Dunkirk evacuation. Although in the case of when this was filmed these events were all extremely recent history and the war itself was still waging on.
And I had to laugh because they sang the Beer Barrell Polka and I realized I was familiar with that song from the Hogan's Heroes episode Top Hat, White Tie and Bomb Sights
Speaking of WWII, I also started to read Complete Idiots Guide to WWII. Although I hate that title it is an interesting read, albeit maybe a bit too focused on the European War and not enough focus on the equally important war that was being fought in Asia. And when I am finished this book I will finally start War & Peace. Yay for Tolstoy. :)
On another note I think I am going to have to find some of Noel Coward's plays like his version of Design for Living. I love Lubitch's film but I know almost all of Coward's dialog was changed and it would be interesting to read the original. Even better if I can see some of his plays performed live but I won't hope for that.
Maybe it's because I like men in uniform, maybe it's because I like the Noel Coward/David Lean partnership, or maybe it's because I like WWII films but either way I really enjoyed this one.
In Which We Serve is a British WWII propaganda film about a royal navy ship and it's crew. The ship has been sunk and through flashbacks we learn about the lives and heroism of the crew. Noel Coward played the lead but my real love in the film was Bernard Miles who played the most adorable sailor. What I also love about the film is it went through a lot of the historical moments for England in the war such as the Blitz, Battle of Crete, and Dunkirk evacuation. Although in the case of when this was filmed these events were all extremely recent history and the war itself was still waging on.
And I had to laugh because they sang the Beer Barrell Polka and I realized I was familiar with that song from the Hogan's Heroes episode Top Hat, White Tie and Bomb Sights
Speaking of WWII, I also started to read Complete Idiots Guide to WWII. Although I hate that title it is an interesting read, albeit maybe a bit too focused on the European War and not enough focus on the equally important war that was being fought in Asia. And when I am finished this book I will finally start War & Peace. Yay for Tolstoy. :)
On another note I think I am going to have to find some of Noel Coward's plays like his version of Design for Living. I love Lubitch's film but I know almost all of Coward's dialog was changed and it would be interesting to read the original. Even better if I can see some of his plays performed live but I won't hope for that.