Thursday Film Picks-Prisoner of War

 

Remembrance Day, the 11th month of the 11th day of the 11th hour is very special to me as is to many Canadians because it is to honour the men and women who fought in the wars. Canadians came into their own during World War 1 defeating the Germans at Vimy Ridge when the British could not. I thought I would choose films that took place in prisoner of war camps  and there are many! I chose these 3…

1. LE GRANDE ILLUSION-1937

I love this French film that takes place in a Prisoner of war camp in some German castle during World War 1. You have the elite, French officer, played by Pierre Fresnay with the workman, played by the great Jean Gabin who are transferred to this high security fortress run by the Erich Von Stroheim who becomes friends with Fresnay. Of course, the prisoners must find a way to escape. It’s an excellent film, superbly directed by Jean Renoir, yes, the son of the famous painter, Auguste Renoir. It’s as much a character study as an adventure and war film that also brings up the class struggle. It is worth seeing.

2.  THREE CAME HOME-1950

This is one of my favourite films that is not well known but should be. It stars Claudette Colbert as the famous writer, Agnes Newton Keith, who lives on the island of Borneo with her husband and young son. When the Japanese take charge of the island, they imprison the people but separate the men from the women and their children. We see how brutal the Japanese guards are to the prisoners making it very difficult to maintain morale when you are dealing in some wretched conditions. This is based on a true story on the writings of Agnes Keith who endured torture, starvation and so much more while interred in a camp with her son. Sessue Hayakawa is, once again, brilliant as the commander of the camp just like he did in, “The Bridge on the River Kwai.”

3. STALAG 17-1953

If you want to know where Hogan’s Heroes come from, watch this film. It takes place in a World War 2 camp with a bevy of male stars who all work together to make a great film. William Holden is the bitter, sarcastic prisoner who is not well liked by the men but he is tolerated. You meet some of the other guys including Robert Strauss and Harvey Lembeck who play the comic foils in this film. Robert Strauss nabbed an Oscar nomination for the role of a sex starved best friend to Harvey Lembeck whom we know from the many Avalon and Funicello surfer films where he played the head leader of an inept motorcycle gang. Getting back to this film, we see how the men turn against Holden think he is a rat fink which is not the case but, who is? It’s a good movie that makes you wonder who is the traitor.

So, what prisoner of war movies can you think o?

Songs About Your Country/ National Pride

 

I am avoiding my sick pit of a stomach that a person I never, ever liked, may be President again.  He’s a vile, nasty human being which I saw, many, many years ago before he was on The Apprentice. Shaking my head from this sad state, I am looking at Canada and am scared that Pierre Poilievre could win which would be sad because he is all for wanting to privatize our wonderful healthcare that is free to all people! We can just show our card and get treated costing us  nothing. Do we pay more in taxes? Sure, but I would take that and have my free health care over having to pay money each time I see a doctor or go to the hospital.  I’m proud to be a Canadian because we have accomplished so much and became a true nation during World War 1. We have made headway in music, science, film…you name it, plus we even burned down the White House! Lol. Ok, here are my picks and hope you enjoy…

1. BRINGING BUDDY HOME SUNG BY JOHN MCDERMOTT-2009

We came into our own as a nation during the First World War showing our metal during the battle at Vimy Ridge in 1917. John McDermott is a Canadian icon who truly loves the soldier and what we stand for. He sings this so beautifully.

2. I HOPE THEY REMEMBER ME SUNG BY VIC MACINA-2020

You can’t be any prouder, as a Canadian, than to honour this hero, Terry Fox. Terry was 18 when he was diagnosed with cancer and lost his leg to it, but this just lit the fire in this young man to raise awareness to Cancer by running across Canada starting in Newfoundland to little notice but this changed. He gained major notice running with one artificial leg a marathon each day. By the time he came to Ontario, the nation was enthralled by this 22 yr old man with a humble heart who wanted cancer eradicated. Before long, people were running with him and he was raising thousands of dollars but, before he could leave Ontario, he had to stop because the cancer spread and he died a month before his 23rd birthday on June 28, 1981. I remember crying when I heard he died and I wasn’t the only one. From the moment he had to stop, Canadians across the land started the Terry Fox run to raise awareness for Cancer and to honour this heroic man cut down too young.

3. IM A LUMBERJACK SUNG BY MONTY PYTHON-1975

Oh, I had to go a fun way as we all need something to laugh at today. What better way to laugh than with the gret Monty Python who made a lot of fun of the Canadian Lumberjack. My dad was a lumberman and I’m not sure if he would have found this funny but, I did and think this is just perfect.

One last thing….

Star of the Month-Claude Rains

 

BORN: November 10, 1889

DEATH: May 30, 1967

AGED: 77 years

DIED FROM: abdominal hemorrhage from cirrhosis of the liver brought on by acute alcoholism 

REAL NAME: William Claude Rains

MARRIED: 6 times! Isabel Jeans( famous actress on to her own), Marie Hemingway, Beatrix Thomson, France’s Propper, Agi Jambor, Rosemary Schrode ( her death)

AFFAIRS: one place I read said Bette Davis but I highly doubt that

CHILDREN: 1 daughter

OSCAR NOMINATIONS: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington(1939), Casablanca(1943), Mr. Skeffington (1944), Notorious (1946)

OSCAR WINS: not one time!!!

TALENT: aside from acting, he loved to farm and owned one which was his refuge

KNOWN FOR: His mellifluous voice which could be sinister and soothing. His piercing eyes. 

Claude Rains is one of my favourite actors who has appeared in many great films that are too numerous to mention here but are so good that, even a poor film, is better just for Claude Rains being in it. That he never won an Oscar, is a crime but he is in  good company with Cary Grant, Thelma Ritter, Rosalind Russell, and Barbara Stanwyck also in this club. His dad was an actor and his son wanted to be one from early on. He had a thick Cockney accent and a speech impediment but that didn’t stop him although WW1 did delay his fame. rains was at Vimy when he was injured in a gas attack losing 90% of his right eye and it affected his vocal chords. After the war, he met Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, the founder of RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts) who discovered Claude and could see the potential but not before paying for elocution lessons to have Claude lose the Cockney accent and the speech impediment. Claude Rains was so good that he became a teacher at RADA and had Sir John Gielgud and Charles Laughton as his students. 

When Claude Rains moved to the States, his voice was heard and was perfect for the role as the Invisible Man and became famous. From that moment, Rains appeared in many great films ( and some not so great ones) gaining a reputation as a stellar actor. He not only learned his own lines but he learned the who script! Many enjoyed working with him like Bette Davis who counted him as her favourite actor. He was not tall at all but he had unusual good looks which seemed to attract many a female and he married 6 of them with 5 ending in divorce. He was not known for playing around or being mean but seemed to pick the wrong type..at least a couple of times. 2 of his wives had affairs on him and the one, Frances Propper, had a daughter with him. When she was a tween, Frances came to her and told she was leaving her dad and to come with her but her daughter refused. 

In the Late 40s and 50s, he owned a farm that he thoroughly enjoyed working on and had a knack for. It was his refuge. He was known for his wit and elegant style. He played Prince John as a gay man and revelled in it, apparently, because it got away from the censors. I don’t know why he drank so much but would love to read his biography and learn more about this man. I will end this with what Rains wanted, and got, on his headstone, “All things once, are things forever, Soul, once living, lives forever.”

FILMS( My Favs…too hard)

1. Casablanca-1943

2. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington-1939

3. Caesar and Cleopatra-1945

4. Here Comes Mr. Jordan-1941

5. Notorious-1946

6. Now, Voyager-1942

7. The Invisible Man-1933

8. The Adventures of Robin Hood-1938

9. They Made Me A Criminal-1939

10. Phantom of the Opera-1943

11. The Wolf Man-1941

There are so many more that I have yet to see but you can add to these, of course.