*Note: Not all movies are listed under Netflix. Try to rent one off of iTunes or another program. Sometimes Youtube will have the full version.
The 19th Century: The Imperial Project
*The Charge of Light Brigade 1936 115mins
Dir. Michael Curtiz. With Erol Flynn
The story is mostly set in India, with detestation of an Indian princes atrocities inspiring the final charge. The real destruction of horses shown -- using trip wires -- began the moevment to protect animals during filming. The movie is historically inaccurate, and focuses on racial distrust. The actual final charge scene is very effective.
*The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968) 145mins
Dir. Tony Richardson, With Trevor Howard and Vanessa Redgrave.
A much more accurate historical account by a british director. As might be expected, unlike the racial motifs of the US film, social class is the major factor here.
*Fitzcarraldo 1982 158mins
Dir. Werner Herzog, With Klaus Kinski
An opera lover builds an Opera house in Manaus.
*Shaka Zulu 1987 300mins.
The life and rise to power of Shaka, the greatest Zulu king.
Zulu Dawn 1969 115mins
Dir. Douglas Hickox, With Burt Lancaster and Simon Ward.
A dramatization of the Battle of Isandlwana during the Anglo-Zulu war. Made after Zulu, but looks at the story before the events depicted there.
*Zulu 1964 135mins
Dir. Cy Endfield, With Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins and Michael Caine.
The British-Zulu wars of the late 19th century. Specifically the battle of Rourke's Drift.
*Breaker Morant 1980
Dir. Bruce Beresford, With Edward Woodward.
-Three Australian lieutenants are on trial for shooting Boer prisoners during the Boer War.
Rhodes of Africa 1936
Dir. Berthold Viertel
Rhodes (TV) 1996. 8 part drama
Dir. David Drury, With Martin Shaw.
Khartoum 1966 128 mins.
Dir. Basil Dearden, Eliot Elisofon, With Charlton Heston and Laurence Olivier (as the Mahdi)
General Gordon and the Mahdi never met face to face, but they do in this film.
*Out of Africa 1985
Dir. Sydney Pollack. With Meryl Streep, Klaus Brandauer
Isak Dinesen's life in 1910's Kenya.
Black and White in Color [aka Noirs et blancs en couleur] 1976.
Dir. Jean-Jacques Annaud, With Jean Carmet and Jean Dufilho.
On the experiences of French and German colonies in Africa as they learn of the Great War "seven months behind the news."
Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India 2001 225 mins.
Dir. Ashutosh Gowarika,With Amir Khan,
An Indian film about British imperialism and a village uniting to resist the land tax (lagaan). The film is interesting in that, unlike even British movies that are critical of the Raj, it is not at all nostalgic about British rule. It is nostalgic, on the other hand, for an India where religious and communal divsions were rejected in favor of the fight against the Empire.
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Cultural Anxiety
*Song of Bernardette 1943
Dir. Henry King (I), With Jennifer Jones,
Jennifer Jones won an Oscar for her portrayal of the Catholic girl who claimed to have a vision of a "beautiful lady" at Lourdes. The film is a useful reminder of the continuing power of religion in the modern world.
*Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima 1952.
Dir. John Brahm.
An account of the 1917 apparitions of the Virgin Mary to three children at Fatima in Portugal. Extremely sentimental -- it makes Song of Bernardette look like realist cinema.
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World War I
*Mayerling 1968, 127 mins.
Dir. Terence Young, With Omar Sherif and Catherine Deneuve.
The downfall of the Hapsburg family is connected to the the personal tragedy of Crown Prince Prince Rudolph. The story focuses on the lead up to the great scandal of 1889, when Prince Rudolph took his teenage mistress,Baroness Maria Vetsera, to a hunting lodge called "Mayerling," where both were to end up dead. The film now looks very dated.
*Oberst Redl 1985 [aka Colonel Redl][In German]
Dir. István Szabó. With Klaus Maria Brandauer
-Based on a play by John Osbourne, this film looks at the corrupt nature of the Austrian army and state on the eve of World War I. Contains one of the best musical pick-up scenes ever filmed.
Fall of Eagles TV-mini 1974 13x50mins
A great 13-part British TV series which dramatically presented the ending of the Habsburg, Hohenzollern and Romanov dynasties during World War I. This is almost impossible to get hold of.
*Gallipoli 1981
Dir. Peter Weir, With Mel Gibson
Looks at the Australian forces in the British attack on the Turkish Gallipoli peninsula, one of the most bloody and pointless battles of the war.
*Paths of Glory, 1957
Dir. Stanely Kubrick. With Kirk Douglas
A coutroom movie [compare with Breaker Morant]. The futility and irony of the war in the trenches in WWI is shown as a unit commander in the French army must deal with the mutiny of his men and a glory-seeking general after part of his force falls back under fire in an impossible attack.
See also summary [with spoilers] at filmsite
*All Quiet on the Western Front 1930
Dir. Lewis Milestone
Based on Remarque's classical novel.
All Quiet on the Western Front 1979 TV
Dir. Paul Monash, With Richard Thomas
Remake of Milestone's classic.
Beneath Hill 60
The extraordinary true story of Oliver Woodward. It's 1916 and Woodward must tear himself from his new young love to go to the mud and carnage of the Western Front. Deep beneath the German lines. Woodward and his secret platoon of Australian tunnelers fight to defend a leaking, labyrinthine tunnel system packed with enough high explosives to change the course of the War.
*The Charge of Light Brigade 1936 115mins
Dir. Michael Curtiz. With Erol Flynn
The story is mostly set in India, with detestation of an Indian princes atrocities inspiring the final charge. The real destruction of horses shown -- using trip wires -- began the moevment to protect animals during filming. The movie is historically inaccurate, and focuses on racial distrust. The actual final charge scene is very effective.
*The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968) 145mins
Dir. Tony Richardson, With Trevor Howard and Vanessa Redgrave.
A much more accurate historical account by a british director. As might be expected, unlike the racial motifs of the US film, social class is the major factor here.
*Fitzcarraldo 1982 158mins
Dir. Werner Herzog, With Klaus Kinski
An opera lover builds an Opera house in Manaus.
*Shaka Zulu 1987 300mins.
The life and rise to power of Shaka, the greatest Zulu king.
Zulu Dawn 1969 115mins
Dir. Douglas Hickox, With Burt Lancaster and Simon Ward.
A dramatization of the Battle of Isandlwana during the Anglo-Zulu war. Made after Zulu, but looks at the story before the events depicted there.
*Zulu 1964 135mins
Dir. Cy Endfield, With Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins and Michael Caine.
The British-Zulu wars of the late 19th century. Specifically the battle of Rourke's Drift.
*Breaker Morant 1980
Dir. Bruce Beresford, With Edward Woodward.
-Three Australian lieutenants are on trial for shooting Boer prisoners during the Boer War.
Rhodes of Africa 1936
Dir. Berthold Viertel
Rhodes (TV) 1996. 8 part drama
Dir. David Drury, With Martin Shaw.
Khartoum 1966 128 mins.
Dir. Basil Dearden, Eliot Elisofon, With Charlton Heston and Laurence Olivier (as the Mahdi)
General Gordon and the Mahdi never met face to face, but they do in this film.
*Out of Africa 1985
Dir. Sydney Pollack. With Meryl Streep, Klaus Brandauer
Isak Dinesen's life in 1910's Kenya.
Black and White in Color [aka Noirs et blancs en couleur] 1976.
Dir. Jean-Jacques Annaud, With Jean Carmet and Jean Dufilho.
On the experiences of French and German colonies in Africa as they learn of the Great War "seven months behind the news."
Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India 2001 225 mins.
Dir. Ashutosh Gowarika,With Amir Khan,
An Indian film about British imperialism and a village uniting to resist the land tax (lagaan). The film is interesting in that, unlike even British movies that are critical of the Raj, it is not at all nostalgic about British rule. It is nostalgic, on the other hand, for an India where religious and communal divsions were rejected in favor of the fight against the Empire.
Back to Index
Cultural Anxiety
*Song of Bernardette 1943
Dir. Henry King (I), With Jennifer Jones,
Jennifer Jones won an Oscar for her portrayal of the Catholic girl who claimed to have a vision of a "beautiful lady" at Lourdes. The film is a useful reminder of the continuing power of religion in the modern world.
*Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima 1952.
Dir. John Brahm.
An account of the 1917 apparitions of the Virgin Mary to three children at Fatima in Portugal. Extremely sentimental -- it makes Song of Bernardette look like realist cinema.
Back to Index
World War I
*Mayerling 1968, 127 mins.
Dir. Terence Young, With Omar Sherif and Catherine Deneuve.
The downfall of the Hapsburg family is connected to the the personal tragedy of Crown Prince Prince Rudolph. The story focuses on the lead up to the great scandal of 1889, when Prince Rudolph took his teenage mistress,Baroness Maria Vetsera, to a hunting lodge called "Mayerling," where both were to end up dead. The film now looks very dated.
*Oberst Redl 1985 [aka Colonel Redl][In German]
Dir. István Szabó. With Klaus Maria Brandauer
-Based on a play by John Osbourne, this film looks at the corrupt nature of the Austrian army and state on the eve of World War I. Contains one of the best musical pick-up scenes ever filmed.
Fall of Eagles TV-mini 1974 13x50mins
A great 13-part British TV series which dramatically presented the ending of the Habsburg, Hohenzollern and Romanov dynasties during World War I. This is almost impossible to get hold of.
*Gallipoli 1981
Dir. Peter Weir, With Mel Gibson
Looks at the Australian forces in the British attack on the Turkish Gallipoli peninsula, one of the most bloody and pointless battles of the war.
*Paths of Glory, 1957
Dir. Stanely Kubrick. With Kirk Douglas
A coutroom movie [compare with Breaker Morant]. The futility and irony of the war in the trenches in WWI is shown as a unit commander in the French army must deal with the mutiny of his men and a glory-seeking general after part of his force falls back under fire in an impossible attack.
See also summary [with spoilers] at filmsite
*All Quiet on the Western Front 1930
Dir. Lewis Milestone
Based on Remarque's classical novel.
All Quiet on the Western Front 1979 TV
Dir. Paul Monash, With Richard Thomas
Remake of Milestone's classic.
Beneath Hill 60
The extraordinary true story of Oliver Woodward. It's 1916 and Woodward must tear himself from his new young love to go to the mud and carnage of the Western Front. Deep beneath the German lines. Woodward and his secret platoon of Australian tunnelers fight to defend a leaking, labyrinthine tunnel system packed with enough high explosives to change the course of the War.