It is the inspirational story of an English family that lives in a small town near London before and during the early stages of World War II. Pidgeon and Garson (Mrs. Miniver) play the husband and wife and parents to three children. Wright falls in love with their eldest, a student at Oxford, who enlists in the RAF when war breaks out in 1939.
"This remarkably touching wartime melodrama (captures) the classic British stiff upper lip and the courage of a middle class English family amid the chaos of air raids and family loss. The film's iconic tribute to the sacrifices on the home front...did much to rally America's support for its British allies (after Pearl harbor)." British Prime Minister Winston Churchill stated that Mrs. Miniver "was more powerful to the war effort than the combined work of six military divisions."
One portion of the film depicts a piece of history unknown to me prior to the first time I saw it. "Together with other boat owners, (Pidgeon) volunteers to take his motorboat to assist in the Dunkirk evacuation."
Britain declared war on Germany in September of 1939 after Germany invaded Poland. Thousands of British troops crossed the English Channel to join with the French and other allies to try to thwart German advances in western Europe. However, by May of 1940 Britain found itself in a precarious position. Churchill ordered an evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from the port city of Dunkirk on the French coast.
While the German infantry did not advance on the British troops waiting on the beach, the Luftwaffe hammered them. Then "over 850 British civilian vessels (took) part in assisting military forces (British and French) off of French soil to awaiting transports in what would become the largest military evacuation in history." Some 338,000 British and allied troops were saved from a German onslaught. A defeat became a victory of sorts. All of this was without the support of the USA which at the time (June of 1940) was a neutral country (before Pearl Harbor).
In 2017 Dunkirk the movie told this remarkable story and received eight Academy Award nominations including Best Picture (won by The Shape of Water) and Best Director (Christopher Nolan lost to Guillermo del Toro for The Shape of Water). Dunkirk the movie won three Academy Awards: Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing and Best Film Editing.
One interesting aspect of Dunkirk the movie was that the words "Germany" or "German" were not used. They were replaced by the words "the enemy." Why do you think?
One interesting aspect of Dunkirk the movie was that the words "Germany" or "German" were not used. They were replaced by the words "the enemy." Why do you think?
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