Random WWI sorts of things

[charlie_cochrane]

We saw War Horse for the first time this week. Not sure what I thought of it. Parts very moving, parts very cliched and mawkish. Interesting to see the scenes filmed in Castle Combe, which is where we had our honeymoon.

My theory is that Tom Hiddleston's and Patrick Kennedy's characters were in a relationship, or at least in the run up to one, simply because that tends to be the latter's role. Einstein and Eddington, Cambridge Spies, he was the gay love interest, killed off before matters could be consumated. QED.

I was re-reading A Tommy's Sketchbook and was struck, again, by a lovely little picture Henry Buckle did in July 1915 of flowers (poppies and cornflowers) from Flanders Fields. I can't find a link to that on the web and don't want to scan it in case of copyright issues, but it's profoundly moving, seeing those flowers in a jam tin and thinking of the significance of the poppies going forward.

Comments

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

Great War and Modern Memory talked a lot about the significance of the plants around them, and the attachment that the soldiers had for flowers.

100 years ago, even city guys were much more tuned in to farming and gardening. It gave them a sharfed language, I suppose.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

*nods* and a ray of hope/memory of home. I've just started reading a book about Tolkein and the great war. There will be tears.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen War Horse in any of its incarnations, though I would quite like to see the stage show. I did see Einstein and Eddington though and thought it was really moving.

Talking of poppies, did you see this lovely new item from a couple of years ago? Poppy picked on Flanders fields found in Glasgow.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Einstein and Eddington was stunning, on so many levels.

I hadn't seen about that poppy. So moving.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I'd love to see it again. I watched it when it was first broadcast and was blown away by it.