Part 1 - The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) First Time Watching Reaction & Review

[@johnswift376]

Another of Powell and Pressburger's glorious and utterly British films. They made completely unique films that are emotionally affecting and wonderful to look at. I can't recommend I Know Where I'm Going and A Matter of Life and Death enough. As for good war films - The Bridge at Remagen, Dunkirk - the original - A Bridge Too Far, I Was Monty's Double and The Cruel Sea are all worthwhile uses of your time.

[@alexachipman]

It is such a pity that most of them are totally unavailable now in the US or you would see more reactions! I got lucky finding this one - I hunted for it nonstop for a year!

[@zvimur]

@@alexachipman searched on YT "a matter of life and death 1946", found at least 3 full versions. Should be about 1¾ hrs long.

[@zvimur]

@@alexachipman am in Israel.

[@johnswift376]

@@alexachipman I have all my Powell and Pressburgers on DVD, bluray and iTunes movies. I'm surprised the American stores don't have any of them.

[@stevebiggs]

​@Alexa Chipman Reactions Martin Scorsese is a huge fan of 'A Matter of Life and Death' so it ought to be available somewhere in the US just based on that alone. Top ten film for me: Roger Livesey (who played Blimp), Kim Hunter and David Niven star, and it's one of the most unique films you will ever see. Worth trying to find.

[@portland-182]

I would also recommend 'Battle of Britain' 1969, 'The Bridges at Toko-Ri' 1954, 'Breaker Morant' 1980, Hell in the Pacific' 1968, and 'Murphy's War' 1971

[@peterdollins3610]

A long time since I've seen 'The Life & Death of Colonel Blimp.' Yes, civilians died in the South African Camps but they were not set up as Extinctermination Camps & after a UK Atistocrat Woman visited them to report the conditions it became such a scandal conditions were improved so such death grew rare. Contrast that with the German Extermination Camps. Best film ever made is 'La Strada' by Fellini. Fellini also wrote the script for Rossalini's 'Rome, Open City.' The Japanese make good War Films from 'The Seven Samuria' on to modern films.

[@CaminoAir]

There was a BBC website article about this film two days ago. Churchill asked his trusted right hand man Brendan Bracken if the film could be banned, as it could be considered to show the British military in an unflattering light during wartime. Bracken was in charge of the Ministry of Information (i.e. wartime propaganda) and told Churchill to forget any such idea. Bracken, among many other achievements, was the initial inspiration for George Orwell's Big Brother (B.B.) as Bracken was in effective charge of the BBC.

[@alexachipman]

After his nasty comments about Owain Glyndŵr, I have not been keen on Churchill, so this is unsurprising! Good for Bracken.

[@delorangeade]

I'm pleasantly amazed to see this reaction. I think, after watching this film, I became quite dissatisfied with the kind of films I'd hitherto being enjoying as simple exciting adventures in war land. It's a genre I more or less ceased to watch. Among the more thoughtful British war films I would recommend, The Cruel Sea and Ice Cold in Alex would be high on the list.

[@normiron736]

Some movie suggestions, 'Waterloo' 1970, 'Whisky Galore 1949', 'I know Where I'm Going' 1945, 'A Matter Of Life And Death'1946, 'Solaris' 1972, 'Hell Dtivers' 1957 and 'Lost Horizon' 1937. Great reaction as always Alexa, loved this film when I watched it as a kid. Thanks again, and I'll meet you on the Liberator on monday morning 🙂👍🏻

[@delorangeade]

Hell Drivers is a good choice. Not one I've seen for a long time, but well worth watching.

[@julianblake3140]

A Matter of Life and Death is an excellent recommendation

[@greedycapitalist8590]

Colonel Blimp was a long-running cartoon character who started out in the London Evening Standard in 1934 - a parody of the old-fashioned, backward-thinking officers that the British Army was commonly thought of as being infested with in those days. Even today, anyone with old-fashioned views is sometimes referred to as a "Colone Blimp", or just a "Blimp", or even "Blimpish". If you haven't seen it already, another Powell and Pressburger classic that I can thoroughly recommend is "A Matter of Life and Death" from 1946. IMIO, it's one of the greatest films ever made.

[@alexachipman]

I know, it is tragic that the film is unavailable anywhere legally 😭 I have wanted to react to it for years now.

[@troubadour723]

The Bridge on the River Kwai is in my opinion the greatest anti-war film ever made. Anton Walbrook is one of my favorite actors from the era. If you can find it, The Queen of Spades is exquisite, and he’s great in it.

[@justinhart8652]

The bridge at Remargan

[@Temeraire101]

With South African heritage, if you have not seen watch Zulu staring Michael Caine. Not many SA characters, but is a classic.

[@alexachipman]

Definitely, great film!

[@Temeraire101]

@@alexachipman I thought more than likely you'd seen already.😁 Another oldie suggestion. 1946 Brit classic film A Matter of Life and Death (Stairway to Heaven in U.S), stars David Niven and Kim Hunter (she played chimp Zira in Planet of the Apes).

[@lunacougar]

I am very impressed by your grasp of history, I'm going to subscribe.

[@alexachipman]

Thank you!

[@PhilipMaldonado-kx9cb]

Paths of Glory 1957 - Stanley Kubrick

[@PhilipMaldonado-kx9cb]

Battle Ground 1948

[@zvimur]

12:54, read a book that used that idea. A Russian extremely fictionalized biography of Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac (sorry if misspelled first name). That version had him having not the stork beak but rather eagle (no nose bridge). Apparently that is a genetic trait from some.... Ancient Aliens. In Paris, he meets a native Mexican (Aztec?) Convert who thinks him a descendant of his old gods, and teaches him some hand to hand combat. Bear in mind Russian kids grew up not on comics but Dumas, Verne, Wells and A C Doyle (including Lost World)

[@jacquespoulemer]

Hello Alexa, I'm a Film buff and just this week saw The Life & Death of Col Blimp. We found it a bit slow to start but there was a huge emotional payoff as it moved towards its end. I always watch a film knowing NOTHING about it first and then read reviews and reactions like yours. You asked for some war movie recomendations. I checked what was already recommended to avoid duplication. First for me is Abel Gance's Napoleon, 1927. Ivan Tarkovsky's Ivan's Childhood, 1962 Akira Kurosawa's Ran 1985. Hope this helps. Jacques Mexico

[@jacquespoulemer]

A few notes. I also love Rooibos Tea. I enjoy food from all over the world. Being Irish-American, 4th generation and Puerto Rican, my mom was born there we have our own particular National Closeted Skeletons. Hearing you speak of the South African Concentration Camps (Boer War) was the second time I've heard of them. The First time was in Hans Jurgen Syberberg's Hitler, A Flim from Germany, 1962. it's a sprawling examination of AH and his Central role in 20th century history. It mentions how the Reich copied concentration camps from the Boer war. (I highly recommend this film as well even though it's classification as a war film is tangential) Thanks Again Alexa. See you in Part 2.

[@skipper409]

How about the wonderful “The Duellists” ?

[@alexachipman]

Already seen it, sorry!

[@chrisgibbings9499]

Alexa, Churchill took against The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (which was made and released during the war) to the extent of trying unsuccessfully to get it banned for disparaging the British fighting man. I'd recommend quite a lot of WWII films!, eg Battle of Britain, A Bridge Too Far, Kelly's Heroes, The Eagle has Landed (and the original novel), Eye of the Needle.

[@etherealtb6021]

This is something modern audiences wouldn't know, but they did know by the time this movie came out the Boer War concentration camps were real. I think that's another point in the movie, that because Candy doesn't personally see something, he believes it isn't happening and he blunders into things he doesn't full understand. 😁

[@mikesilva3868]

Great review 😊

[@davidfrost779]

You must see the original The Importance of Being Earnest with Edith Evans A Handbaag!

[@alexachipman]

We actually watched that one for school many years ago :)

[@666johnco]

Hi Alexa. Historian who will go on about things no matter how unpleasant. No the British did not shoot parties of women and children because it was inconvenient to get them to a camp. Of course we did cram civilians rounded up from the Veldt into camps where children, unexposed by isolation, were killed by childhood disease's in their thousands. Also the food supplies were not good, Insufficient quantities and a poor representation of important food groups. Possibly I should not add, but will add, the following. Concentration camps were a Spanish invention, used in both the 1860's and 1890's Cuban wars of independence. They were also being used in the Philippines. When the Filipinos discovered that unlike Cuban, their country was to become a US Colony, they rose up. One of the reasons why the repression event called the The Philippine-American War 1899-1902 is forgotten is the USA copied the Spanish, used concentration camps, this was a major contributor to 200,000-250,000 civilian deaths, Not shot but crammed into insanitary places with era standard healthcare. Finally. Looking at 'Colonel Blimp,' his age and the campaigns he fought in, then examining the release date 1943, do I need to mention that Winston Churchill HATED this film.

[@alexachipman]

I wouldn’t say the Spanish-American war is forgotten, I was a historical interpreter on Angel Island for years, covering that precise time period, and most people had heard of it (then again if they walked halfway around the island to specifically see Camp Reynolds, that could explain why!)

[@666johnco]

@@alexachipman The Spanish-American war is remembered certainly but what I speak of is the Philippines-American war. The one where the not given their Independence Filipinos Republicans under Emilio Aguinaldo rise up and are crushed in a three year war, the country did not gain full independence till 1946.

[@jasonjuneau3554]

@@alexachipman The purpose of history is to understand, not judge.

[@alexachipman]

@@jasonjuneau3554 But also to learn from :)

[@paulhorgan6152]

Car me darling as in Deborah next All the President's men ❤😊

[@davidfrost779]

Any British P.O.W film American ones are rubbish The Captive Heart, The Colditz Story, Albert R.N. and Danger Within, but not Stalag 17 or The Great Escape they're rubbish

[@paulhorgan6152]

Goodnight mr tom John Thaw ❤😊ITV movie

[@paulhorgan6152]

🇬🇧❤