It will soon be the 25th Anniversary of the Falklands War. Isn’t it curious though that no -one has ever made a big budget movie about this particular conflict?
Here are the reasons I think this has happened –
1) Most big movies are either made by American companies or funded by American money (e.g. the Bond series). It is a simple fact that British war movies don’t do well at the U.S Box Office. e.g. the film “633 Squadron” was “Americanised” compared with the original novel,with the inclusion of George Chakiris and Cliff Robertson . The result – it did well at the U.S box office. However “Battle of Britain” didn’t have any Americans in the cast so it bombed in the U.S. while being the No.1 box office hit in the UK.
A few years later “A Bridge Too Far” had to have its script tweaked to emphasise the U.S. involvement in “Operation Market Garden” and include some American stars.
So any film about the Falklands War is not likely to do well at the U.S. Box Office as the Americans weren’t involved.
2) Most British film makers tend to be left wing and anti – Tory and anti-war. So they wouldn’t really want to make a film which in any way glorified war and apparently praised Margaret Thatcher.
Sir David Puttnam for example is a Labour supporter and reportedly was inspired to make “Memphis Belle” as an antidote to the hawkish gung-ho “Top Gun”.
Curiously enough one British film producer who did want to make a film about the Falklands was Euan Lloyd ,producer of “The Wild Geese” and “Who Dares Wins”. Around about 84-85 Lloyd planned to make a film called “Task Force South” which would feature Lewis Collin’s Captain Peter Skellern character from “Who Dares Wins” and would have been about the SAS and SBS during the Falklands War.
Lloyd had previously incurred the wrath of the left – wing because of the alleged political sub-text of “The Wild Geese” and “Who Dares Wins.”
However the “Task Force ” film never happened.
3) The third reason is the huge cost of such a venture.
4) Lack of hardware e.g. most of the ships and planes which took part in the conflict have been sold or scrapped.
However with current advances in CGI this should not really pose a problem.
You may not all agree with my assessment but I would be delighted to hear your views.
Colin
By: patb - 17th February 2007 at 23:42
Re: An Ungentlemanly Act:
You will have to look hard to find a better piece of TV drama. Much of it was shot on film rather than video so it really should be regarded as a full blown movie. Bob Peck for me stands out as a superb effort but the whole cast are very good. Try to get the DVD version with the Directors commentary – his utter respect for detail and accuracy shine through. A must for anyone interested in the Falklands/Malvinas conflict.
RIP Ian Richardson
By: patb - 17th February 2007 at 23:27
Casting:
Brad “Panther” Curtiss – Ben Afflick
Veronica Barton – Scarlett Johansson
Commander Tom “Panther” Scott – Martin Sheen
Uncle Casper – Arnold Schwarzenegger
“Sharkey” Ward – Rhys Ifans
Sandy Woodward – Gene Hackman
By: scotavia - 17th February 2007 at 22:29
Patb scripted thus…
So Commander Tom Scott (call sign “Panther”) places him on an exchange sabatical to a sleepy Royal Navy base in Yeovilton, Somerset, UK. Initially, his slick style and late nights conflict with the stiff upper lip culture of Royal Navy 800 Squadron, especially Naval Aviator “Sharkey” Ward.
..after a short while Panther suffers a complete breakdown and is sent to Netley because he just could not cope with the even later nights,continual beer calls,getting fined for being overboard on the grass areas,being rebuffed by the Wrens who have very high standards,discovering his new Fleet Air Arm
buddies were allowed to drink alcohol while at sea and the final straw being that his music player would not work in the Sea Harrier.
By: Hurrifan - 17th February 2007 at 22:16
PatB
you sir are a genius…its enough to bring tears to the eye…
My gaaawwdddd we need you in Hollywood !!!!
Very well done….. funnier than a lot of the crap that masquerades as comedy on TV these days!!!
By: patb - 17th February 2007 at 21:47
Top Gun – The Prequal – Cobra’s War
The time: Early 1980s.
The place: California, USA.
Renagade A-4 Marine pilot, Brad Curtiss (call sign Cobra) is too hot to handle at his base in Mirimar. Too many girls, late nights and too much risky flying makes him a liablility but his family connections to the Whitehouse mean that he can’t be kicked out of the squadren.
So Commander Tom Scott (call sign “Panther”) places him on an exchange sabatical to a sleepy Royal Navy base in Yeovilton, Somerset, UK. Initially, his slick style and late nights conflict with the stiff upper lip culture of Royal Navy 800 Squadron, especially Naval Aviator “Sharkey” Ward.
Eventually, his showboating style and overuse of vertical landings to visit the local pubs gets him ejected from the squadron, just as he was starting to fit in and fall in love with a beautiful Wren from a Sea King Squadren.
Frustrated and with a heavy heart, he vists the quartermasters store to hand in is flying suite and book a flight home. As he walks out of the gates with the sun setting behind him, “Sharkey” Ward drives up and gives him the news. All qualified SHAR pilots must urgently report back and Brad’s experience on A4’s makes him a prime asset. It’s Operation Corporate – “Cobra” at War.
The next few days on Invincible are busy with briefings on how the A4 will fly against the SHAR and practice dogfights. Fears are expressed over beers in the evening that the Royal Navy does not have the best air to air missiles. So the next day, “Cobra” puts in a secret call to his Uncle Casper for the latest model and, sure enough, they are ready to collect at Accension. Also at Accesion is the pretty but feisty Wren, Veronica Barton, that Cobra had fallen for back at Yeovilton. She has volunteered as Winchman on a Hermes based Sea King. After one last night of passion, he returns to the carrier.
Weeks later, he is in the thick of battle, flying 3-4 sorties a day and quickly becoming the pilot with the highest kills.
His most challenging mission comes as he is directed to intercept a pair of Argentinian Etendard that are heading directly towards Invincible. With superb skill and courage, he lines himself up behind the pair and launches both Sidewinders at the same time. “Splash 2 Argies” he reports back to Commander Woodward. But his celebration is short lived as he realises that one of the Etendard managed to launch it’s deadly Excocet before being shot down. With no other SHARS in the area, Cobra has to think fast. He has a flashback to when his father, Brad Senior, told him about how he flew P-51s from RAF Heathrow in 1944 and used to splash Nazi V-1 rockets by tipping them into a spin using his own wingtip.
Cobra accelerates to maximum power. Sandy Woodward looks on hopelessly from the bridge on the Invincible as the Excocet gets ever closer. With seconds to spare, Cobra slips his port wing under the missile and sends it spinning wildly into the Atlantic. A cheers goes around the ship as everyone realises that Cobra has saved the day.
But Cobra has taken his eye off the fuel guage and he is running on vapour. Forced to eject, he is quickly spotted by a SeaKing from Hermes and lifted into the warm and safe haven of the chopper. The winchman takes off his helmet and unzips his flight suite. Cobra smiles as he realises its Veronica.
They embrace passionately as the Sea King flies into a perfect sunset.
The End.
By: Fouga23 - 17th February 2007 at 10:47
The question is, if one should make a movie:
will it have Spitfires posing as Pucara’s and Heinkels as Mirages?:p
By: Hurrifan - 17th February 2007 at 10:29
To be honest i think that neither side of the political divide would want to see a widely available film produced.
The left wing, or at least the extremest left wing, may well be anti-war and as such would’nt want to see something that glorifies war produced.
The right wing, or at least those who view Maggie T as a god, wouldnt want to see the incompetence of the Conservative Government both before & during the War, and it was a War, to be laid out for all to see.
Mind you when you look at films /miniseries such as Platoon, Born on the 4th of July, Saving Private Ryan or the excellent Band of Brothers there is a realism there than cannot be said to glorify war if anything it glorifies comradeship and humanity .
So what do you do ???
Make a film that deals with the ordinary footsoldier and how they got through the war ? you have it with “An Ungentlemanly Act ” and some excellent acting by Colin Firth in “Tumbledown” . But this aspect of the War needs to be addressed even further
Ignore the political background and or the military leaderships incompetence? Both sides have/had a lot of questions to answer for what happened.
It seems to be an accepted fact that the Argentinian Junta used the invasion in an attempt to divert the ire of their population but what of Maggie’s motivations? why were the warning signs ignored? should Belgrano have been sunk?
What about the use of Argentina’s air & naval assets? why were Galahad ,Tristrim & Atlantic Conveyor left so exposed?
A lot of issues to be addressed !!
so yes lets make the film but lets try and do it in such a way that none can cry foul!
but please no Hollywood treatment with the Carl Vinson or the Abe Lincoln posing as Hermes, F16’s with roundals and wee Tom C chewing placenta and trying to put on an Engerlish accent ….guv !!!
By: Hurrifan - 17th February 2007 at 09:34
The best film about the Falklands War has already been made:
damned good piece of TV !!!..havent seen it recently despite soo many repeats on most channels!
By: Creaking Door - 16th February 2007 at 21:03
The best film about the Falklands War has already been made:
An excellent film but one that concentrates on the Argentine invasion rather that the British liberation of the islands.
Sadly Ian Richardson who portrays Governor Sir Rex Hunt has just died.
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=67610
The late Bob Peck has (IMHO) the best line in the film: “What the bloody hell are we firing at?”
By: benyboy - 16th February 2007 at 20:19
Maybe a film adapted from the recent book (sorry cant remember the name, will get round to buying it soon) about the Black Buck missions. With a starring / money making role for XH558. That I would loveto see.
By: Kernowglyn - 16th February 2007 at 19:53
I’m sure I’ve heard of an Argentinian film of the Falklands War that was supposed to have been even-handed and realistic. It would be nice to see it here.
By: Junk Collector - 16th February 2007 at 19:45
Never made it to this side of the pond! Looks like an interesting film. Made for TV movie from the looks of it.
An ungentlemanly act is an excellent portrayal of what happened, mainly shows the incompetence of our government at that time, and the very British way of doing things in a crisis, very highly recommended viewing, very funny in parts,
I love the RSM’s response to the Argentines call to surrender despite being surrounded and outgunned 🙂
Maybe you cant make a war film about the Falklands war because officially it was a conflict not a war, although what the hell the difference is defeats me !
By: CSheppardholedi - 16th February 2007 at 19:37
Never made it to this side of the pond! Looks like an interesting film. Made for TV movie from the looks of it.
By: CSheppardholedi - 16th February 2007 at 19:15
Peter Jacksons remake, Dambusters, that is supposed to be underway sounds like a possible “blockbuster”…..the Falklands on the other hand…too many bad feelings, unless the lefties can push it to a antiwar theme emphasizing the corruption of government, the military in general, etc.
The US had a whole slew of that type produced concerning the Vietnam War that did well at the box office. Full Metal Jacket, Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, Apocalypse Now….and countless others showing how bad our policy was, how bad our troops were, and how the Military/Industrial corruption was leading us down dark ways.
Might not want to have the BBC go down that path!
By: J Boyle - 16th February 2007 at 18:50
So any film about the Falklands War is not likely to do well at the U.S. Box Office as the Americans weren’t involved.
That should not stop the BBC from doing something such as a fairly big budget miniseries/film about the war. They spend lots of money doing other dramas and period pieces.
And they would be able to sell it to American TV outlets (PBS/Discovey-History Channels/BBC America/HBO, etc). After all, the BBC makes and sells lots of other expensive non-American themed projects. The non-US market theory would be a legitimate reason not to do a $200 million dollar feature film, but not a TV project.
2) Most British film makers tend to be left wing and anti – Tory and anti-war. So they wouldn’t really want to make a film which in any way glorified war and apparently praised Margaret Thatcher.
That’s probably as big of a reason as your first explaination.
Perhaps not enough went wrong with the war to allow the anti-war croud into making a “Full Metal Jacket”-type film.
Or they don’t have the stomach to make a film that does show the military and political shortfalls (IMHO: primarily political..in not having enough or the correct weapons to allow the MOD to do the job more easily) of the UK military response.
Also, with the war in Iraq…the concept isn’t too popular right now.
3) The third reason is the huge cost of such a venture.
That’s it…but they could if they really wanted too. (See reasons 1 & 2 above…:) )
Then again, perhaps they did the numbers and simply don’t think the UK public would watch it.
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February 16, 2007 at 6:22 pm