Piece of Cake – 30 years ago….

They should make a series of ‘Damned Good Show’ another Robinson book worth reading.

Say there was- finally- a decent, realistic dramatic series about bomber command- think of the loss rate of characters there!

It’d be like a Game of Thrones episode….

Episode 4 of POC makes the point well- the squadron is absolutely slaughtered, and forced back out of France. And by the end of the series, there’s hardly anyone left who was there at the beginning- and that’s very true to what happened. If that’s not realistic, what is?

Say there was- finally- a decent, realistic dramatic series about bomber command- think of the loss rate of characters there!

Never, ever had a problem with the ‘controversy’ over the series, and anyone who has only seen the TV version should try the book- it’s wonderful.

Hopefully I haven’t misquoted the gentleman, but I remember watching an interview with Wellum in which he says (words to the effect of), “I was terrified. We were all bloody terrified.”

I think that some of the criticism of the series was down to the audience being weaned on the image of magnificently brave, polite and self controlled individuals being the norm for personnel serving in these violent, dangerous and frightening conditions. Piece of Cake took the opposite tack and simply showed that kids, and let’s face it most of the fighter pilots of the period were just that really, were having to cope with stresses and threats far beyond what the target audience could conceive. Stiff upper lip, jolly japes and calm acceptance of danger might have gone down a treat amongst the war film audience of the post-war period but Piece of Cake appeared at a time when TV coverage of modern war was normal and immediate (that’s why the Vietnam War drew such opposition). The audience may not have been in a jungle or desert somewhere being attacked or amongst the attackers but they could see the blood and therefore the psychological effects on those who were the participants.

I enjoyed Piece of Cake simply because it cut to the truth of the inexperience of young kids adjusting to fast fighting machines and their complexities; the often less than stellar performance of peace time officers thrust into commands that they were ill-equipped for; the numbing boredom and mistakes of the Phoney War and the sudden shock of reality when the Germans attacked in the west and Dunkirk then the desperate days of the Battle of Britain. Of course these young pilots were not going to react in any other way than being almost overwhelmed by events with which they struggled to cope.

The published memoirs and the various histories of the period show that the pilots of Fighter command were not 100% perfect and that some were arrogant fools, some were cowards or personally ill-disciplined. But on the whole the majority, no matter how they managed to cope, lived and died in a manner that did ensure victory. Piece of Cake despite the necessities of dramatic licence shows how they did that and while it mightn’t at times be what we expect, or pleasant, I think it comes close to the truth. Heroes don’t wear white hats and behave like saints, they’re just ordinary imperfect human beings upon whom fate suddenly drops a load of trouble.

Hero’s don’t always win.
Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back is considered by some as the best of the series despite the Empires winning. This years Avengers: Infinity War also saw huge losses in the heroes of the story, which stunned audiences. It made huge amounts and I suspect will go on to become a landmark in story telling.

I saw entire PoC on tape about 15 years ago, and while excellent story telling and character’s, it was also incredibly draining. The loss of nearly all the characters as the story develops and concludes really made me feel the hardship of those insanely brave pilots.
But I saw a parallels in an Japanese anime too, the series Macross and Gundam had major characters who looked to be regular be suddenly killed, or in one scene a growing foreboding of “something bad” going to happen (he died very dramatically for a “cartoon”).

The criticism you speak probably is not the somewhat motley heroes being killed off, but that they where proxies of real heroes that in our hearts we idealizes and impart angle like immortality (not that it is wrong, mind you).

For they have slipped the surly bonds of Earth, and touched the face of God. Least not sully them. (paraphrased Magee)

I bought my first TV (Mitsubishi 23″) just to see one episode!
I only found out about the showing near the last episode. 🙁

Quite a bit better than Black Sheep, but, oh so very Brrrrritish!!

Good summary Malcolm, and the series underlines the challenges faced as being of a high degree which push people to limits which vary between individuals. The more recent story filmed of Geffrey Wellum expands the theme in a manner which puts viewers right in the cockpit of confusion.

I think that some of the criticism of the series was down to the audience being weaned on the image of magnificently brave, polite and self controlled individuals being the norm for personnel serving in these violent, dangerous and frightening conditions. Piece of Cake took the opposite tack and simply showed that kids, and let’s face it most of the fighter pilots of the period were just that really, were having to cope with stresses and threats far beyond what the target audience could conceive. Stiff upper lip, jolly japes and calm acceptance of danger might have gone down a treat amongst the war film audience of the post-war period but Piece of Cake appeared at a time when TV coverage of modern war was normal and immediate (that’s why the Vietnam War drew such opposition). The audience may not have been in a jungle or desert somewhere being attacked or amongst the attackers but they could see the blood and therefore the psychological effects on those who were the participants.

I enjoyed Piece of Cake simply because it cut to the truth of the inexperience of young kids adjusting to fast fighting machines and their complexities; the often less than stellar performance of peace time officers thrust into commands that they were ill-equipped for; the numbing boredom and mistakes of the Phoney War and the sudden shock of reality when the Germans attacked in the west and Dunkirk then the desperate days of the Battle of Britain. Of course these young pilots were not going to react in any other way than being almost overwhelmed by events with which they struggled to cope.

The published memoirs and the various histories of the period show that the pilots of Fighter command were not 100% perfect and that some were arrogant fools, some were cowards or personally ill-disciplined. But on the whole the majority, no matter how they managed to cope, lived and died in a manner that did ensure victory. Piece of Cake despite the necessities of dramatic licence shows how they did that and while it mightn’t at times be what we expect, or pleasant, I think it comes close to the truth. Heroes don’t wear white hats and behave like saints, they’re just ordinary imperfect human beings upon whom fate suddenly drops a load of trouble.

“This is gonna be a laugh. He isn’t all that brilliant with two hands.”

Cox: Is that you, Moggy?

‘Moggy’: Yes, indeed as I live and breathe. You okay?

Cox: I’ve lost my fingers!

‘Moggy’: That’s a bit careless, old boy. Have you ever seen Peter Pan?

Cox: What do you mean?

‘Moggy’: Well, don’t you remember Captain Hook? I mean, he got by. I think they can do anything these days

“If the CO asks you to be tail-end Charlie – just SHOOT him!”

“Hey Moggy, i can see again!!”, ” Was it a miracle?”, ” It was the bloody goggles!!!”……..

“Try not to chuck it around too much sir, rudder cables a bit frayed”

“Oh thanks a lot!”

“Flying? it’s unnatural”….

I recently acquired a new copy of the book (the first one I had went AWOL some years ago!).

Haven’t actually read the book in at least ten years, so will be having a read of it soon.

Skull is forever pessimistic but is only serving as a mean of exposition

That’s very true, but in the series he develops a lot more character than in the book and is an essential part of the structure; the young man who would have liked to have been a pilot, but couldn’t make it for eyesight (and probably other) reasons.

Robinson does write black comedy, I think he saw Hornet Squadron as the antidote to too much glorification of the Few through the post-war years so went for excess.

Moggy

I never had a problem with the ‘unlikable’ characters thing, and that wasn’t the case for all of them anyway- ok so Moggy spent much of his time being a bully, but it’s clearly his coping method as the odds get shorter- but look at the scene where he has to chase Mary away and then goes and lays in the field- that’s a man who knows the reality of the war he’s in. Flash- perfectly fun and likeable until, simply, he cracks- Fitz- perfectly normal, naive young chap- Pip- young, wet behind the ears, easily goaded by Moggy- as is Sticky -but that’s about all. Just young lads, otherwise. Hart has just seen it all before and is frustrated when the rest of the world can’t/won’t catch up and listen.

Skull is forever pessimistic but is only serving as a mean of exposition; Kellaway is the kindly uncle type but with a steely edge underneath born from what he saw in the previous war. Barton- starts weak, and eventually turns into a steely CO, doing what he must.

Of course it’s all a fiction and so you have an extreme bunch of characters all in one small unit, but it’s probably not THAT far from some truths.

Discuss! 😉

Mayhem Marshy…

We won’t spoil it any further by telling you which side wins the war…

Didn’t they ‘borrow’ the 109s getting shot down from the original Battle Of Britain film? They seem very similar.