Anybody else watch it on BBC2 ?
Not too bad a programme I suppose,but a little lacking in crew personalities perhaps,the U boat captain came over quite well.
But i was a little amused by the uniform that Mortimer was wearing,he was supposed to be a junior third officer – but his uniform had what appeared to be a
naval badge on his arm and he had (three ?) inverted chevrons on his epaulettes/shoulders.I would have thought that a 3rd officer would have had a thin stripe (lace) with either a full or half ‘curl’ on top !.
But then again I am not an expert on old cunard rank insignia ! anybody any ideas ?
By: J Boyle - 18th January 2011 at 00:39
Why, only last night I saw a recent movie using the famous Undercarriage footage (Looking aft at the Runway as she lifts off). It was taken on one of the 747’s first flights in the late 60’s! They landed in a 767 by the way LoL.
Back in the 60s and 70s many American TV programs used a similar shot for airliners, but it was the 4 unit staggered “bicycle” undercarriage of a B-52.
By: Al - 17th January 2011 at 23:14
If we’re nit-picking, the U-Boat commander’s white cap would have had a gold metal eagle, not one embroidered with gold thread like other officers wore…
Here’s the real deal…
By: bazv - 13th January 2011 at 06:06
Yes I know what you mean SH.
Also – 10 mins googling would have enabled the production team to correct some glaring errors…the sad thing is…it is easier to get details correct than to get them wrong.They went to all the trouble of building a very convincing U boat and then made the usual mistake of making the crew/boat too clean and tidy (and too healthy looking LOL).
Not sure if this was mentioned on the 3rd programme…but the original Laconia was torpedoed and lost in 1917 (U50) – it was also a sinking that had a big effect on the course of a War.
link to some exterior/interior pics of Laconia (1)
http://www.gjenvick.com/CunardLine/VintageBrochures/1912-RMS-FranconiaAndLaconia.html
By: 12jaguar - 10th January 2011 at 14:28
My thoughts were that it was a Shackleton too 🙂
By: Sky High - 10th January 2011 at 13:02
See thread in GD as the subject is not really relevant to HA……
By: Sky High - 10th January 2011 at 07:40
The programme spread over two nights was too long and lacked cohesion – not the sort of fare Bleasdale would be at home with, I would have thought. Last night’s survivors half-hour was much more interesting and could have been longer.
By: bazv - 9th January 2011 at 23:11
Geek alert…from Arrse…
Loads of factual errors, continuity mistakes and some seriously sloppy costume errors, for instance: Upside RN branch badges, a lad with 2nd Lt pips and corporal stripes on the same shirt, a Merchant Navy officer with what looked like French Navy stripes and RN PO’s badges and Chief’s buttons on his jacket, new style badges a’plenty with the Queen’s crown etc. etc.
It did make me want to wear my submariner’s jumper to work this morning though.
What a saddo…you would never get me complaining of stuff like that 😀
By: PeeDee - 9th January 2011 at 21:08
Aye, you must realise that the drobe department will have 1 or two suitable items for a given “Role”. They really wouldn’t pay any attention to it, unless it was a contributing part of the Story.
How many movies have a different A/c landing than the one that took off? LoL.
Why, only last night I saw a recent movie using the famous Undercarriage footage (Looking aft at the Runway as she lifts off). It was taken on one of the 747’s first flights in the late 60’s! They landed in a 767 by the way LoL.
By: bazv - 9th January 2011 at 20:55
Then again you are obviously not a deep geek 😉
I have always had an interest in rank insignia etc !
Flying Saucer is a flying gear/safety equipment specialist !
Mortimers uniform just made me laugh,I missed a few minutes of the programme making room for and collecting a beer 🙂 so when I saw how he was dressed – I did wonder if it was for a fancy dress ball or something LOL
By: PeeDee - 9th January 2011 at 20:24
Well, I watched it as a viewer, and it didn’t stand out to me.
By: bazv - 9th January 2011 at 18:50
That is the whole point PD…Mortimers jacket was not a recognisable jacket of any description LOL
By: PeeDee - 9th January 2011 at 18:45
wardrobe Departments are paid to dress people in the correct period of attire, so it’s ok to wear jeans and a T shirt in a production of Pride and Predjudice is it? so long as they stick to the correct script? I think not, it has to be correct.
Nobody is saying that. A WW2 jacket for a WW2 situation is good enough for a low budget docusoap.
By: bazv - 9th January 2011 at 17:56
Deep Geek reporting in 😉
Nice photo here of the Titanic officers.
The 6th Officer (front left) is wearing what I would have imagined a 3rd officers rank braid would be.There were variations depending on company policy.
Most companies would not have used the executive curl (loop) but would have used the board of trade braid with a diamond and/or crossover of braid !
http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/discus/files/officers.jpg
By: FLYING SAUCER - 9th January 2011 at 16:00
wardrobe Departments are paid to dress people in the correct period of attire, so it’s ok to wear jeans and a T shirt in a production of Pride and Predjudice is it? so long as they stick to the correct script? I think not, it has to be correct.
By: PeeDee - 8th January 2011 at 20:56
Come on yous mugs!
The programme was to tell the story.
The Exact uniforms and badges would not have entered the Wardrobe departments remit.
Pulling a prog. apart for this sort of thing puts you in DeepGeek mode. Your plane spotters not train spotters! :):):):)
By: Wellington285 - 8th January 2011 at 20:17
BBC 2 tonight 7.30 Sinking of the Laconia Survivors stories.
Ian
By: bazv - 8th January 2011 at 19:35
Unable to help with that question, but I also noticed that the American Aircrew were wearing 1950’s style orange Frankenstein type lifejackets instead of the US issue B4 lifepreserver?
Yes I thought the B24 stuff was very stereotypical,however it would appear that in real life the B24 pilot did radio back to request instructions from higher authority,according to a website I have just looked at – the order to attack was given by a Captain USAAF back on ascencion,and the B24 returned to attack the sub(s) 30 mins later !
Its funny how we all pick up on different stuff 😀
By: Creaking Door - 8th January 2011 at 19:14
I watched it although it was a bit too much of a ‘soap opera’ set against a wartime background for my taste (but then it had never claimed to be anything else). I thought the portrayal of the American B-24 crew was shockingly stereotypical (and wasn’t the interior of the B-24 a bit Shackletonish ;)).
The only thing that really annoyed me though was the general tone that because people had died, quite a lot of people, then those in a position of authority must be portrayed as incompetent…..because that’s the only way it seems to be acceptable to portray losses, particularly large losses, in wartime drama. :rolleyes:
Sorry, can’t help with the merchant navy insignia.
By: FLYING SAUCER - 8th January 2011 at 19:12
Unable to help with that question, but I also noticed that the American Aircrew were wearing 1950’s style orange Frankenstein type lifejackets instead of the US issue B4 lifepreserver?
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January 8, 2011 at 6:59 pm