<![CDATA[Look at this in Context]]>Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — The Charge of the Light Brigade

schweinhundt1967 — 20 years ago(March 16, 2006 03:23 PM)

I have yet to see a film about the Charge that was at all historically accurate.
The first,starring Flynn and Olivia,was a romantic film that saw brave men sacrificing their lives for an imaginary mamassacre during the Sepoy Rebellion.And,while the sentiment was gallant,and noble,and all of all that other rot,it was bad warfare.It's bad soldiering.And Vickers,if he had survived the Charge,should have been shot.And justifiably so.A professional keeps his personal feelings off of the job.Throwing away the lives of the 600,just for the opportunity to kill the evil Surat Khan.
This one isn't any more accurate.It didn't get to Ohio until late 1975.And,with the perspective that the distance of time can provide,it's easy to see what the subtext is here.We're seeing a parody and satire on the (admittedly)bungled involvement of the United States in Vietnam.
Much the same as "The Andersonville Trial"is really about Nurmenburg,and "The Crucible"is really about the McCarthy Trials,this is about Vietnam.So,it's a good satire/parody/travesty.
The Crimean War was,in and of itself,a horribley botched military fiasco,too.I'd just like to see it depicted on it's own terms.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/topic/182062/look-at-this-in-contextRSS for NodeWed, 13 May 2026 17:42:43 GMTTue, 28 Apr 2026 12:07:19 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Look at this in Context on Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:07:22 GMT]]>Hancock_the_Superb — 12 years ago(April 19, 2013 11:26 AM)

People claim a Vietnam allegory but I don't really see it. What leads you to this conclusion? America's problem in Vietnam was not a class-based military caste.
"Do you know what lies at the bottom of the mainstream? Mediocrity!"

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1528568https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1528568Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:07:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Look at this in Context on Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:07:21 GMT]]>Mistelten — 19 years ago(May 12, 2006 08:48 PM)

I am of the view that there are very few exact parallels in history. I watched this and the 60's messages were evident, but not impossible to ignore. I've been in the military my whole life it seems, being raised by a proud military family and attending boarding school, as well as fighting in the current war, and good commanders (like Nolan) are the exception. The Gentleman (in status only) officers of the movie can be taken in the context that they are similar to today's ticket punchers who care very little about their mission or their homeland. Not an exact parallel, but both are not fit to lead.
I do think the movie, perhaps inadvertently, pays some tribute to experienced soldiers and character, but it pays none to battlefield sacrifice or comradery.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1528567https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1528567Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:07:21 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Look at this in Context on Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:07:20 GMT]]>teacher_tom516 — 19 years ago(April 16, 2006 08:05 PM)

Well you can't really divorce a movie from the circumstances surround its creation. You could add another two to your list - Gladiator as an allegory about the 'American empire' and 'The Four Feathers' (the latest one) about the Middle East War.
But I totally agree with your point - it may look good (for its time) but it has too many glaring inaccuracies and an utterly pathetic love story none of which really add to your understanding of events.
Tom516

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