Days of Glory

I was sceptical about this film. I quite like foreign films (this one is French,) but I am not a big fan of war films per se (this being set in the Second World War,) and I can’t help but feel that if I had a little more historical perspective when watching this, it would have made it a whole lot better.

The film follows the "Indigènes" (Algerians, Tunisians and Moroccan "Goumiers") that were enrolled in the French First Army of the Free French Forces during World War Two. These regiments were formed to liberate France after the Nazi occupation and the film follows the soldiers from recruitment through the campaigns in Italy and southern France.

The army was formed in the French African colonies and of the 200,000 men, 130,000 were “Indigènes,” 50,000 were “pieds- noirs” (French colonials) and the rest were Frenchmen who had escaped the Nazi occupation.

The plot revolves around our “Indigènes” who are sent to the front line as they fight their way through the Italian Campaign and on to Operation Dragoon to liberate France. Each has a different personal reason for having signed up, one seeks the spoils of war, one has joined the army to escape poverty in hope that it will become his family, one wishes to marry and settle in France while the other is fighting for equality and recognition of the rights of the colonised Algerians.

They didn’t get equality – and the French are still refusing to pay war pensions.

The film was really good, although a little too long. It was obvious from the start that the four we follow would be whittled down to one soldier and that their desire from signing up would not become a reality. (I also admit I had a small nap during the middle – but I don’t feel I missed a great deal.) Only 1.5 stars I’m afraid.

Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace, directed by Michael Apted, is about the campaign against the slave trade in 18th century Britain, led by famous abolitionist William Wilberforce, who was responsible for steering anti-slave trade legislation through the British parliament. The title is a reference to the hymn “Amazing Grace” and the film recounts John Newton’s writing of the hymn.

The film stars Ioan Gruffudd as Wilberforce, Albert Finney as John Newton, Rufus Sewell as Thomas Clarkson, Youssou N’Dour as Olaudah Equiano, Benedict Cumberbatch as Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger, Romola Garai as Barbara Spooner, Wilberforce’s love interest, Michael Gambon (best known to be as Dumbledore in the lastest HP films!) as Lord Charles Fox and Ciaran Hinds as Sir Banastre Tarleton, one of Wilberforce's chief opponents in the House of Commons.

The film begins with Wilberforce sererely ill and taking a holiday in Bath with his cousin, Henry Thornton. It is here that he is introduced to his future wife, Barbara Spooner. Although he at first resists she convinces

The film begins with Wilberforce severely ill and taking a holiday in Bath with his cousin, Henry Thornton. It is here that he is introduced to his future wife, Barbara Spooner. Although he at first resists, she convinces him to tell her about his life. The story flashes back 15 years to 1782, and William recounts the events that led him to where he is now. Beginning as an ambitious and popular MP, William was persuaded by his friend William Pitt, the youngest Prime Minister at just 24 years old and others to take on the dangerous issue of the British slave trade which led him to become highly unpopular in the House of Commons amongst the Members of Parliament representing vested interests of the trade in the cities of London, Bristol and Liverpool.

Exhausted and frustrated that he was unable to change anything in the government, William becomes physically ill, which brings the story back to the present day. Having virtually given up hope, William considers leaving politics forever. Barbara convinces him to keep fighting because if he does not, no one else is capable of doing so. A few days afterward, William and Barbara marry; and William, with a renewed hope for success, picks up the fight where he had previously left off, aided by Thornton, Clarkson and James Stephen. In time, after many attempts to bring legislation forward over twenty years, he is eventually responsible for a bill being passed through Parliament in 1807, which abolishes the slave trade in the British empire forever.

The tag line is "Behind the song you love is a story you will never forget." And I think that really sums up this film. I really enjoyed this film, I found it beautifully acted out and really moving. I would highly recommend!