Dunkirk, the movie, was a depressing disappointment.

[LAS14]

After it was over, I realized I'd been hungering for an example of masses of people rallying together, bravely, to do good. There really were masses, over 300,000 soldiers rescued, over 800 civilian boats came across the channel. I wanted to be reminded, and I wanted recent generations to see something like this.

Instead, the "crowd" shots showed maybe a dozen lines of 50 to 100 soldiers each, waiting for boats. When the boats finally were shown arriving, there were maybe a couple of dozen. Most of the shots of the one boat in one of the 3 main story line showed it alone on the see. Many of the scenes of individual soldiers in another main story line showed them virtually alone.

I didn't want an over the top Hollywood spectacular. I just expected Hollywood to do one of the things it is able to do, and represent a mass gathering together of good humanity.

Instead, it just screamed out at me, "Low budget, not worth the effort."

[still_one]

1. I didn't see the movie, but the history of what happened at Dunkirk was extremely perilous,

and if the nazis hadn't paused their advance, this story would have had far more tragic consequences.

[OneBlueDotBama]

5. It could be

the German side was expecting or maybe even encouraging a counter attack.

[obamanut2012]

13. The movie was excellent

I have no idea wtf the OP is talking about.

And, the movie showed what you just stated.

[still_one]

24. Then it sounds like it is historically accurate, and I imagine quite intense

[katmondoo]

2. I agree, it was so disappointing

I know the history of Dunkirk, I wanted to see how England was able to get so many people with all kinds of boats to cross the channel to save so many soldiers. This a major part of the story and it was treated as a minor thing that just somehow happened.

[OneBlueDotBama]

9. Also dissapointing is the idea the RAF/RCAF stood down

Which is total BS.

My Dad flew in a Beaufighter squadron out of the North and their job was to sink U boats in the North Sea when they surfaced to recharge their batteries.

Meanwhile over the Channel, the RAF/RCAF was very active.


Over Dunkirk, the Luftwaffe suffered its first serious rebuff of the war. As Galland has noted, the nature and style of the air battles over the beaches should have provided a warning as to the inherent weaknesses of the Luftwaffe's force structure. Admittedly, the Germans fought at a disadvantage. Although positioned forward at captured airfields, the Bf 109 was at the outer limits of its range and possessed less flying time over Dunkirk than did the "Hurricanes" and "Spitfires" operating from southern England. German bombers were still located in western Germany and had even farther to fly. Thus, the Luftwaffe could not bring its full weight to bear so that when its bombers hammered those on the beaches or embarking, the RAF intervened in a significant fashion. German aircraft losses were high, and British fighter attacks often prevented German bombers from performing with full effectiveness. Both sides suffered heavy losses. During the nine days from May 26 through June 3, the RAF lost 177 aircraft destroyed or damaged; the Germans lost 240. For much of the Luftwaffe, Dunkirk came as a nasty shock. Fliegerkorps II reported in its war diary that it lost more aircraft on the 27th attacking the evacuation than it had lost in the previous ten days of the campaign.
Murray. Strategy for Defeat. The Luftwaffe 1935–1945

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Hurricane

[BannonsLiver]

3. Give Das Boot a whirl

[ADX]

6. "Das Boot" is one of the best WW2 movies ever made...

...I saw it in the theater when it first came out and was blown away. Watching it, you really get the feeling of being on a submarine...

[BannonsLiver]

18. I watched it over the weekend

Hadnt seen it in years. It's epic.

[cwydro]

23. FanTAStic movie!

I love that movie.

[TexasProgresive]

4. A novella by Paul Gallico made the Dunkirk evacuation real to me.

The Snow Goose: A Story of Dunkirk- one small sail boat and one man who evacuated several hundred until he was lost. Yes it is fiction but it painted a picture that has remained with me for years. You may know Mr. Gallico from The Poseidon Adventure. which was much better than the film. Another favorite of mine is Jennie (1950) (US: The Abandoned). If you've had the pleasure (sometimes dubious) of living with cats, you will be amazed at how Mr. Gallico gets cats.

I really don't know if this film is any good. There have been a lot of posts here at DU about it and this is the 1st I've opened.

[3catwoman3]

8. Totally off topic, but if one is a catlover, Gallico's book...

...The Silent Miaow is a complete treat. Great pictures, too. He does, indeed, "get" cats.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

7. There was a good scene in "Mrs Miniver" about civilians and Dunkirk.

[Kentonio]

10. A guy who was actually there said it was stunningly accurate

http://boingboing.net/2017/07/24/97-year-old-dunkirk-survivor-o.html

[oberliner]

11. Being accurate does not necessarily make for a good film

This is a Hollywood movie not a documentary.

[obamanut2012]

14. Except it was an excellent film

[oberliner]

20. Sure

I wasn't making an assessment of the film positively or negatively. I was just saying that historical accuracy is not the measure of a good Hollywood movie.

[obamanut2012]

12. I don't think you saw the same movie as I did, because I feel the complete oposite

It was touching and stirring and courageous and brave and sad.

And, showed how without these brave military and civilians, Britain would have become part of the Third Reich.

Nolan at his best.

And, your calling a Nolan movie low budget is lulz -- wtf.

[LAS14]

26. But do you think it portrayed the massive numbers of soldiers and boats involved?

[BSdetect]

15. Some details re Dunkirk etc

https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-NWE-Flanders/UK-NWE-Flanders-12.html

[MichMary]

16. I saw the movie,

and I found the scene where the boats show up and the troops realize that their countrymen had come to their rescue to be very moving.

Overall, I thought the movie was excellent.

[GeorgeGist]

17. The sound effects were pretty good ...

but otherwise I agree.

[Locrian]

19. too pretty

I find that most modern movies of history now tend to be very "clean" and "pretty". Just IMHO....

[oberliner]

21. The cast was populated by teen heartthrobs

For what that is worth.

[Locrian]

25. that's pretty much it...

Not what I'd expect of the average 'non-coiffed' soldier from the 40s', after a week(?) of panic, grime, etc


THIS


VS

[Orrex]

22. Knowledgeable viewers are calling it one of the best war movies ever made

Historians and critics alike are praising it.

YMMV of course. Hell, I can't stand either of the Guardians o' the Galaxy films despite everyone on the planet telling me that they're the most bestest movies ever in the history of ever.

[Chasstev365]

27. I love It!

I felt I was there even more than the landing scenes in Saving Pvt. Ryan.