In Flanders Fields

The dark days of winter are a perfect time to hibernate with Mr. Murphy (& Lexi the Wonder Dog) to watch movies and stream TV series. Cuddling up on the couch under a cozy quilt may not be the best thing for our winter waistlines, but you know what they say... “everything in moderation!” The Murphys are nothing if not history buffs and a recent perusal of my postage stamps inspired some very enjoyable (and educational) winter watching. The World War I commemorative Forever stamp was issued in 2018 to honor the millions of Americans, both home and abroad who participated in WWI. 2018 marked the 100 year anniversary of the end of the war. World War I was the seminal conflict of the twentieth century and was, in my opinion, one of the most brutal and violent wars.  

2018 USPS Forever Stamp

We were amazed by the 2018 documentary, “They Shall Not Grow Old”, in which state-of-the-art technology restored and enhanced actual combat and military footage. Life on the front was detailed by the voices of actual soldiers that was recorded by the BBC in the 1960s. 

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 “The Wipers Times”, I think, is my favorite WWI film. It is based on the true story of a trench magazine that was published by British soldiers fighting in the Ypres Salient. The gallows humor and wit make the film hilarious but still calls attention to the soldiers amazing fortitude, strength and ability to persevere under horrible conditions. 

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“A Very Long Engagement” is a fictional tale about a young French woman’s desperate search to find her fiancé, who might have been killed during WWI. (It’s a French film with English subtitles, FYI) It tells the story of five French soldiers all sent to “no man’s land” as a punishment for attempting to escape military service through self-wounding. It is based on a novel by the same name (which is now on my TBR list!!) This film reunites two of my favorite, French film people: Audrey Tautou (actress) and Jean-Pierre Jeunet (director). The film is stunningly beautiful but also shockingly violent and harsh. It will not be to everyone’s liking of course, but if you are interested in a compelling story and beautiful cinematography, I recommend it. 

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“The Crimson Field” is a British TV series that we watched on PBS Masterpiece Theatre. It shows the lives of the doctors, nurses, medics and patients at a fictional field hospital in France during WWI. There are only 6 episodes (one season), however, as it was cancelled. It rather leaves one with a feeling of incompleteness, but it was an interesting show and worth watching if you are in a WWI viewing jag as we were. 

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“1917” is a recent theatre release about WWI. We have not seen this one yet. It tells the tale of two young British soldiers who are given a seemingly impossible mission to deliver a message to stop an attack and save soldiers’ lives. The reviews have been good! I think we will keep this in mind for Murphy Date Night.

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These are just a few of the recent films and TV shows we have watched with a WWI theme. I’m always a little nervous recommending books and movies, as we all have different tastes, interests and ideas about acceptable violence, language and nudity in our viewing material. (Please decide for yourself if this is something that is acceptable to you!) From fighting totalitarian regimes, humanitarian concerns and America’s role in the world, there are many parallels between then and now. If you are unfamiliar with the WWI era I encourage you to read (or watch) more about it! It’s fascinating ! 

Share your thoughts and recommendations with others! Via the post, of course!

Go postal, people, it’s a great lesson in history! 

XOXO

Mrs. Murphy