 |
|
| Movies Forum Index » Silent Movies Forum » "The Lost Battalion" (1919) By Burton L. King... |
|
Page 1 of 1 |
|
| Author |
Message |
| Ferdinand Von Galitzien... |
 Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 7:42 pm |
|
|
|
Guest
|
During the last century, Deutschland lost many wars and a lot of
battles, the biggest defeat being WWI. For that reason it is always a
painful and complicated matter, even for a German count accustomed to
losing many battles with his servants, to watch any silent film
wherein
the victors boast about their merits against the Germans.
But that doesn't matter a lot when the film is well done and directed
as is the case with "The Lost Battalion", directed at the end of such
a
painful and mad war by Herr Burton L. King.
The film depicts the deeds of the Amerikan 77th Division in Europe and
their advance through the enemy lines (obviously the Germans). It is
focused mainly on a lost battalion of that Division that was cut off
and surrounded by the enemy, (again the Germans) in a ravine that will
be later known as "The Pocket" in Amerikan war glory lore.
The film recounts the participation of many Amerikan high ranking
officers that battled against the Teutons and are portrayed in the
picture, and these officers are presented with honours at the
beginning
and the end of the film with careful close-ups. However, for this
German count the role of those military men in the film wouldn't
matter
( you can't have everything and be a war hero AND a silent star… ) if
they didn't have the help of the common people who also participated
and suffered the consequences of that battle. They are the real heroes
of that war (and any war,) and they belonged to different social
classes, conditions and races and they were all united to battle
against the enemy ( that is to say, the Germans).
Herr Burton depicts at the beginning of the film (remarkably) the
particular life and social condition of those unknown soldiers before
they enlist. Burton delivers an interesting and valuable portrait of
the Amerikan life. These men, some ordinary, some exceptional, will
find their lives drastically changed when they embark for Europe.
The battle scenes are also very well done, full of drama and very
claustrophobic, especially during the ambush at "The Pocket". The
direction is very modern for a 1919 film, but of course is full of
patriotic elements that fortunately are not overstated or distracting
from the artistic merits of the film. This remarkable artistic fact
can
be still appreciated 90 years later since the film avoided the
Manichaeism that was part of many WWI film productions of that time
wherein the Germans were excessively caricatured or parodied in an
exaggerated way (This Herr Von knows very well what he is talking
about
when it comes to exaggerated matters…)
"The Lost Battalion" gives, as usual, the honor and the credit to the
military high ranking men but it was the common soldiers whose
devotion
and valour and sufferings won the war and are the main characters of
this film. The fallen soldiers they portray unfortunately couldn't be
invited as guest stars.
And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because
this German Count must try to find a war he can win.
Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien
http://ferdinandvongalitzien.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
All times are GMT - 5 Hours
The time now is Thu Nov 26, 2009 8:38 am
|
|