Why haven't they...

[McClef]

Yes, I am very much aware that Richard Todd played Gibson; my point was that The Dam Busters should not be remade!

T.

The charm of the black and white picture and some of the wonky (by today's standard) special effects.

But with the quality acting and Eric Coats' stirring music who could want to remake it? The PC Brigade would rename Gibson's dog for a start.

Those American films made during this period more often than not were concerned with life in occupied Europe-- Hollywood doing it's bit to convince the American public, which was largely isolationist, that there were good reasons to enter the war on the side of the French, Belgians, Dutch, Austrians, Norwegians, Danes, and yes, the British. No, but it did end after the U.S. came in. (No doubt something to do with 16 million troops the US sent to fight in all theaters of the conflict.) I really think it all depends on whose ox is getting gored.

Citing examples of these movies would be of interest. I have always understood that it was the broadcasts of Ed Murrow that had the greatest effect.

I am sure many people in Britain were unhappy with the Mel Gibson film, The Patriot because of its portrayal of the British. Well, suprise, suprise, the picture made money in the UK, and did extremely well in -- India, where they may not exactly share your views regarding historical inaccuracy. I remember laughing my **** off listening to British film critics complaining that all of the main characters in the film Amadeus had American accents-- what did they expect? German accents? No, it was a case of British cinematic "chauvinism" because RADA-trained actors weren't cast in any of the principal roles.

Well Gibson can get away with things that many others cannot. He constructed an English villain full of ambition to be the "bad guy" and nobody likes a rotten apple. I look forward to a movie featuring Benedict Arnold.

Simon Callow was RADA trained but he then had to do a silly American accent so he would sound more German. Only the Italian parts were allowed an actor with an English accent. However Americans like F. Murray Abraham managed a passable English accent (ah but he was playing an Italian wasn't he!)

Britain has a tiny film industry when compared to Hollywood. And Britain is pretty much unsurpassed when it comes to making "British" films. But, when it comes to making movies, Hollywood is the gold standard. Even if they sometimes take liberties with history.

Yet Hollywood still likes to use British film studios to make some of them. It is, however, the exception to the rule when they do not "take liberties with history."