|
|
|
|
|
spring, 2011
Cinema
Depictions of war 
War is a very real part of our history, and cinema has brought us stories that depict men and women who fought bravely on behalf of their country and of their ideals. This while bringing us into their personal struggles, as well as into their war battles.
Here's a movie that brings us to World War I.
"Fly Boys"presents a small group of young American men who volunteer to join the French LaFayette Escadrille, and to be trained as fighter pilots, before the United States joined World War I.
Back then Americans considered it "The European War" and later as "The Great War."
In the film, each of the young Americans has his reason for enlisting. We learn the reasons through the eyes of Blaine Rawlings, who himself had seen a movie-house news reel about the squadron and decided to enlist.
The main characters are inspired by real people, and the story based on a real squadron.
Bringing us there
The cinematography uses the whole screen. In one scene, we wake before dawn with Mr. Rawlings. With him we step onto the airfield that is covered by morning mist. We hear distant rumblings, and watch with him as a plane that has just landed breaks into view.
It's among the new planes arriving for the squadron, he learns. These young men will soon take these planes to the sky ... to fight the Germans.
Later, when they do, their airplane guns shoot bullets fast. Yet sometimes the guns get stuck; and the pilots need to use a hammer, that they keep in their cockpit, to pound the guns back to use.
This is 'state of the art' at the time, and battles seem the first real purpose of aviation.
Battles are why these men are trained to fly. We are with them during open air combat.
And we are with the ones who survive, when they return to the airfield.
Intimate stories
"Fly Boys" depicts the dynamics among the young fighter pilots.
It also depicts a love story between Mr. Rawlings and a French girl named Lucienne. Through this are glimpses of how the War effected French civilians. ___________
More information: For more information, including a video trailer, visit here. |
|
Cinema:
Jacquée T. designs her movie descriptions
to intrigue, without disclosing too much of the storyline.
She challenges you to rent, buy or otherwise view her selected movies
-- sans reading other descriptions, that in her opinion,
spill too much of a story that needs to unfold.
|
|
