Wife and I saw it last night, then came home & looked up the history on Wiki. We thought that the accuracy was suspect, but it still made for a very entertaining and suspenseful film. The aircraft scenes were top notch, right up there with Red Tails. I'll try to see it again just for them.

Regarding the British accents, they didn't bother us at all. We had a lot more trouble learning to understand the conversations on The Wire LOL!

Mike

Here's a good one :

 You are all talking about accents . Some of you know that I now call Texas home . I don't have a problem here as I was raised almost next door .Yup ! Arkansas !

 I had to take speech and eloqution classes to be understood at business seminars and other things because my deep southern Arkansas accent was so strong .

 Yup ! Mah , Fallow Mericans cuun't unerstan me .

Just got home from seeing the film.  I thought it was excellent; non-stop tension through the whole thing.  Quite an exciting movie.

I saw it last night. Very good movie, not sure I'd call it great but very good. They did a great job keeping up the sense of despair and hopelessness all the way though without overdoing it in my opinion.

I did have some issues making out some of the dialog, not from the accents but from the musical score being cranked up so loud I had trouble making out some of the actor's lines. Not sure this was an issue with the movie or just the theater I saw it in.

Only real nitpicks I had were for certain issues that you see in a lot of modern historical movies. 

The total absence of religion. Maybe I missed it but these guys under all this stress and nobody praying or cursing God for putting them in this situation? Sticking a sermon in the movie or beating people over the head with a religion club would have been a bad idea, I've seen period movies way over do this but the absence seems odd for a movie set in the '40s. 

And nobody smokes? I mean all that stress and nobody pulls out a cigarette? When the guys get back to the UK they get handed a bottle but no pack of cigarettes? 

Not big issues but it's stuff like that that makes a lot of historical movies seem off to me. As said I'm just nitpicking, if you have any interest in the subject you should see this movie! 

And it does point out the importance of such a small, simple, but beautiful word- home... 

Was planning to see it this week, "for my b-day".

Doesn't seem like it's going to happen though. Hopefully, it's been out long enough that I'll be able to watch in on the flight to Ireland next week. (on the flight to Germany a couple years ago, they had movies that were still in theatres).

Viejo

Saw it yesterday, thought it was good in spite of the out of fuel spitfire that kept circling and shot down a bomber before the perfect beach landing......

 

Armor_Aficionado

 

 

modelcrazy

No offence to anyone in Louisiana but I simply can't understand Cajun.

 

 

 

 

Ha ha, Seriously!  The first time I went down to Louisiana, deep into bayou country (Bayou Lafourche), I walked into a bar and hearing all those people talking I could have sworn I was in another country.  So I walk up to the bar and order a beer, with my Midwest accent (which I was unaware we Midwesterners have!), and it was like something out of a movie: it got so quiet I could practically hear people's eyeball's moving around in their heads to look at me, the outsider, while I could read their thoughts, all wanting to say, "You ain't from 'round here, are ya, boy?" 

modelcrazy

No offence to anyone in Louisiana but I simply can't understand Cajun.

 

Ha ha, Seriously!  The first time I went down to Louisiana, deep into bayou country (Bayou Lafourche), I walked into a bar and hearing all those people talking I could have sworn I was in another country.  So I walk up to the bar and order a beer, with my Midwest accent (which I was unaware we Midwesterners have!), and it was like something out of a movie: it got so quiet I could practically hear people's eyeball's moving around in their heads to look at me, the outsider, while I could read their thoughts, all wanting to say, "You ain't from 'round here, are ya, boy?" 

Well, i watched it last night and really enjoyed it. It was very differant from the usual war movies. Took me a bit to get to grips with the 3 story lines thing but as they came together it all made more sense.

I liked the idea of not really seeing the enemy, but knowing they were not far away and could appear over the dunes at any moment.

And i really liked the cockpit footage, hearing the Spits creak as they turned and the sound of the wind and guns really put you in the pit.

The role of the Little Ships was of course some what over played, but then the idea that it was the little ships which saved the British army is one of those myths we love to cling to so it was hardly surpriseing.

stikpusher

 

 

GMorrison

"It has been reported in the press over here that one american film critic panned the movie because it didn't have enough "strong female characters or people of colour"."

I would say that was mis-reporting. Of course I may have missed it. The USA Today review was really positive, if a little sloppy. The reviewer in fact pre-supposes that criticism, and sort of minimizes it. 

"The trio of timelines can be jarring as you figure out how they all fit, and the fact that there are only a couple of women and no lead actors of color may rub some the wrong way".

 

 

 

 

 

Kinda like Spike Lee getting upset at Clint for the same thing in "Flags of Our Fathers". Some people cant get the diversity thing separated from keeping true to history. Especially in this sort of film. In the Star Wars films, who cares? But for a WWII film, keep it as it was. 

 

GMorrison

"It has been reported in the press over here that one american film critic panned the movie because it didn't have enough "strong female characters or people of colour"."

I would say that was mis-reporting. Of course I may have missed it. The USA Today review was really positive, if a little sloppy. The reviewer in fact pre-supposes that criticism, and sort of minimizes it. 

"The trio of timelines can be jarring as you figure out how they all fit, and the fact that there are only a couple of women and no lead actors of color may rub some the wrong way".

 

 

Kinda like Spike Lee getting upset at Clint for the same thing in "Flags of Our Fathers". Some people cant get the diversity thing separated from keeping true to history. Especially in this sort of film. In the Star Wars films, who cares? But for a WWII film, keep it as it was. 

"It has been reported in the press over here that one american film critic panned the movie because it didn't have enough "strong female characters or people of colour"."

I would say that was mis-reporting. Of course I may have missed it. The USA Today review was really positive, if a little sloppy. The reviewer in fact pre-supposes that criticism, and sort of minimizes it. 

"The trio of timelines can be jarring as you figure out how they all fit, and the fact that there are only a couple of women and no lead actors of color may rub some the wrong way".

Bish

 

 

echolmberg

 

 

Bish

 

 Then there’s the heavy British accents.  What little dialog there was was difficult and, at times, impossible for me to understand.  As a result, I just let the action dictate the sentiment.  I might not have been able to understand all the dialog but it was enough for me to tell what was going on if they spoke angrily, fearfully, etc.  Part way through the movie, I felt like it was the first English-speaking movie that could qualify as a foreign film at the same time.

 

Sorry Eric, i could hold off responding to this no longer.

Let me get this right, your criticising the fact that the English characters were speaking real English.

 

 

 

 

LOL!  I see exactly what you're getting at but perhaps I should clarify.  Maybe what I should have said was that I, myself, had a nearly impossible time understanding what they were saying.  Others may have a finer ear for understanding different accents especially when they're being shouted in fear, anger, etc, but I had a very difficult time doing so.  At no time did I ever say "It was a bad film because the English characters were speaking with English accents."  I simply said that I could not understand them and that made the film a little less enjoyable for me.

 

Eric

 

 

 

 

I now you were not calling it a bad movie, and i know the Kent accent spoken by Mark Rylance might seem a bit strange to those not used to it.

I think movies have to strike a balance. Its nice to hear accents, but at the same time they have to be understood by a wide audience. Even in England, someone from one part of the country might struggle with someone from another if they have a strong accent. Blimey, i am from Norfolk, and i have a hard time from the old boys up on the coast who's accent is really strong.

One issue could be that your simply not used to it. For years its been a running joke about Hollywood movies where all the English charectors are either cockneys or upper class, and usually the bad guys. Even in the home made movies that have wider appeal, most people are speaking the Queens English.

On the other hand, for years we have watched American movies with charectors with accents from New York, the deep south and so on and we have just got used to it.

I would put Mark Rylance accent on the same level as many we hear from the deep south. Its enough that you know its a regional accent, but toned down enough that most should be able to understand it.

Maybe you just need a few proper English lessons

Anyway, i am finally off to watch it tonight, and after all this, i'll be keeping an ear open for the accents. I'll bet these none from Norfolk in there.

 

Gee thanks Bish 

I think it does have a lot to do with being used or not to a certain accent. The first time I watched the movie 'Dog Soldiers' I couldn't understand half of what the Scottish actors said. On the second and third viewings I could understand almost all of the dialog. 

And yes some American accents I find baffling, New England for example. I had a professor from Boston years ago that it took me about two weeks to understand most of what he said. 

echolmberg

 

 

Bish

 

 Then there’s the heavy British accents.  What little dialog there was was difficult and, at times, impossible for me to understand.  As a result, I just let the action dictate the sentiment.  I might not have been able to understand all the dialog but it was enough for me to tell what was going on if they spoke angrily, fearfully, etc.  Part way through the movie, I felt like it was the first English-speaking movie that could qualify as a foreign film at the same time.

 

Sorry Eric, i could hold off responding to this no longer.

Let me get this right, your criticising the fact that the English characters were speaking real English.

 

 

 

 

LOL!  I see exactly what you're getting at but perhaps I should clarify.  Maybe what I should have said was that I, myself, had a nearly impossible time understanding what they were saying.  Others may have a finer ear for understanding different accents especially when they're being shouted in fear, anger, etc, but I had a very difficult time doing so.  At no time did I ever say "It was a bad film because the English characters were speaking with English accents."  I simply said that I could not understand them and that made the film a little less enjoyable for me.

 

Eric

 

I now you were not calling it a bad movie, and i know the Kent accent spoken by Mark Rylance might seem a bit strange to those not used to it.

I think movies have to strike a balance. Its nice to hear accents, but at the same time they have to be understood by a wide audience. Even in England, someone from one part of the country might struggle with someone from another if they have a strong accent. Blimey, i am from Norfolk, and i have a hard time from the old boys up on the coast who's accent is really strong.

One issue could be that your simply not used to it. For years its been a running joke about Hollywood movies where all the English charectors are either cockneys or upper class, and usually the bad guys. Even in the home made movies that have wider appeal, most people are speaking the Queens English.

On the other hand, for years we have watched American movies with charectors with accents from New York, the deep south and so on and we have just got used to it.

I would put Mark Rylance accent on the same level as many we hear from the deep south. Its enough that you know its a regional accent, but toned down enough that most should be able to understand it.

Maybe you just need a few proper English lessons

Anyway, i am finally off to watch it tonight, and after all this, i'll be keeping an ear open for the accents. I'll bet these none from Norfolk in there.

Bish

 

 Then there’s the heavy British accents.  What little dialog there was was difficult and, at times, impossible for me to understand.  As a result, I just let the action dictate the sentiment.  I might not have been able to understand all the dialog but it was enough for me to tell what was going on if they spoke angrily, fearfully, etc.  Part way through the movie, I felt like it was the first English-speaking movie that could qualify as a foreign film at the same time.

 

Sorry Eric, i could hold off responding to this no longer.

Let me get this right, your criticising the fact that the English characters were speaking real English.

 

modelcrazy

 

 

Bish

Let me get this right, your criticising the fact that the English characters were speaking real English.

 

 

LOL, I tell my wife all the time I can't understand english LOL.

 

I have the same problem with my Mrs. But then again she is a Mancunian and i am from Norfolk.

Bish

Let me get this right, your criticising the fact that the English characters were speaking real English.

LOL, I tell my wife all the time I can't understand english LOL.

Fantastic movie! 

This is a pretty interesting audio effect used in the movie, and it's called the "Shepherd's tone."  It's part of why the movie is so tense.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVWTQcZbLgY

fermis

 

mississippivol

One question about the 109s, were the yellow noses not applied until during the BoB?

 

 

 

 

Yeah...the yellow nose at Dunkirk is a few weeks early....and, isn't that 109 a Hispano?

Here's a youtube vid...the yellow nose is the first issue addressed...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgRyu3Rmw8s  

 

I can fully understand his reasons for the yellow noses.

mississippivol

One question about the 109s, were the yellow noses not applied until during the BoB?

 

Correct. Side mottling and yellow noses were introduced during the late summer of 1940, not in the Spring. Aside from that, the aerial sequences are pretty impressively done. 

mississippivol

One question about the 109s, were the yellow noses not applied until during the BoB?

 

Yeah...the yellow nose at Dunkirk is a few weeks early....and, isn't that 109 a Hispano?

Here's a youtube vid...the yellow nose is the first issue addressed...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgRyu3Rmw8s  

jeaton01

 I thought it was well done, but was disappointed with the last scene of the burning Spitfire,where the propeller was hanging from a broomstick.  

 

Yes, more like this would have been better...

I saw it this evening. Pretty well done. Not perfect, but better than many recent war movies. The aerial fight sequences were well done indeed. Well, at least most of them. 

It certainly has me wanting to build some aircraft of that time and place. 

Saw it yesterday, thought it was good in spite of the out of fuel spitfire that kept circling and shot down a bomber before the perfect beach landing......