Upcoming film about NZ's greatest soldier

[Smithy]

"Mark of the Lion" the movie about NZ's greatest soldier, Charles Upham VC and Bar, has gotten the green light to start filming in October with British director Justin Chadwick.

For those not in the know, Charles Upham is regarded by many historians as the outstanding individual soldier of WWII. He is unique in being the only combat soldier ever to have been awarded the Victoria Cross (Britain's highest award for gallantry under fire) twice. Indeed the King was informed by Major-General Kippenberger that in truth Upham's actions in combat had won the VC several times over.

I'm hugely excited about this and hope it does justice to the great man. More here:

http://www.3news.co.nz/News/WorldclassdirectorsignedforUphamfilm/tabid/418/articleID/62168/cat/55/Default.aspx

 

[BellyTank]

The cold steel... they don't like it, Upham.

Yes- sounds interesting.

I was sad to hear that VCs were stolen from Waiouru, last December,
including Uphams- they were all, however, recovered in February.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10479729&pnum=0

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=123&objectid=10492853&pnum=0


Look forward to the movie.
Rubbing my hands with ghee.


B
T

 

[Smithy]

Thought you might be pleased with that news BT. It was wonderful how the VCs were recovered, it would've been an enormous tragedy if they hadn't have been.

And rubbing your hands with ghee you say, on kitchen duty tonight eh?

 

[ethanedwards]

VC's

I heard about this on the radio earlier this week, it might be old news to you guys though............

http://www.iwm.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.5455

 

[BellyTank]

And rubbing your hands with ghee you say, on kitchen duty tonight eh?

Yep-

Aloo Gobi in the pot.

Did you like the Jonesie reference?


B
T

 

[Smithy]

Yep-

Aloo Gobi in the pot.

That's not fair, now I'm jealous.

Did you like the Jonesie reference?

¿Qué?

 

[Rufus]

Fantastic news Smithy.. I don't know anything about this soldier, I'll have to do some research! I'm sure there must be some good tomes on this valiant man.

Deplorable to hear someone stole the medals... (Although wonderful they were recovered.)

They should send the thief to clear minefields somewhere.. do something useful with their thieving mitts.

Ruf, in rain sodden Bethnal Green

 

[Smithy]

Fantastic news Smithy.. I don't know anything about this soldier, I'll have to do some research! I'm sure there must be some good tomes on this valiant man.

Deplorable to hear someone stole the medals... (Although wonderful they were recovered.)

They should send the thief to clear minefields somewhere.. do something useful with their thieving mitts.

Ruf, in rain sodden Bethnal Green

There's a biography about him called "The Mark of the Lion" which is worth picking up Ruf. His story and bravery really are homeric and beggar belief. Do a Google search, there is a lot out there about him online as well.

I only pray that they make the film worthy of the man (not necessarily the easiest thing to do).

 

[BellyTank]

Dad's Army

They don't like it up 'em.
Upham.


Now, thinking about this is making me want to see a movie about the Maori Batallion.
More bravery.
I read Wira Gardiner's book.


B
T

 

[Smithy]

They don't like it up 'em.
Upham.

Oh, I'm with you. Sorry, bit slow today, not enough kumara.

Now, thinking about this is making me want to see a movie about the Maori Batallion.
More bravery.
I read Wira Gardiner's book.


B
T

Good call, the Maori Battalion is long overdue for something. There's been little whispers around for awhile that Peter Jackson has been considering something in the future with the ANZACs and also a WWI aviation flick. Time will tell. Dambusters should be a goodie.

 

[dhermann1]

For such a small nation, New Zealand had an impressive percentage of heroes in that war. I've read of the exploits of General Freiburg and Air Martial Coningham. Upham is simply amazing. And he sat out half the war!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Upham

 

[Windsock]

An amazing bloke, must have been one of those types who were born to live that way- dare I say perhaps a bit of a War lover? But really to do the types of things he and other VC winners did really did take some additional exceptional qualities.

It will be refreshing to see a film set in Nth Africa for a change too (at least I imagine that's what it's about) but where do they do that filming in NZ? It would also be interesting if they managed to incorporate a bit of his time in the Oflag.

 

[Smithy]

For such a small nation, New Zealand had an impressive percentage of heroes in that war. I've read of the exploits of General Freiburg and Air Martial Coningham. Upham is simply amazing. And he sat out half the war!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Upham

We've got a pretty proud military history dhermann but we've paid a heavy price for it. NZ had the highest casualty and death rate per capita during WWI and the highest casualty rate amongst Britain and the Commonwealth nations during WWII.

Andrew,

I agree that it'll be interesting to see where they film it. I'd imagine they include his Colditz time. I always liked how when the camp was liberated and the other prisoners were organising to return to allied lines, Upham instead raided the armoury for weapons and then went hunting Germans. It'd be a travesty if they don't include that!

 

[Windsock]

We've got a pretty proud military history dhermann but we've paid a heavy price for it. NZ had the highest casualty and death rate per capita during WWI and the highest casualty rate amongst Britain and the Commonwealth nations during WWII.

Andrew,

I agree that it'll be interesting to see where they film it. I'd imagine they include his Colditz time. I always liked how when the camp was liberated and the other prisoners were organising to return to allied lines, Upham instead raided the armoury for weapons and then went hunting Germans. It'd be a travesty if they don't include that!

Tim this sounds like a good old '60's war flick in the remake!

Bet it won't be though. Those days are goorrnnn.

Back to the Western Desert though. Other than The Desert Rats" 1954 and "The Desert Fox" 1951 I can't think of any other Nth African based movies about that campaign. My Unlce was there and it's always fascinated me. Really if you talk to any surviving WWII vets today you'll have a whole movie just about their time, just need to add a love interest! There's a movie in the offing about the exploits of a 90 yr old mate of mine who flew Kittyhawks in the RAAF in Nth Africa. Combine daily desert life, Irvins, Mates, Aircraft, aerial victory, aerial defeat, enemies, capture, then change theatres and wind up in the Great Escape. I would pay to see that.

Actually that sounds a bit like the one about Upham.

 

[Smithy]

My Unlce was there and it's always fascinated me.

One of my great uncles was with the 2NZEF fighting there. I have his army records and letters from the war and they make for fascinating reading. He was wounded twice and won the DSO. I've been toying with the idea of collating it all and having copies bound and printed with photos for my family. I've thought it might be a nice way for his memory to live on. Hope that doesn't sound showy, I'm just very proud of him.

There's a movie in the offing about the exploits of a 90 yr old mate of mine who flew Kittyhawks in the RAAF in Nth Africa.

He must have some interesting stories about his time in the Western Desert. Be great if you could post a few if the old boy doesn't mind.

I've always thought it would be great to see Derek Robinson's "A Good Clean Fight" made into a mini-series like they did with "Piece of Cake". I suppose it'd cost a ton more though and there's not too many Tomahawks in flying condition that owners would be happy to ship off to desert conditions and buzz round in.

 

[Rufus]

Thanks for the book info Smithy, I'm going to get myself some new reading material.

ruf

 

[byronic]

smithy- re 'a good clean fight', i dream that this will be filmed one day. how about hugh grant as the RAF chap and ralph fiennes as the SAS type? just an idea...

 

[Smithy]

Hi Byronic,

If they kept faithful to the book then Fanny Barton would have to be played by a Kiwi as he was one. Nobody really jumps to my mind.

Ralph Fiennes wouldn't be bad as the SAS chap but I always thought of Lampard as being a big, brawny brute. That bloke from the Eastenders a few years back maybe could've pulled it off.

Be great if they did make it!