Overlord
Directed by Stuart Cooper
Written by Stuart Cooper and Christopher Hudson
1975/UK
First viewing/Criterion Channel
Jack: Did you hear what Tom did this morning?
Arthur: No.
Jack: He went to see old Nickelby, and asked him if they gave out compassionate leave if there’s been a death in the family. So Nickelby said, “Oh, yeah, yeah, depending on the circumstances.” And Tom said, “Well, there hasn’t been a death in my family yet, but there’s going to be one very soon, and I request leave to go home and console my parents.”
Effective portrayal of how the steady approach of D-Day impacts the lives of British recruits.
This film is bracketed and interrupted by archival footage. Tom is a raw British recruit. His occupation category is combat and it is obvious the next big battle will be the invasion of France. He and his new buddies are bored, lonely and terrified. We see them train, relax, and finally board the landing craft that will hit the beaches of Normandy. Tom even has the chance to fall in love. In addition, Tom’s fantasies of battle are shown. Only a couple of minutes of the actual invasion is shown.
This was OK. Some of the cinematography is lovely.
