My Boy Jack (2007)

My Boy Jack

This BBC special was aired on PBS in the USA and I had to have it ASAP. I was initially pleased because it starred Daniel Radcliffe but it is a fascinating piece of true history and the saddness of war and misplaced patriotism. Rudyard Kipling, played by David Haig, loved his country no less than many Americans love theirs, but he was blinded by his love to the horror of losing his son and his country's lack of preparedness. Granted he was right about Germany's evil but neither he nor his country were aware that there could be failure and loss even if you were on the side of good. September 19, 2008

Not a bad movie

Radcliff did a good job, my only comment was, he reminded me of Adolf Hitler (as a younger man). Plot was maybe a little over done, but still worth the price. August 28, 2008

Coming of age and patriotism

Amazing story about Rudyard Kipling and his young son John Kipling (Jack) at the start if the WWI. Elder Kipling is well established writer best known for his "Jungle Book" stories for young boys. He and his family are comfortably tucked in British countryside and his society connections give elder Kipling high social status. His family is close knit and loving, but at the time of upcoming Great War, elder Kipling's unwavering patriotism is means for Jack to create his own adult life. At the age when most boys would plan going to college or striking on their own, Jack views the war as a way of getting into adulthood, away from his parents, their overwhelming love and his own constricted existence. It seems to him that going to war is the most natural way to strike on his own. But Jack's eyesight vision is so poor, that he gets rejected for active military service twice: once by the navy and the second time by the army. It is only thru his father's connections that he is accepted in the military, where he puts extra efort to finish his basic training and become an office before the age of 18. Soon, young Jack is dispatched to the front in Loos, Northern France, where only one day after his 18th birthday, he is killed in the battle. It is a bittersweet story of a young man trying to build his own identity during the difficult time in the history and his father, who living thru the young man is fostering his own patriotic desire for the glory of England and tradition. Kim Catrall gives stunning performance as Jack's mother who in the course of 6 months changes from vivacious mother to a grief stricken, old woman broken to pieces once she learns that her missing son is in fact killed in the war. July 28, 2008

Brilliant

I loved this movie - both for its content and acting.

Would love to see more of Rudyards life on the big screen - particularly some of his experiences in India or perhaps holidays in South Africa. June 13, 2008

Moving and thought provoking

The story of Rudyard Kipling's son John and his short career as a soldier in early World War I is quite a powerful story. The presentation has to compress and eliminate many details so I think it would have better served its purpose if it had been allowed to be a longer production - maybe three hours. I marked it down for this purpose only.

The acting performances were outstanding on all levels - from David Haig's Kipling to the nameless men in young John's (Jack) platoon waiting to go over the top in the mud and muck of Loos. Everyone did their parts to perfection. The attention to detail was outstanding although I could quibble that one man's South Africa War medal ribbons were in the wrong order.

You recieve a great sense of what it was like on the western front in 1915. Not glorious or romantic - rather a quagmire of mud and muck where the biggest concern was trench foot and keeping your rifle in working order when it was caked in mud. About the only creatures that seemed to enjoy the western front were the rats.

Kipling has a very complex role in this film. On the one hand he wants to aid his son achieve his ambition of entering the military. On the other hand he is on the committee that is dealing with releasing war news to the public and the horrific casualty rates - over 11,000 officers and men killed, wounded and missing in one day in one battle. Kipling's feeling that it is best to be upfront with the numbers as that will inspire others to serve to remember those who had gone before them. I'm not sure that was good thinking for later in the war but I can understand his logic at the start. I wonder what he felt after his son became one of the huge number of casualties in that war?

The commentaires by the actors in the afterward of the DVD were also quite impressive and thought provoking. Kim Cattrell's comments are especially important as she talks of her grandfather and her father and the effects that World Wars I and II had on them and what she wanted to achieve for her nephew as the war in Iraq was starting up as this was filmed.

It is a complex story that is well told and acted. I encourage those interested in British history and literature to see this film.

June 6, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...