I attended the Calgary premiere of the Canadian-made war movie Passchendaele on the evening of Wednesday, October 15th.
The Jack Singer Concert Hall in Calgary was transformed into a grande movie theatre with attendees ranging from dignitaries, crew members, the general public, and a large military presence from the Canadian Forces.
The movie was shot in various locales around the Calgary area including Heritage Park and the T'suu Tina Reserve. Entirely produced with Canadian funds, Passchendaele features all-Canadian actors, and a Canadian film crew with mostly local workers.
Paul Gross co-produced, wrote, and starred in this love story with the backdrop of the Great War. He named his movie persona after his maternal grandfather, Michael Joseph Dunne (reg#447977), whose stories of his involvement in World War One - and Passchendaele in particular - inspired Gross to tell this story. Gross also dedicated the film to his relative as well.
Our Canadian actors put in good performances especially the female lead Caroline Dhavernas. The battle scenes compare well with any high budget Hollywood movie effects. Some reviewers have put the realistic nature of the war scenes on a par with Saving Private Ryan. But if you are expecting just action, you will be disappointed.
The film opens with Canadian Sargent Michael Dunne in close combat with the Germans. He returns to Canada recovering from his injuries and falls for his military nurse Sarah Mann. Circumstances force him to return to the Western front to protect Sarah's brother. They are both thrown into the hell known as Passchendaele.
The appearance of his love Sarah in the medical hospital at Passchendaele before the battle and the subsequent love scene reeks with incredulity. The love scene itself seems lifted from the 2001 WWII movie Enemy at the Gates.
Although it had been foreshadowed earlier in the film, I found the symbolism in the final scenes to be a little over the top with an injured Dunne carrying Sarah's near-to-death brother to safety across the battlefield on a cross-like pole.
Overall, I enjoyed the film and the fact that it is bringing Canadian war history to the masses is a positive.
My great grandfather Robert A. Malcolm (reg#709485) also served in the Great War. I have to request documents from the DOD for his service record. Exposure to mustard gas did not kill him on the battlefield, but severely damaged his lungs making life very difficult as he never fully recovered. I hope that Passchendaele will help bring more stories to today's youth. I want my daughter to realise the sacrifices that were made on our behalf.
At the reception after the screening guests mingled with actors and crew. I saw Paul Gross picking his teeth and lamented that I was too far away to come to the rescue with my spare dental floss. Perhaps next time.....
Reviews of the film:
Bruce Kirkland, Calgary Sun
Peter Howell, Toronto Star
Canadian Press
Eye Weekly, Jason Anderson
Tribute Magazine Online Public Reviews
Chris Knight, National Post
