‘Dunkirk’ review in USA Today warns ‘no lead actors of color’ in WWII-inspired film

Washington Times ^ | July 19, 2017 | Douglas Ernst

[rdl6989]

A USA Today review of “Dunkirk” is under increased scrutiny from industry peers for warning viewers that it lacks women and minorities.

Social media ridicule followed the publishing of writer Brian Truitt’s reaction to director Christopher Nolan’s latest film, a World War II tale about Allied soldiers attempting to survive while pinned down by German adversaries. The columnist gave the film a glowing review while saying its lack of diversity “may rub some the wrong way.”

[Surrounded_too]

Let’s watch “Zulu”

[Covenantor]

General Erwin Rommel...note the eagles. Rommel was not Luftwaffe.

[Alas Babylon!]

Just saw Spiderman Homecoming yesterday at a matinee. Beside me and my 17 y.o. son, only one older couple were in the theater.

SH is chock full of diversity, BTW.

[Skooz]

A descendent of the Ptolemies. Greek to the core.

[CaptainAmiigaf]

You are so correct I’m embarrassed.
I have BOTH movies, originally on individual tapes and then copied BOTH, in tandem, onto a single long evening of watching good, historically accurate film. Over the years I’ve come to regard BOTH as a single movie.
They don’t make them like that anymore, do they?

[Robert A Cook PE]

A German Luftwaffe General commanded all German troops in Italy for several years. Did much better than the German Luftwaffe generals leading the German air force fighting over Germany!

[katana]

Don't be embarrassed. That was an understandable mistake. And to address your last point, based on most reviews of Dunkirk they did just make an excellent film "like they used to". Just don't expect that to happen out of California. There's a reason why about 90% of what my wife and I watch on Netflix, Amazon, etc. originates in Britain. They're simply better.

[PLMerite]

"I have an idea; make all the Nazis black and queer."

Here:

I don't know what his gender preference is.

[llevrok]

You mean like,..”White Men Can’t Jump”....that one?

Or the sequel, "Black Men Can't Work".

The "white men" title offended me in 1992 so why not a "Black Men" movie title?

[lurked_for_a_decade]

Not true. There were Americans in the camp and they participated in the preparations for the escape. Unfortunately, 6 - 8 weeks before the scheduled escape all the Americans were moved to a new and segregated by nationality part of the camp.

All three “Americans” in the movie including Steve McQueens character were composites of real Americans. The movie accurately represented the American presence and participation up until the discovery of the tunnel named Tom during the 4th of July party in 1944.

The Americans were moved to a separate part of the camp after the discovery of the 1st tunnel on July 4th but not because of its’ discovery.

McQueens role was a composite of several characters both British and American. There was an American who was a Dirt Track rider at the camp who was part of McQueens composite character.

A Brit was the Cooler King and actually did escape several times to reconnoitre the area around the camp and get recaptured to make maps.

Everything after the 4th of July POW hooch party made from potatoes was to appease Steve McQueen and to get him to play the part. He refused the part until they gave him the motorcycle stunt during the escape which was fiction.

There actually was a pilot who stole a plane with the forger named Blyth who became blind but he was a Brit, not the American portrayed by James Garner.

Americans were written into the movie from its beginning through the escape to appeal to American audiences who were expected to be the majority of viewers.

I read a lot about “The Great Escape” because it inspired me as a young man back in the 1960’s.

This is an interesting article

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/473518/The-life-and-death-of-the-man-who-inspired-Steve-McQueen-s-character-in-The-Great-Escape

The book
The Great Escape
by Paul Brickhill, George Harsh

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-great-escape-paul-brickhill/1122980512?ean=9780393325799&pcta=n&st=PLA&sid=BNB_DRS_Core+Shopping+Textbooks_00000000&2sid=Google_&sourceId=PLGoP237&k_clickid=3x237

was the first book I ever read of my own free will and kind of jump started my academic career and inspired my love of history.

I read the book because it was listed in the credits of the movie. I had to read the book after seeing the movie because the movie said it was a non-fiction story based upon Brickhills book. I couldn’t beleive the story! But it’s true.

The movie stays pretty true to the book accept for the removal of the Americans from the camp sometime soon after July 4th 1944.

[Reily]

If I remember this right the real Great Escape was an all UK/Commonwealth affair.

[Seruzawa]

James Garner was depicted as a Canadian so he could get away with the American accent.

[cpdiii]

If there is a modern day basketball film, I trust Caucasian men and women will have demographic representation.

I am old, white, slow, only 5'10" in height. The NBA would not hire me. This is an obvious case of discrimination against me.

I guess it is because "White Men Can't Jump" :) That is discrimination also. I think the NBA owes me many millions in my possible lawsuit.

PS
The Dallas Cowboys would not hire me either for quarterback, nor running back nor lineman. The Cowboys hate white guys. I think I will add them to my lawsuits :) :) :) I did volunteer to work for free as a dressing room assistant for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. They escorted me from the premises post haste. More discrimination for sure. I was feeling woman that day and my prurient intents were not a factor.

The NBA and the NFL have abused me greatly. I am now consumed with depression and angst. Life is so unfair!

☹️

[moovova]

“Well, you’d have a much shorter movie if you took all the white males out.”

Much shorter war too.

[bar sin·is·ter]

Oh, please. Just like movies about Vikings would obviously be chock full of ‘actors of color’.

Say what?

[Reily]

I think the original concept was for them to be in a concentration camp. Then someone wisely pointed out, that’s really not funny. Particularly since Robert Clary really was in one & most of the principals were Jewish.

[lurked_for_a_decade]

I believe you are correct.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bgiqKbnuyM

There are several videos on youtube of survivors returning to search the site of the old camp.

Also this. Another composite character for Virgil Hilts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvJD3HUDYj4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2Hf1rKkgus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-H4fJsP5eg

[bar sin·is·ter]

[ichabod1]

“But, but but... wasn’t Dwight Eisenhower a black man?”

Noooo, are you kidding me? Dwight D. Eisenhower was a White Supremist Slave Owner who was massa of all the Gallant Black Invasion forces that conquered nassi Germany then rose to power and empowered the white man to impose the Jim Crow on the poor black at home.

[bar sin·is·ter]

Javol bitches...