WILLOWSYKES

##### Possible Spoiler #######

In this event Politics won. This is what we have to come call a "docu-drama" the telling of a story within an actual historical event.

In this case the event was the sinking of the liner RMS Lusitania on the 7th May 1915 by the German submarine SMS U-20. 1,198 passengers and crew were killed and the outcry against Germans was resounding and loud, especially in the then neutral US.

Even against the backdrop of the horrors of WWI it was big news and yet it has largely faded in favour of the Western Front or Gallipoli when WWI is reviewed. So this film should have been interesting and informative. However what we got was a fantasy that would have made the dead turn in their graves.

Those "right-on" chaps at the BBC who made this rubbish probably had this discussion first.

Producer "I don't like the Iraq war so I want to make a film that shows I don't. So I am going to tell the tale of the Lustiania.

Editor "Err OK, but wasn't she sunk by the Germans?"

Producer "Yes but we can have a German sailor with a conscience which will absolve them of any blame"

Editor "Err OK, but was't she off her advised course?"

Producer "Yes,but we will make up a reason and make the Captain a sympathetic guy picked on by the evil government (Dr Kelly anyone?) trying to cover up the fact she was carrying munitions"

Editor "Err OK, but hasn't it been proved by the survivors, manifests of the cargo from New York and by modern divers to the wreck that an ammunition explosion didn't happen? And anyway its was illegal to torpedo the liner without warning first?"

Producer "Yes, but we will just follow German propaganda at the time and at the end of the film tell everyone in writing we just made that bit up!"

Editor "How do we blame the government to make the viewer understand they shouldn't support the Iraq War?"

Producer "We show imagined conversations between Churchill and a captain who wanted the Lusitania sunk. We make the view believe the liner was routed into the path of U20 in order for her to be torpedoed, we don't tell them the admiralty were sending two destroyers at speed to escort her, we make it like their was only one U Boat in British waters, we don't tell them the Germans altered the U20s log ...

Editor "But if viewers are stupid enough to believe this made up tosh as accurate history how do we get them to link it to the situation in Iraq?"

Producer "Simple at the end of the film the lead character turns to camera as tells the viewer that he was betrayed by his government.

If the BBC want to make political points (and they increasingly do) than that's their affair. But for them to twist and invent historical fact to do it is disgraceful. Poor.

Tourist Scotland meets a jet set London money-maker. OK so its stereotyped characters, clichés and locations, but it didn't loose too much for that.

Angus Deyton isn't the UKs greatest actor but he dose have a cynical charm which made this work. Transplant surgery is quite a ripe subject for writers and this isn't that original, but its funny and heart-warming (if you will pardon the pun) and even though you think you know the ending, it keeps you guessing all the way.

Good. The acting is convincing and there is just the right amount of humour. Its touching without ever going over the top and kept me well hooked.

Bad. Do all Scotsmen outside Glasgow wear kilts and dance round swords all the time? If you think yes, then this would not be a bad point and you will have a set of bagpipes in your living room and say D'ya Ken? Not many do though and this shortbread tin view of Scotland did start to get on my nerves.

Overall, I found it an entertaining story and well worth a watch.

Quirky. Saw this on a cheap "three old films for £3.99 DVD" and wasn't expecting that much. However, I was pleasantly surprised, quite adventurous for 1940 I thought and what a sad end. I enjoyed the way we moved into 20th century, the subtle changes and quite hoped that the story would have continued up to 1940.

Faults. Spent ages building up the characters and then seemed to run out of time and rushed the end. The final scene in the grave yard was over stretched as well.

Good. William Holden, probably the first early film I have seen of him and can see why he was so popular with the ladies, and the story was just so different (original?). For the price of a coffee you can't go wrong.