[Afamilyatwar-list] Episode 8

[Vibeke Kold]

Thanks a lot, Richard, for your essays. I archive them all for the next
time I shall enjoy the specific episode. Looking forward to reading the
next ones :-)

Best wishes - Vibeke in Denmark

----- Original meddelelse -----

> Fra: "Veit, Richard via Afamilyatwar-list"
> <afamilyatwar-list at baylor.edu>
> Til: Afamilyatwar-list <Afamilyatwar-list at baylor.edu>
> Dato: Fre, 07. sep 2018 15:39
> Emne: [Afamilyatwar-list] Episode 8
> 
> Episode No. 8, "For Strategic Reasons"
> 
> [IMAGE]
> 
> German occupation of the Channel Islands was a shocking development
> for Britain during the early months of the war. What a terrifying
> experience it must have been for the islands’ inhabitants, to witness
> the withdrawal of friendly troops (“for strategic reasons”) and then
> await the inevitable onset of enemy control.
> 
> In this powerful and fast-paced episode, written by Harry V. Kershaw,
> it is the fictional Brehaut family who are trapped in a nightmarish
> chapter of history. It is sad to witness their helplessness in the
> shadow of such an ominous force. Dominique, in particular, is
> shattered by the prospect, dreading the unknown as she casts a wary
> eye toward the French coast. Philip, for his part, is unable to
> assuage her fears, placing his hope in the false assumption that
> Germany would not be interested in conquering such “insignificant”
> prizes as Jersey and Guernsey. Abandoning the young woman to her
> fate, he departs with a gnawing sense of guilt that will haunt him
> for years to come. Contrariwise, the impulsive Eddie Chappell throws
> caution to the wind and breaks from the ranks, boldly forging a new
> life with Dominique’s sister, Madeleine.
> 
> I wonder about Philip’s motives in choosing not to return to the
> Brehaut home prior to the journey back to England. Is it his sense of
> duty, as a lance corporal, to his military superiors? Is it because
> he does not truly love Dominique? Is it because he does love her but
> is afraid of committing too rashly to such a permanent relationship?
> Was he ethically justified in severing his attachment to her without
> so much as a word? And just what did Dominique really mean when she
> conveyed a message to Philip that she “understood” him?
> 
> Several memorable moments remain etched in my mind after viewing “For
> Strategic Reasons.” One, certainly, is how hard the news of John
> Porter’s presumed death hits Philip when he reads the letter from
> home. It is clear to see that he has accepted Margaret’s husband as a
> member of the family. Another is poor Albert’s reaction when his
> awkward attempt at flirting with Dominique is dashed by the arrival
> of Eddie and Philip. And there is a revealing scene when sibling
> rivalry eclipses any concerns for the war, as Madeleine shocks her
> older sister by divulging that she was an eyewitness to Dominique’s
> summertime tryst with “that Scottish boy.”
> 
> Once again, as throughout the entire series, the military staging is
> brilliant, and Ray Smith’s portrayal of Sergeant Connor is right on
> target. On the lighter side, I love that moment at Company
> Headquarters in Beaucamps when Captain Leyland-Smith responds to the
> impending disaster by calling for some tea!
> 
> Quite effective, I think, is director Tim Jones’s decision to have a
> two-shot at the instant when it is revealed to the Brehaut sisters
> that the troops are departing for England. The camera initially
> frames Madeleine in the foreground, but then the more distant
> Dominique comes into focus to show her concern that Philip will be
> among the retreating soldiers.
> 
> It is pitiable to see the confused children evacuees, each identified
> with a name tag, waiting to board the Biarritz for the journey away
> from the only home most of them have ever known.
> 
> Though “For Strategic Reasons” is, of necessity, quite a serious
> episode, there are several less portentous moments as well: cute
> little Marie, who brings her mother’s bread pudding to the guard
> house at Fort Doyle; the absurdity of Mr. Brehaut’s determined search
> for a missing whistle to complete his uniform; and that touching
> instant when Eddie’s marriage proposal causes Madeleine’s face to
> light up with a pretty smile.
> 
> Of related historical interest, there is quite an informative website
> to be found by clicking here. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/guernsey/content/articles/2004/07/19/occupation_timeline_1939_feature.shtml]
> It provides a detailed timeline, even mentioning the SS Biarritz in
> the entry for 20 June 1940. I also recommend the Granada/ITV
> miniseries "Island at War" from 2004. Set in six episodes (398
> minutes), it concerns the German occupation of the Channel Islands,
> in this case the fictional island of St. Gregory. The script, by
> Stephen Mallatratt, is tight and suspenseful, the acting superb.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.baylor.edu/pipermail/afamilyatwar-list/attachments/20180909/569a5e52/attachment-0003.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/png
Size: 316264 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.baylor.edu/pipermail/afamilyatwar-list/attachments/20180909/569a5e52/attachment-0003.png>