Merged BBC's '37 days'

[catsmate]

The 1914 centenary mini-series has just finished, it was excellent. Anyone else catch it?

 

[anglolawyer]

I just watched the third and final part of the BBC's drama about the period of diplomatic toings and froings leading up to WW1. I thought it was brilliant and highly instructive. I would be interested to know whether any history buffs saw it and thought it passed muster. It was good to recognise things I vaguely remembered like the Serbian's surprise and unwelcome acceptance of the humiliating terms of Austria's demands, the determinism of mobilisation, the lack of properly thought out war aims, GB's vacillation, etc

The subtlety of diplomacy and intelligence and frailties of those conducting it was beautifully and intelligently observed. I liked the use of German actors to play Germans, great production values etc etc

Occasionally, the BBC is utterly brilliant. BBC4 has been showing some wonderfully original and fascinating history documentaries recently. Well worth the license fee. Three cheers for the Beeb!

 

[lionking]

Thanks. I'll check it out.

 

[dudalb]

I hope this makes it to the U.S.

 

[catsmate]

I hope this makes it to the U.S.

It's not scheduled fro BBC America though it's on the usual download sites.

 

[The Don]

Saw it...disliked it intensely.

I liked the way they portrayed the relationship between Edward Grey and Eyre Crowe but the cartoonish representation of all foreigners was laughable - unless of course that was the intent and I missed the joke completely.

 

[anglolawyer]

Saw it...disliked it intensely.

I liked the way they portrayed the relationship between Edward Grey and Eyre Crowe but the cartoonish representation of all foreigners was laughable - unless of course that was the intent and I missed the joke completely.

Yes, I think it was intentionally humorous in an understated way. There is probably a serious point there about the gulf between the fallible and frail human players and the enormity of the consequences of what they did. All nations were equally caricatured, including ours.

 

[lobosrul]

I finished watching this last night. Ian McDiarmid did a fantastic job I thought. That was worthy of an "Emmy" or whatever is the equivalent. The scenes in the cabinet room were outstanding in particular.

And remember I'm viewing this as an ignorant American. I probably know less about the circumstances in which WW1 started than the average Euroepean school child. Maybe some of the portrayals of foreigners was cartoonish, but reading about the Kaiser, and what his contemporaries thought of him... maybe not all that much.

This feels like something that just might air on PBS in a few months BTW.

 

[catsmate]

I finished watching this last night. Ian McDiarmid did a fantastic job I thought. That was worthy of an "Emmy" or whatever is the equivalent.

BAFTA.

The scenes in the cabinet room were outstanding in particular.

Absolutely. The captured the tension, dissent, ambitions and uncertainties well.

And remember I'm viewing this as an ignorant American. I probably know less about the circumstances in which WW1 started than the average Euroepean school child.

It was good to see the focus on Grey, a pivotal figure but one who's often forgotten.

Maybe some of the portrayals of foreigners was cartoonish, but reading about the Kaiser, and what his contemporaries thought of him... maybe not all that much.

What I liked was the way it accurately captured the way the different countries thought of each other.

This feels like something that just might air on PBS in a few months BTW.

Hopefully it'll make it over,it was a BBC Worldwide production so it should.