The Best of Men (2012)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Best of Men is a British historical drama (based on a true story) which premiered on British television (BBC) in 2012. It is the story of the man who founded the Paralympic Games.

 

Here is some basic information about this drama:

 

** Directed by Tim Whitby

** Screenplay written by Lucy Gannon

** Musical score composed by Mark Russell

** Released on DVD in 2013

** Run time: 90 minutes

 

The cast includes the following:

 

The first group

** Eddie Marsan as Dr Ludwig Guttmann (1899-1980)

** George McKay as Private William Heath

** Bob Brydon as Corporal Wynne Bowen

** Richard McCabe as Dr Cowan

 

The second group

** Leigh Quinn as Nurse Carr

** Niamh Cusack as Sister Edwards

** Nicholas Jones as General Blake

** Tracy-Ann Oberman as Else Guttmann – Ludwig’s wife

 

This drama is the story of the man who founded the Stoke Mandeville Games for Disabled Persons which later developed into the Paralympic Games.

 

His name is Ludwig Guttmann.

 

He was a Jewish doctor – a neurologist - who managed to escape from Nazi Germany in 1939, shortly before the outbreak of World War II. He settled with his family in England.

 

In 1943, he was asked to establish a department for patients with spinal injuries at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital. The department opened in 1944.

 

This drama covers a short but highly significant part of his life: the time from 1944 to 1948.

 

The story begins when Guttmann arrives at the hospital in 1944 and ends when the first Stoke Mandeville Games for Disabled Persons are held in 1948, while the Olympic Games are held in London.

 

The Best of Men - an unusual movie about an unusual topic - is captivating, dramatic, as well as emotional.

 

The script is well-written and the actors play their roles well. In addition, it is based on a true story.

 

While praising the movie in general, I have to emphasize two factors which give it an incredible drive and power:

 

The first factor is the actor Eddie Marsan who looks like the real Doctor Guttmann and who is very convincing in this role.

 

The second factor is the musical score composed by Mark Russell which supports the general story very well.

 

At this point, I think it is time to explain the title. During a staff meeting at the hospital, Dr Guttmann proposes to hold the Stoke Mandeville Games for Disabled Persons.

 

His colleague Dr Cowan is against it. He says the Olympic Games are for those who are the best in running, the best in jumping, and so on.

 

What about Dr Guttmann’s patients? 

 

In which field are they the best?

 

Guttmann’s answer is short and to the point:

 

“They are the best of men.”

 

This movie is a powerful combination of sadness and fun. The patients are sad, because their spinal cord has been injured. Guttmann tries to help them. 

 

He gives them a purpose. He gives them hope. He gives them something to live for. He brings fun into their lives again. He cares for them, but he is also honest - sometimes brutally honest – with them.

 

He realises sport can be a way to help these patients come back to life. He puts them in wheelchairs and soon they are shooting with bow and arrows, throwing javelins and even playing basketball.

 

This is a great drama!

 

I think it will make a big impression on you.

 

What do reviewers say about it?

 

On IMDb it has a rating of 79 per cent.

 

On Amazon there are at the moment more than 250 ratings of this product, more than 100 with reviews.

 

The average rating is 4.5 stars which corresponds to a rating of 90 percent.

 

I understand the numerous positive reviews and I agree with them.

 

I want to go all the way to the top with this product. I think it deserves a rating of five stars (100 percent).

 

PS. For more information, see the following items:

 

Spirit of Stoke Mandeville:

The Story of Sir Ludwig Guttmann

by Susan Goodman

(1986)

 

Hitler’s Gift: The True Story of the

Scientists Expelled by the Nazi Regime

by Jean Medawar and David Pyke

(2012)

 

*****

The Best of Men

A historical drama which 

premiered on British television 

(BBC) in 2012

 

*****

 

The German doctor who

escaped from Nazi Germany and 

came to the UK where he founded

the Paralympic Games

Ludwig Guttmann

(1899-1980)

 

*****

 

Mr. Turner (2014)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Turner (2014)

 

This must be one of the worst movies ever made.

 

It certainly is one of the worst movies I have ever seen.

 

J.M.W. Turner is a famous painter, because his paintings have quality. But this movie about Turner has no quality at all.

 

When we have a movie about a famous artist, I assume it will cover his or her life and his or her works.

 

I also assume it will explain why this person is regarded as a great artist. This is not the case here.

 

One scene follows another. But the scenes are not connected with each other in any way. There is no information about where we are in time or place.

 

Sometimes Turner meets other people and talks to them. But there is no information about who they are and why he meets them. Most of the time he does not even talk. He is just grunting!

 

In one scene, Turner meets another man. They seem to be good friends. Perhaps they are brothers. But this is not the case. After a while, we realize that this man is actually his father! But this does not make any sense, because these two men seem to have almost the same age!

 

Timothy Spall, who plays Turner junior, was born in 1957. Paul Jesson, who plays Turner senior, was born in 1946.

 

The actor who plays the father is only eleven years older than the actor who plays his son! At least one of them is seriously miscast!

 

What do reviewers say about this drama?

 

Here are some results:

 

68 percent = IMDb

69 percent = Meta (the audience)

94 percent = Meta (the critics)

56 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the audience)

97 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the critics)

 

When you look at Meta and Rotten Tomatoes, you can see that there is a huge gap between the audience and the critics. In this case, the audience has more common sense than the critics.

 

On Amazon UK there are at the moment more than 2,200 ratings of this product, more than 1,300 with reviews.

 

The average rating is 4.2 stars which corresponds to a rating of 84 percent. Here are the details:

 

5 stars = 59 percent (more than 500 reviews)

4 stars = 18 percent (more than 200 reviews)

3 stars = 12 percent (more than 100 reviews)

2 stars = 5 percent (more than 100 reviews)

1 star = 6 percent (more than 200 reviews)

 

While I cannot understand the numerous positive ratings, I do understand the negative ratings and I agree with them.

 

This historical drama is an embarrassment for cast and crew. I cannot understand why anyone would want to be associated with it in any way.

 

It is not often that I offer a low rating for a movie or a book. But in this case, it is the right thing to do, because this drama is a total disappointment.

 

** My rating is 1 star (20 percent)

** Do not buy this movie – it is a waste of money!

** Do not watch this movie – it is a waste of time!

** If you don't believe me, go ahead and watch it. When you do, you will find out that what I say is true.

 

Here are some basic facts about this drama:

 

** Writer & director: Mike Leigh

** Premiere: Cannes Film Festival 2014

** Released on DVD in 2015

** Run time: 150 minutes

 

The cast includes the following:

 

** Timothy Spall as J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851) – the famous painter

** Paul Jesson as William Turner (1745-1829) – the father

 

REFERENCES

 

Standing in the Sun:

A Life of J.M.W. Turner

By Anthony Bailey

1998

 

Turner

By James Hamilton

2007

 

Turner: The Extraordinary Life and

Momentous Times of J.M.W. Turner

By Franny Moyle

2016

 

*****

The famous British painter

J.M.W. Turner

(1775-1851)

This is a self-portrait

painted around 1799

 

*****

The Slave Ship

Original title:

Slavers Throwing overboard 

the Dead and Dying - 

Typhoon coming on

by J.M.W. Turner

(1840)

 

*****

Turner was probably inspired to paint this painting 

after reading about the slave ship the Zong 

in a recent book about the history of 

the trans-Atlantic slave trade

 

*****

For information about the slave ship,

see the following item:

The Zong: A Massacre, 

the Law & the End of Slavery

by James Walvin

(2011)

 

*****

This drawing shows 

a horrible moment on the Zong in 1781

*****

 

On the Zong 1781:

Slavers throwing slaves overboard

 

*****