The Canadian Army in Movies

Finally got a copy of the whole first season of X Company and am pretty disapointed. The logic of these covert operatives going home to Ontario Canada between missions in occupied France really gets on my nerves. Add to that a complete lack of operational security at the famous Camp X... A recruit who has not even signed the official secrets act yet, is brought through the operations center past top secret maps, photos of operatives who are behind enemy lines, radio operators who are sending out messages to said operatgives,etc. In another sequence of the first or second episode
the operatives hang around waiting for their commander in Ontario, Canada to radio back authorization for some desperate action. Permission comes in minutes later! It seems the writer of that episode read that operatives were in radio contact with London and thought they meant London Ontario rather than London England!

The whole show is terribly wishy-washy about the morality of what they are doing. The French village sets are too clean and expensive looking. I mean by that, from what I have read, the french people in WWII were living a rather dire existence under German war rationing and that keeping their towns looking like vacation villages seems unlikely. The extras wear clothing that look like they need to be kept looking prsitine in order to return them to a costume house in perfect condition.

For all that, the actors are pretty good, the dialogue sounds okay. The Germans speak German (subtitled) though the french speak english with a cliché accent (though when pronouncing french names, the Canadian actors say them with flawless french accents!).

Glad to have watched it, and glad the Canadian Broadcasting Corp has made the effort to do something about Camp X and the SOE, but I don't recommend anyone go out of their way to see it.

 

Just watched "The Execution Of Private Slovik" (1978) starring Martin Sheen. There is a sequence in which Slovic and a buddy (played by Gary Busy) are seperated from their compatriots and get picked up by a Canadian Provost company and stay with them for 45 days. Later Slovik is arrested and condemned for cowardice (as an example).

 

Well, for what it is worth, the 2012-2013 TV-series "Bomb Girls" is Canadian.

 

Saw the first season of "Bomb Girls" last year (or the year before) and enjoyed parts of it. It had a very low budget (too bad). The factory was hardly convincing. It had some good ideas about showing the living conditions of a lot of small town girls crammed together in boarding houses two to a room. It also showed a bit of the war industry lobbying for lucrative government contracts, etc. The series was well intentionned. Eventually I will get around to borrowing season 2. My local library doesn't have the two hour movie that wrapped it up.

 

I have searched my collection and on the internet and I came up with these Canadian WWII films and mini-series

CANADIAN WWII FILMS & SERIES

1. Above and Beyond (2006) (Mini-series) [6.5] WWII Drama
2. Bethune: The Making of a Hero (1990) (Occupation of China) [6.9] Pre WWII Biography *)
3. Bomb Girls (2012-2013) (TV Series) (Home Front) [7.4] WWII Drama
4. Charlie Grant's War (1985) (Vienna, Austria) [7.2] WWII Drama *)
5. Dieppe (1993) (Mini-series) [7.2] WWII War
6. Firing Squad (Le peloton d'exécution) (1991) [5.4] WWII Drama *)
7. Lifeline To Victory (1993) [8.1] WWII War *)
8. Storming Juno (2010) [7.2] WWII Docudrama
9. The Devil's Brigade (1968) [6.6] WWII War
10. Tit Coq (1953) [7.1] Post WWII Drama *)
11. X Company (2015-2016) (Occupied France) [7.5] WWII Spy Thriller **)

*) Films and mini-series I do not have nor watched
**) Had and watched the first two episodes from the first year, but deleted it from the collection (Very disappointing series)

 

I forgot about Ti-Coq. Good catch there. I saw the play when I was in elementary school and have read it, but never seen the movie. It's about an orphan who went into the army and served in WWII. After the war he goes to the family of one of his friends and falls in love with his friend's sister. It ends badly for him, though I don't remember why. It's an important play in Quebec dramaturgy, but the WWII angle has little bearing on the story.

 

[SIZE=11pt]For Those I Loved (Au nom de tous les miens) (1983) (Canada - French language) [7.0] WWII Drama[/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]Sunshine (1999) (German-Austrian-Hungarian-Canadian production) [7.5] WWI & WWII Drama[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]are two additions that I have found.[/SIZE]

 

I have now found more films produced by Canadians and here is an updated version.


CANADIAN WWII FILMS & SERIES

1. Above and Beyond (2006) (Mini-series) [6.5] WWII Drama
2. Bethune: The Making of a Hero (1990) (Occupation of China) [6.9] Pre WWII Biography
3. Bomb Girls (2012-2013) (TV Series) (Home Front) [7.4] WWII Drama
4. Charlie Grant's War (1985) (Vienna, Austria) [7.2] WWII Drama
5. Closing the Ring (2007) (UK-US-Canada) [6.6] WWII Romantic Drama
6. Dieppe (1993) (Mini-series) [7.2] WWII War
7. Firing Squad (Le peloton d'exécution) (1991) [5.4] WWII Drama
8. Fugitive Pieces (2007) [7.1] WWII Drama
9. For Those I Loved (Au nom de tous les miens) (1983) (Canada-France) [7.0] WWII Drama
10. Head In The Clouds (2004) (Canada-UK) [6.6] WWII Drama
11. Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2003) (Mini-series) [7.3] WWII Biography
12. Lifeline To Victory (1993) [8.1] WWII War
13. Max (2002) (UK-Hungary-Canada) [6.6] WWII Drama
14. Nuremberg (2000) (Canada-US) [7.2] WWII Docudrama
15. Silent Night (2002) [7.8] WWII Biography
16. Storming Juno (2010) [7.2] WWII Docudrama
17. Sunshine (1999) (Germany-Austria-Hungary-Canada) [7.5] WWI & WWII Drama
18. The Blood of Others (1984) (Canada-France-US) [5.2] WWII Romantic Drama
19. The Devil's Brigade (1968) [6.6] WWII War
20. The Poet a.k.a. Hearts of War (2007 [5.1] WWII Drama
21. The Rise of Hitler (Edited Version of ‘Hitler: The Rise of Evil’) (2003) [Not rated] WWII Biography
22. The War Bride a.k.a. War Bride (2001) (UK-Canada) [6.9] WWII Drama
23. Tit Coq (1953) [7.1] Post WWII Drama
24. Under Black Skies (2004) (Canada) [6.9] WWII War
25. Varian's War (2001) (Canada-UK-US) [6.4] WWII Docudrama
26. X Company (2015-2016) (Canada-Hungary) (Occupation of France) [7.5] WWII Spy Thriller

 

Bethune was never released on dvd, and only briefly on vhs.
Charlie Grant's War (starring R.H. Thompson as a Canadian businessman who saved hundreds of children) was also not released.
Lifeline to Victory also not available. All three are very well regarded productions.

 

This would be the last update for now as I have finished my search for WWII films and series.


CANADIAN WWII FILMS & SERIES

1. A People Uncounted (2011) (Gypsies) [8.0] WWII Documentary
2. A Special Day (Una giornata particolare) (1977) (Italy-Canada) [8.1] WWII Drama
3. Auschwitz (2011) (Canada-Germany) [3.2] WWII Drama
4. Above and Beyond (2006) (Mini-series) [6.5] WWII Drama
5. Bethune (1977) [6.7] WWII Biography
6. Bethune: The Making of a Hero (1990) (Canada-France-China) (Occupation of China) [6.9] Pre WWII Biography
7. Bomb Girls (2012-2013) (TV Series) (Home Front) [7.4] WWII Drama
8. Bonhoeffer: Agent of Grace (2000) (Canada-Germany-US) [6.4] WWII Drama
9. Bye Bye Blues (1989) [7.3] WWII Musical Drama
10. Charlie Grant's War (1985) (Vienna, Austria) [7.2] WWII Drama
11. Closing the Ring (2007) (UK-US-Canada) [6.6] WWII Romantic Drama
12. Dieppe (1993) (Mini-series) [7.2] WWII War
13. Firing Squad (Le peloton d'exécution) (1991) [5.4] WWII Drama
14. First Squad: Moment of Truth (Fâsuto sukuwaddo) (2009) (Russia-Japan-Canada) [5.7] WWII Animated
15. For the Moment (1993) (Bomber Pilot) [6.3] WWII Romantic Drama
16. Fugitive Pieces (2007) [7.1] WWII Drama
17. For Those I Loved (Au nom de tous les miens) (1983) (Canada-France) [7.0] WWII Drama
18. Head In The Clouds (2004) (Canada-UK) [6.6] WWII Drama
19. Haven (2001) (Canada-US) [6.2] WWII Drama
20. Hiroshima (1995) (Canada-Japan) [8.0] WWII Drama
21. Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2003) (Mini-series) [7.3] WWII Biography
22. In Desperate Battle - Normandy 1944 (1992) [7.1] WWII Docudrama
23. Il duce canadese (2004) (Mini-series) [7.2] WWII Drama
24. Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS (1975) [5.2] WWII Horror
25. Jean Moulin, une affaire française (2003) (Canada-UK-France) [7.4] WWII Drama
26. Lifeline To Victory (1993) [8.1] WWII War
27. Map of the Human Heart (1992) (Australia-UK-Canada-France) [7.1] WWII Adventure
28. Max (2002) (UK-Hungary-Canada) [6.6] WWII Drama
29. Miracle at Moreaux (1986) (US-Canada) [7.5] WWII Drama
30. Nuremberg (2000) (Canada-US) [7.2] WWII Docudrama
31. On Dangerous Ground (1996) (Canada-UK-Luxemburg) [4.6] WWII Action
32. Remembrance: A Soldier's Story (2006) [Not rated] WWII Drama
33. Silent Night (2002) [7.8] WWII Biography
34. Storming Juno (2010) [7.2] WWII Docudrama
35. Suite Francaise (2014) (UK-France-Canada-Belgium) [6.9] WWII Romance
36. Sunshine (1999) (Germany-Austria-Hungary-Canada) [7.5] WWI & WWII Drama
37. The Ascent (1994) (Canada-US) [5.7] WWII Adventure
38. The Blood of Others (1984) (Canada-France-US) [5.2] WWII Romantic Drama
39. The Devil's Brigade (1968) [6.6] WWII War
40. The Hessen Affair a.k.a. The Hessen Conspiracy (2009) (Belgium-Canada) [5.3] Post WWII Crime
41. The King Chronicle, Part 3 - Mackenzie King and the Zombie Army (1988) [Not rated] WWII Drama
42. The Poet a.k.a. Hearts of War (2007 [5.3] WWII Drama
43. The Quarrel (1991) [7.1] WWII Drama
44. The Rise of Hitler (Edited Version of ‘Hitler: The Rise of Evil’) (2003) [Not rated] WWII Biography
45. The Spies that Came from the Sea (2008) [Not rated] WWII Documentary
46. The Tin Flute (Bonheur d'occasion) (1983) [6.4] WWII Drama
47. The War Boy (1985) (Yugoslavia-Canada) [5.0] WWII Drama
48. The War Bride a.k.a. War Bride (2001) (UK-Canada) [6.9] WWII Drama
49. Tit Coq (1953) [7.1] Post WWII Drama
50. Under Black Skies (2004) [6.9] WWII War
51. Varian's War (2001) (Canada-UK-US) [6.4] WWII Docudrama
52. Walking with the Enemy (2013) (Romania-Hungary-Canada-USA) [5.5] WWII Action
53. Wedding in White (1972) [6.6] WWII Drama
54. Witness to Yesterday (1973-1976) (Canada) (TV Series) [Not rated] WWII Drama
55. X Company (2015-2016) (Canada-Hungary) (Occupation of France) [7.5] WWII Spy Thriller

 

Here are a foursome of movies I had not thought of before.

Le Déserteur (The derterter) (2008) Drama about a man who runs away from the army to avoid going to war and the investigator sent to find him.

Les Plouffes (1981) about a family in Québec city just prior to and leading up to the begining of World War Two. Ends with the younger brother joining the army and serving in Europe.

Ces Enfants d'Ailleurs (1997)An exploration of traumatized Polish children sent to Canada to live with relatives during World War Two after their family is wiped out in Crakow.

Je suis Loin de Toi Mignonne (1976) Comedy about two women munition factory workers and their love lives. The dénouement involves a soldier absconding to his honeymoon from the Quebec summit with Winston Churhill's briefcase full of top secret documents. The RCMP interrupt his wedding night...

La Vie d'Un Héro (A hero's Life) (1994) A German POW staying and working on a farm in the Eastern Townships near Montreal.

 

New Canadian (Québec) film by director André Forcier just came out. "Embrasse-moi comme tu m'aimes".

It looks like a sordid incest tory that has little to do with the actual war. A 22 year old man wants to join the Canadian Army in 1940 but his twin sister has an emotional psycho-sexual hold on him that goes beyond what is socially acceptable. An all star Quebec cast.