Passchendaele (film)

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Passchendaele
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Paul Gross
Produced by	Paul Gross Niv Fichman Frank Siracusa Francis Damberger
Written by	Paul Gross
Starring	Caroline Dhavernas Gil Bellows Paul Gross Joe Dinicol
Music by	Jan A.P. Kaczmarek
Cinematography	Gregory Middleton
Editing by	David Wharnsby
Distributed by	Alliance Films
Release date(s)	October 17, 2008
Running time	114 min.
Country	Canada
Language	English
Budget	$20 million
Official website • IMDb • Allmovie

Passchendaele is a 2008 Canadian war film from Alliance Films, written, directed by and starring Paul Gross. The film, which was shot in Calgary, Alberta, Fort Macleod, Alberta, CFB Suffield, and in Belgium, focuses on the experiences of Gross's grandfather, Michael Dunne, a soldier who served in the 10th Battalion, CEF in the First World War at the Battle of Passchendaele (also known as the Third Battle of Ypres). The film opened at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 4, 2008 and was released in Canada on October 17, 2008.

1 Production
2 Inspiration
3 Funding
4 Synopsis
5 Historical background
- 5.1 Accuracy
6 Reception
- 6.1 Box office
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Production

On August 20, 2007, principal photography for the film began in Calgary, Alberta. Shot over a period of forty-five days. Battle scenes were filmed on the Tsuu T'ina Native Reserve in Calgary and principal photography wrapped in October 2007.

[edit] Inspiration

This film was inspired by Gross's relationship with his grandfather. Like many veterans, he was reticent about sharing his experiences with his family. In a rare conversation on a fishing trip, Dunne told the story of bayonetting a young German through the face and killing him during a battle. A long time later, as Dunne lay in hospital bed in the last days of his life, his family was mystified by Dunne's behaviour, asking forgiveness over and over. Only Gross knew that he was speaking to the young German he had killed.^[1]

"He went completely out of his mind at the end. He started telling me about a hideous event that happened during a skirmish in a little ruined town in World War I. He'd killed someone in a miserable, horrible way and that had obviously haunted him throughout the rest of his life. As my grandfather died, in his mind he was back in that town, trying to find a German boy whom he'd bayonetted in the forehead. He'd lived with that memory all his life - and he was of a time when people kept things to themselves. When he finally told the story, it really affected me and I've not been able to get it out of my head."^[2]

[edit] Funding

In November 2005, the Government of Alberta announced a $5.5-million grant to Gross and the film project as part of Alberta's centennial; the overall budget has been announced at between $16 million and $20 million, making it the highest-budgeted Canadian-produced film ever. The film was publicly announced at a news conference at the Museum of the Regiments on 13 November 2005.

"The province's centennial is a time to recognize our past and tell our stories, including those about Alberta's military heritage. We must work to keep our veterans' sacrifices in the forefront of our minds. The story of Passchendaele pays tribute to a key event in our country's history, and will educate Albertans and all Canadians for years to come." - Premier Ralph Klein

[edit] Synopsis

The main character is Sergeant Michael Dunne, introduced in the spring of 1917 after Vimy Ridge, a decorated veteran of the 10th Battalion, CEF. Sent home from Europe as a neurasthenia patient, he meets nurse Sarah Mann in Calgary, Alberta, where he enlisted.

Mann is cashiered from military service because her father had left Canada to rejoin the German Army in 1915. He was killed at Vimy Ridge. She has become addicted to morphine as a means of dealing with the recurring loss in her life.

David Mann is Sarah's younger brother; ineligible for military service due to asthma and desperate to win the respect of his girlfriend's father in a time when military service was expected of all young males, a series of events places him in the trenches in France, with Michael Dunne returning to France to watch over him, and Sarah returning to duty. The three arrive in Europe in time for the Third Battle of Ypres, and the fighting near Passchendaele.

[edit] Historical background

Canadians "100 yards from Boche lines" during the push on Hill 70

The 10th Battalion was originally formed from Albertans, Saskatchewanians and Manitobans, though as the war progressed it became identified solely as an Alberta battalion. The "Fighting Tenth" served with the 1st Canadian Division and participated in all major Canadian battles of the war, and set the record for highest number of individual bravery awards for a single battle. At Hill 70, sixty men were awarded the Military Medal for the fighting there, in addition to a Victoria Cross, three Distinguished Service Orders, seven Military Crosses, and nine Distinguished Conduct Medals.

"Named for a village located on a low rise in the Ypres Salient, the very word Passchendaele has become synonymous with suffering and waste. Strong German defences in this area, developed over the course of more than two years, gave the British extremely hard going. "The Tenth Battalion were called out of reserve to assist an attack on Hill 52, part of the same low rise Passchendaele itself was situated on. The Battalion was not scheduled to attack, but the CO wisely prepared his soldiers as if they would be making the main assault - a decision that paid dividends when the unit was called out of reserve. On 10 November 1917, the Tenth Battalion took the feature with light casualties."^[3]

[edit] Accuracy

The battle scene at the end of the movie depicts a relief of the 8th Battalion, CEF (known by their nickname "The Little Black Devils") by the 10th Battalion, an action that actually happened, as described by the history of the 10th Battalion:

At this point, a terrible misunderstanding occurred. Major Bingham knew that he was merely reinforcing the 8th, but the Little Black Devils believed that they were being relieved. Bingham argued the point to no avail, and watched with dismay as the mud-caked survivors of the 8th pulled out and slogged to the rear, leaving A Company to hold an entire battalion's frontage. Undaunted, the major deployed his men in a dangerously thin line, linking up with the 7th Battalion to the right. But Bingham surely realized that it would be impossible to hold this position in the face of a counter-attack.^[4]

Lieutenant Colonel Ormond, the Commanding Officer of the 10th (also a character in the film) gave a handwritten account of the relief in which he said:

I then agreed to take over the front line from the 7th and 8th Battalions...On returning to Battalion headquarters I found orders that a relief would not be carried out, but as it had already been done, and the OC 8th Battalion had left to acquaint the GOC of the situation, no other action was taken.^[5]

[edit] Reception

Passchendaele received mixed reviews from critics. As of October 17, 2008, the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that critics gave the film an average of 5.3 out of 10, based on the comments of 5 reviewers. With the general pubic it fared much better. As of December 17, 2008, voters at IMDb have given it an average of 7.7 out of 10, based on 726 votes.^[6]

[edit] Box office

In its opening weekend, Passchendaele grossed $847,522 in 202 screens ^[7] in Canada, ranking second at the Canadian box office behind Max Payne. As of November 30, 2008, the film has grossed $4.09 million.^[8]

[edit] References

^ "'Passchendaele' a tribute to Paul Gross's grandfather". Retrieved on 15 October 2008.
^ Paul Gross, Now Magazine (UK), 11 June 1998
^ The Calgary Highlanders
^ Dancocks, Daniel Gallant Canadians: The Story of the 10th Battalion, CEF 1914-1919 p. 150
^ Lt Col D Ormond's Battle Narrative, dated November 28, 1917, National Archives of Canada File RG9 III C3, Vol 4052, folder 21, file 2.
^ "Passchendaele Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved on 2008-10-20.
^ Gross's passion no Porky's
^ Passchendaele Box Office - Tribute

Synopsis provided at casting briefing, Mewata Armoury, 31 May 2006.

[edit] External links

Official Website
CBC Article
Paul Gross website
Passchendaele at the Internet Movie Database
Alberta Government press release

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