Thursday Thirteen - 183 - 13 of My Favorite Films and TV Shows That Showcase The Soldier's Experience

As many of you know, my birthday is also a national day of mourning and remembrance. For some people, that might seem like a real downer, but it never has for me.

Perhaps it's because my dad was in the army and I was delivered by a captain in an army hospital. Perhaps it's because my birthday is the day when arms were laid down and a peace treaty signed.

Inside of my heart there has always been an intense connection with soldiers of every time period, of every land. Nothing makes me cry at the drop of a hat quicker than the mention of the grave of the Unknown Soldier.

I strive to be a diplomat in my dealings with people, but in reality I've been called a hard-ass by more than one person. I do the unpleasant stuff when it has to be done. I'm approached to handle things in much the same way as a sergeant is the mediator between the officers and the ranks.

I pretty much think of myself as a living banner for that Unknown Soldier. I honor him, and her, in my heart every day of the year.

No surprise, then, that I've always been attracted to films and TV shows that feature the soldier's life. My dad and I used to spend my birthday watching old war movies on TV, when he'd tell me all sorts of fascinating historical tidbits. For today's Thursday Thirteen, here are thirteen of my favorites, including a bonus TV spot that airs in Canada at this time of year.

NOTE: All clips contain strong violence, some clips contain very strong language.

1 - 300

CLICK HERE to watch video clip














2 - Gladiator




3 - Rob Roy




4 - Horatio Hornblower




5 - The Patriot




6 - Sharpe




7 - The Lighthorsemen




8 - Passchendaele




9 - Band of Brothers




10 - Platoon




11 - Original Star Trek: The Omega Glory




12 - The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

CLICK HERE to watch video clip










13 - Star Wars: The Phantom Menace




Bonus - Royal Canadian Mint commemorative coin commercial




Photo of Canada Bereft at the Vimy Ridge Memorial in France by Mshulist

Canada Bereft by sculptor Walter Seymour Allward

Thursday Thirteen - 78 - 13 Songs From the First World War Era, 1914 to 1918

Many people are born on holidays, and I was born on Remembrance Day. This aspect sums me up perfectly. I feel a deep kinship to the warrior spirit, and I have always admired soldiers who have fought throughout the ages. Yet inside me, my heart moves toward peace. To be born on the day when the Armistice was signed is perfect, for the laying-down-of-arms is the sweetest victory of all.

Last Friday I went to see Passchendaele, a new film about a soldier from the Canadian Expeditionary Force's recovery from the front and eventual return during WWI. Very, very important to give Canadian films some opening box office love: it scored second in Canadian box office ranking for its opening weekend. Go, Paul Gross, go!

Heading towards Remembrance Day, for today's Thursday Thirteen I'm showcasing songs and music from the era of The Great War.

1 - Tres Moutarde (Too Much Mustard), written by Cecil Macklin, 1911

This is Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing the Castle Walk, a dance which was popular during the war years. This clip is from The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle.



2 - Castle House Rag, written by James Reese Europe, 1914

This is the new wave of dance music that spread during the war years as African American regiments served in Europe. They brought their musical polyphonic style and synthesized it with European waltz and polka music. The precursor of jazz, ragtime is the First World War's cultural reaction to social upheaval, which was extreme at the turn of the 20th century.



3 - Oh, Johnny, Oh, Johnny, Oh!, sung here by the Andrews Sisters when it enjoyed a hugely popular revival during the Second World War

Oh, Johnny! Oh, Johnny!
How you can love!
Oh, Johnny! Oh, Johnny!
Heavens above!
You make my sad heart jump with joy,
And when you're near I just
Can't sit still a minute.
I'm so, Oh, Johnny! Oh, Johnny!
Please tell me dear.
What makes me love you so?
You're not handsome, it's true,
But when I look at you,
I just, Oh, Johnny!
Oh, Johnny! Oh!

- Music by Ed Rose, lyrics by Abe Olman, 1917



4 - How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down On The Farm sung here by Judy Garland from the film For Me and My Gal. This song was popular during the First World War, and appeared in the 1942 film which was set during the earlier war. In typical Hollywood fashion, the men are shown in WWI uniform, but Judy Garland is costumed in what was 1940's contemporary style.

How ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm
After they've seen Paree'
How ya gonna keep 'em away from Broadway
Jazzin around and paintin' the town
How ya gonna keep 'em away from harm, that's a mystery
They'll never want to see a rake or plow
And who the deuce can parleyvous a cow?
How ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm
After they've seen Paree'

- Music by Walter Donaldson, lyrics by Joe Young and Sam M. Lewis, 1918



5 - Mademoiselle from Armentieres sung by Lew Dite

Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
Mademoiselle from Armentieres,
She hasn't been kissed in forty years,
Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.

- The tune dates back to the French army of the 1830's. The updated WWI lyrics have no official credited author.



6 - Over There, sung by The Eric Rogers Chorale and Orchestra

Over there, over there,
Send the word, send the word over there -
That the Yanks are coming,
The Yanks are coming,
The drums rum-tumming
Ev'rywhere.
So prepare, say a pray'r,
Send the word, send the word to beware.
We'll be over, we're coming over,
And we won't come back till it's over
Over there.

- Music and lyrics by George M. Cohen, 1917



7 - Keep the Home Fires Burning sung by Linda Williams with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra

Keep the home fires burning,
While your hearts are yearning,
Though your lads are far away
They dream of home.
There's a silver lining
Through the dark clouds shining,
Turn the dark cloud inside out
'Til the boys come home.

- Music by Ivor Novello, lyrics by Lena Ford, 1914



8 - There's a Long, Long Trail A-Winding, sung by John McCormack

There's a long, long trail a-winding
Into the land of my dreams,
Where the nightingales are singing
And a white moon beams:
There's a long, long night of waiting
Until my dreams all come true;
Till the day when I'll be going down
That long, long trail with you.

- Music by Alonzo Elliott, lyrics by Stoddard King, 1915



9 - Oh, It's a Lovely War, from the 1969 film Oh! What a Lovely War by Richard Attenborough

Oh, oh, oh it's a lovely war.
Who wouldn't be a soldier, eh?
Oh it's a shame to take the pay.
As soon as reveille has gone
We feel just as heavy as lead,
But we never get up till the sergeant
Brings our breakfast up to bed.
Oh, oh, oh, it's a lovely war.

- Music by J.P. Long, lyrics by M. Scott, 1917



10 - Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag

Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag,
And smile, smile, smile,
While you’ve a lucifer to light your fag,
Smile, boys, that’s the style.
What’s the use of worrying?
It never was worth while, so
Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag,
And smile, smile, smile.

- Music by Felix Powell, lyrics by George Asaf (aka George Powell), 1915



11 - It's a Long Way to Tipperary, sung by John McCormack

It's a long way to Tipperary,
It's a long way to go.
It's a long way to Tipperary
To the sweetest girl I know!
Goodbye Piccadilly,
Farewell Leicester Square!
It's a long long way to Tipperary,
But my heart's right there.

- Music by Jack Judge, lyrics by Harry Williams, 1912



12 - Land of Hope and Glory, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by the composer, Sir Edward Elgar

Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free,
How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee ?
Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set ;
God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet,
God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet.

- Music by Edward Elgar, lyrics by Arthur C Benson, 1902



13 - Dinky Di, performed by the Herndon High School Guitar Ensemble from Virginia

This Australian trench song was sung to the tune of Sweet Betsy From Pike, a popular folk song from the 19th century.

Well, the lousy Lance Corporal said, “Pardon me, please,
You’ve mud on your tunic and blood on your sleeve,
And you look so disgraceful that people will laugh.”
Said the lousy Lance Corporal on headquarters’ staff.
Dinky di, dinky di, for I am a digger who won’t tell a lie.

The digger just shot him – a murderous glance,
Said he, “I’m just back from the balls-up in France,
Where whiz-bangs are flying and comforts are few
And brave men are dying for bastards like you!”
Dinky di, dinky di, for I am a digger who won’t tell a lie.

“We’re shelled on the left and we’re shelled on the right
We’re bombed through the day and we’re bombed through the night;
And if something don’t happen – and that very soon –
There’ll be nobody left in the flamin’ platoon!”
Dinky di, dinky di, for I am a digger who won’t tell a lie.

Well, the question soon came to the ears of Lord Gort
Who gave the whole matter a good deal of thought;
He awarded that digger a VC with bars
For giving that Corporal a kick up the arse.
Dinky di, dinky di, for I am a digger who won’t tell a lie.



Next week, I'll be featuring songs and music from the Second World War era. Join me!

Heading out to give Passchendaele my opening night box office ka-ching

Passchendaele is the film-of-his-heart for multiple-hat-wearing star Paul Gross. He wrote, co-produced, directed and starred in this World War I drama about a Canadian soldier from the 10th Battalion, 1st Canadian Division who is good at soldiering but suffers from moral conflict over what that entails. He meets and woos a nurse while recovering from his injuries at Vimy Ridge, but must return to the grimy trenches of Belgium to fight for another few inches of blood-soaked ground.

I can't let Paul Gross down - not when I featured him as #6 on my 13 Canadian Hotties list.

This film was inspired by stories his grandfather told to Paul when he asked about his experiences in the war. Specifically, the distressing opening sequence - it's basically Paul's grandfather's life-defining moment. One that haunted him on his deathbed and confused family members when he asked forgiveness of a German soldier whom no one else but Paul knew anything about.

Passchendaele is a chapter in Canadian history that was never publicized at the time due to the army's need for new recruits. Who would join if they knew what living hell was really like?

"I fell in a trench," said Passchendaele veteran Harry Patch. "There was a fella there. He must have been about our age. He was ripped shoulder to waist with shrapnel. I held his hand for the last 60 seconds of his life. He only said one word: 'Mother'. I didn't see her, but she was there. No doubt about it. He passed from this life into the next, and it felt as if I was in God's presence. I've never got over it. You never forget it. Never."