I am writing this being one of those lucky enough having been born a decade later of the tragic events that took place in WWII.
Lucky indeed, since although not having had members of my family directly involved into the conflict, although son and nephew of apolitical refugees fleeing both the National-Socialist and Fascist fury in Europe, I felt compelled to take a trip to Normandy myself to honor all those poor young men who sacrificed their lives in order for me and others like me to have a better future and one in freedom.
I even honored the Canadian and British resting places.
I also stopped by the German burial site at La Cambe, to honor the German fallen soldiers, since many were drafted into a conflict that was not of their making and because in death we are all primarily humans, and the guilt and crimes of others cannot be thrown upon them.
And wherever I saw crosses or other kind of headstones lined up by the hundreds, if not by the thousands I couldn't help to refrain my tears from drenching my entire face and sob uncontrollably, imagining how many young men could have had a constructive live ahead of them, had it not been for some misguided and criminally insane would be rulers of the world.
So yes, I did feel every second of this movie, despite not having been involved in the D-Day landings in 1944, and I could indeed feel the pain that like Bernie and many others must have felt witnessing good friends, comrades and companions die right in front of their eyes and having such memories sticking with you, the survivor, for the rest of your life.
It is only human to feel like that. And despite not being the same as having actually experienced such tragic events at first hand, doesn't change the fact that one can indeed get them to touch our hearts and our minds, since after all, we are all made of flesh and blood.
Even more important and touching is the fact that for once, someone took the time to take a true event and turned it into a movie with true human emotions, without over dramatizing too much, which is often the case in other such films, but rather sticking to the essential biopic it wants to depict.
I found Glenda's and Michael's performances simply admirable and truly touching, but one does not have to forget all the rest of the cast who did too infuse a sense of human concern for an elderly couple in their last moments in life.
I would say that when the movie ended, despite not being such a tragic ending after all, since the principal characters in it find each other again in the end, it did make me sob anyway, like in those days in Normandy, simply because by then I knew that I had to part from two extremely talented and faithful friends and performers who did accompany me throughout my adult life.
Glenda Jackson, died shortly afterwards the filming was completed and Sir Michael Caine decided to retire from the movie world altogether, deeming this, to be one of his best parting roles ever.
I will certainly miss them both for the rest of my remaining aging years, but with a difference: they both left us, but especially me, with hours and hours of fine recorded entertainment, such as TV Mini-Series and masterpieces in movie making.
This is just their last milestone of a filmed legacy that spanned over six decades and for this I can only be grateful.
And for you, the viewer, if you should ask me "is it really worth watching?", I can only say, start watching it. If the names Michael Caine, Glenda Jackson or John Standing mean anything to you, or if you finally want something of value to watch, then yes, this is an absolute must watch.
And please, don't forget. If you've got the chance and the means, please visit the burial grounds in Normandy, since they bear witness of an entire lost generation to whom we owe so very much of our freedom and our happiness.
Lucky indeed, since although not having had members of my family directly involved into the conflict, although son and nephew of apolitical refugees fleeing both the National-Socialist and Fascist fury in Europe, I felt compelled to take a trip to Normandy myself to honor all those poor young men who sacrificed their lives in order for me and others like me to have a better future and one in freedom.
I even honored the Canadian and British resting places.
I also stopped by the German burial site at La Cambe, to honor the German fallen soldiers, since many were drafted into a conflict that was not of their making and because in death we are all primarily humans, and the guilt and crimes of others cannot be thrown upon them.
And wherever I saw crosses or other kind of headstones lined up by the hundreds, if not by the thousands I couldn't help to refrain my tears from drenching my entire face and sob uncontrollably, imagining how many young men could have had a constructive live ahead of them, had it not been for some misguided and criminally insane would be rulers of the world.
So yes, I did feel every second of this movie, despite not having been involved in the D-Day landings in 1944, and I could indeed feel the pain that like Bernie and many others must have felt witnessing good friends, comrades and companions die right in front of their eyes and having such memories sticking with you, the survivor, for the rest of your life.
It is only human to feel like that. And despite not being the same as having actually experienced such tragic events at first hand, doesn't change the fact that one can indeed get them to touch our hearts and our minds, since after all, we are all made of flesh and blood.
Even more important and touching is the fact that for once, someone took the time to take a true event and turned it into a movie with true human emotions, without over dramatizing too much, which is often the case in other such films, but rather sticking to the essential biopic it wants to depict.
I found Glenda's and Michael's performances simply admirable and truly touching, but one does not have to forget all the rest of the cast who did too infuse a sense of human concern for an elderly couple in their last moments in life.
I would say that when the movie ended, despite not being such a tragic ending after all, since the principal characters in it find each other again in the end, it did make me sob anyway, like in those days in Normandy, simply because by then I knew that I had to part from two extremely talented and faithful friends and performers who did accompany me throughout my adult life.
Glenda Jackson, died shortly afterwards the filming was completed and Sir Michael Caine decided to retire from the movie world altogether, deeming this, to be one of his best parting roles ever.
I will certainly miss them both for the rest of my remaining aging years, but with a difference: they both left us, but especially me, with hours and hours of fine recorded entertainment, such as TV Mini-Series and masterpieces in movie making.
This is just their last milestone of a filmed legacy that spanned over six decades and for this I can only be grateful.
And for you, the viewer, if you should ask me "is it really worth watching?", I can only say, start watching it. If the names Michael Caine, Glenda Jackson or John Standing mean anything to you, or if you finally want something of value to watch, then yes, this is an absolute must watch.
And please, don't forget. If you've got the chance and the means, please visit the burial grounds in Normandy, since they bear witness of an entire lost generation to whom we owe so very much of our freedom and our happiness.