The Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme
| 21 August 1916 (USA)
The Battle of the Somme Trailers

A documentary and propaganda film which shows the British Army's preparations for, and the early stages of, the battle of the Somme.

Reviews
Linkshoch Wonderful Movie
Actuakers One of my all time favorites.
Hayden Kane There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes
Derry Herrera Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.
Mel Bryan This film is being presented in live screenings using local orchestras to perform Laura Rossi's music.http://www.somme100film.com/performances/IWM CENTENARY SCREENING - November 18, 2016 - BBC Concert Orchestra, Royal Festival Hall, London 7:30 pmBBC Concert Orchestra conducted by John Gibbons​To mark the centenary of the end of the Battle of the Somme, Imperial War Museums (IWM) and Somme100 FILM present this extraordinary and moving UNESCO-listed historical film, accompanied live by the BBC Concert Orchestra.​​Pre concert talk with composer Laura Rossi and IWM senior curator Dr. Toby Haggith​​Starts - 7:30 pm​Address - Royal Festival Hall London​
snugglyorange This is interesting from a historical point of view; it was released in 1916 as a propaganda film to get more people to join the army, as numbers were running low. So, they made the battle look much more nice and friendly as it is. For this reason then, it is excellent for History buffs.It is in black and white, and of course, made in 1916, during the war, contains some realism. However, don't watch this film if you want a real plot based thriller/drama, or anything that will rivet you in your seat.Honesly, I'd recommend this to anyone studying history, or interested in the topic, or who wants to own a piece of classic Brit propaganda. If you're at film school, it also might be quite nice to watch. Otherwise, watch a Kevin Spacey movie.
dfarmbrough This film provides valuable insights into several parts of history that might otherwise be forgotten. It does not tell the whole story, but then the whole story is by definition, untellable. There is a saying where I come from that history is always written by the winning side. Therefore this film to some extent tells it from the British point of view. The treatment of German Prisoners Of War by both the British forces and by the film crew is compassionate, and we are left with the feeling that they are not mere ciphers, but human beings. In watching this film, several myths about the Great War were debunked. I learned that very few of the German soldiers sported comedy pointed helmets (most wore the type Paul McCartney wears in his Pipes Of Peace video'). The usual scenes of Trench battle we see in film and television programmes show poor visibility with the trenches shrouded in mist, but this is probably a cinematic convention brought about by budgetary constraints rather than a desire for accuracy. The other myth that is exploded by this film is that the ordnance used in this war was rather primitive, hence the need for foot soldiers. This couldn't be further from the truth, with very big guns with fifteen inch diameter shells being fired over very long distances. When one considers that the majority of the large guns had to be transported (although in some cases by horsepower) by hand, dismantled and moved, then reassembled on the muddy battlefields, all whilst under fire, the engineering and logistical feats seem all the more remarkable. The interesting thing about this film is that I would happily sit through this and enjoy it, but I wouldn't be interested enough to read a book about the Battle, nor to research the subject at the imperial War Museum. This is a good way of making history come alive and would be of interest to both the young and old.The Museum's restoration is very good. The picture frame rate seems to be correct, and there do not seem to be any jumps or major tears. However there are a number of minor scratches that could have been repaired with a little more effort, and it jars that this halfpenny of tar has spoiled an otherwise seaworthy ship. The only reason I can think that the remainder of the scratches were not removed is a desire to keep the medium analogue rather than digital. A digital conversion would have rendered the clean-up work a lot simpler, but might present problems for presentation purists. The upright piano music used for this restoration is ideal for the purpose. It not only gives a feeling of authenticity, but also lends the correct atmosphere to the film. Top marks for restraint go to the Museum for resisting the temptation to dub on sound effects. If I wanted to hear BBC Sound Effects Volume 12 I would visit my record library!
julian_ware-lane This is a documentary, apparently watched by a third of Britain's population at the time of release. Watching it now it may prove hard for some viewers to appreciate what a technological tour de force is was for the time. Being a war documentary issued at a time of war it is biased, but there is still enough there to hint at the horrors of the battle. It's true merit is in it's historical importance. Much has been used in documentaries since. For those with an interest in the First World War it is a must see, for others it is an education nonetheless.