Richard and I saw a movie recently and the movie was called "Oranges And Sunshine". It is based upon the true story of Margaret Humphreys who uncovered and investigated the thousands of government sanctioned "child migrations" (the number is estimated at 130,000) from the United Kingdom to Australia, New Zealand and Canada. You may read more about it here. It is a terribly sad story and is one that I was not aware of until I saw this movie. The children that were sent away were from the ages of 3 to14 and were told that their parents were dead or that they were not wanted. The movie is based upon a book written by Margaret Humphreys called "Empty Cradles" and it is a book that I would like to read. The movie's title comes from one of the promises that were made to the children, that they would be going to a land of sunshine and could pick oranges off the trees everyday...
You will admire the courage of Margaret Humphreys and the strength of the human spirit when you read the stories of these children who endured so much. I think that the movie is very well done and while it is a sad subject, I think that it is important to recognize wrongs that have been done and try to correct them.
What a sad story, especially since I cannot fathom that happening to my grandkids.
ReplyDeleteIt is a heartbreaking thing to consider, all the children that were separated from their families.
DeleteLooks a wonderful movie that's a must to see!
ReplyDeleteI think it is a movie well worth seeing. You might have heard of it, since you are from New Zealand, but I was not aware of this until I saw the movie.
DeleteUntil reading your post, I had not known about this child migration scheme. Both the film and the book look very well worth everyone's time to watch and read. Thank you for pointing this out!
ReplyDeleteDear Meike,
DeleteI thought the movie was very well done but of course, I am sure the book will go into much more detail.
I never knew about this. It's so sad how the innocent children were treated. I'd like to see the movie.
ReplyDeleteIf you see it, let me know what you think. I felt that even though it was sad, there was a lot of hope that came shining through.
DeleteThis is why it's important to try, at all steps, to be on top of what is going on in government.
ReplyDeleteYes, I so much agree, as much as possible, anyway!
DeleteAs an adopted person this story really touches me. I've ordered the movie and the book since our library doesn't have it and netflix does not stream it. BTW, I think I never told you that the first adopted father I had was born in England and came to the US at the age of nine....I have a bit of an English heart myself, plus many English and Scottish ancestors in my biological family tree...
ReplyDeleteDear Kristi,
DeleteYou have ordered the movie and the book, that's great!
Oh, I do think that you will find this as moving as I did. Oh, yes, you must have an English heart too!! That must be one of the reasons I feel as if we are old friends!
Being from the mountains of Georgia, we said certain words that are different from the rest of Georgia, we called the trunk of a car, the "boot", and that is what they say in England!! xx
Wow, that looks like a powerful movie. I can't imagine how anybody thought "migration" was a good idea.
ReplyDeleteAnd this went on for so many years also! Let me know if you ever see this movie or read the book and tell me what you think.
DeleteDid you get even more snow in Colorado, in MAY???!!!!
Crazy weather!
I have never heard of this before, but am going over to your link to check it out. The movie just sounds so sad and the whole thought of the government doing such a thing is scary.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment.
DeleteI just checked out this link and did a quick search. If you have Netflix, it is available there for viewing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting folks know this. I appreciate it.
DeleteThank you Kay, this looks like a movie I would watch more than once. I am going looking for it. xoxo,Susie
ReplyDeleteOh, hello there, Susie! I hope you get a chance to see this movie. Now, I want to read the book!
DeleteI've never heard of this. How appalling! Thank you so much for bringing this to the light, Kay.
ReplyDeleteI thought the movie was well done. Let me know if you see it.
DeleteHoly crap!!! I've got to see this movie soon! I'm going to order a copy on Amazon.com today! The fact that we never heard about these things until now is astonishing. Two similar films are "Rabbit-Proof Fence" (about aboriginal children in Australia kidnapped from their parents so they could be "Christianized" in government "orphanages" which were really prisons AND "The Magdalene Sisters," about Irish girls put in nun-run prisons for the slightest indiscretions. Both tell of horrors that took place in our lifetimes that we never knew about. Dave in DC
ReplyDeleteRichard and I saw "Rabbit-Proof Fence" just a few months ago. If I could have thought of it, I would have mentioned it in my post, so I thank you for reminding me and now it is in this comment!
DeleteI have not heard of "The Magdalene Sisters" but I will look for it now that you have told me. We really have to search out for the truth, don't we?
Thanks for your comment, Dave.
I just finished watching this movie. It was an excellent movie, but I don't know whether I could bear to read the book. Heartbreaking.
ReplyDelete