Thursday, March 31, 2016

"The Railway Man" Extraordinary



The movie, "The Railway Man", starring Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman is an extraordinary film. (It was released in 2013.)  It is based on the true story of Eric Lomax, a man tortured for many years by his memories of imprisonment and torture by his Japanese captor in World War II. I have written of my admiration for Louis Zamperini in several posts before.  Like Mr. Zamperini, Eric Lomax has a powerful story of forgiveness that is just...it is hard to find the words for it. It brought me to tears.  (I think I would like to read the book by Mr. Lomax after seeing the movie.  As good as the movie is, I would dearly love to read the words written by Mr. Lomax himself.)  Eric Lomax died in 2012 but he was able to meet with the actors as they were filming and I am grateful that he was able to do so.




Before this film was made there was a documentary called "Enemy, My Friend?" and I found a clip from it.  I hope you are able to see it, you may find it just  HERE.   The link that I have here calls this clip a "must watch".  So, please, do so...it is very short but well worth your time, I promise.

Why is the film called "The Railway Man"?  All will be explained when you see the movie and you WILL see it, won't you? Please do!  It truly is extraordinary.  





The cherry trees have just finished blooming and the pink petals are blowing in the wind and when you walk past them, they brush against your cheeks and settle alongside the paths and roadway. 
These cherry trees were a gift from the president of the Japanese company, Maxell - a true gift of love and friendship.




37 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thank you. Hope you will watch this movie too.

      Delete
  2. I remember your posts about Mr. Zamperini as well as you mentioning Mr. Lomax before; and I remember you telling us about the wonderful cherry trees!
    Over here, they have not yet started to bloom, but I was delighted yesterday to discover on my way back to work that the big magnolia trees in my street are very close to showing their full glory. After March was exceptionally cold, now that temperatures have finally risen, everything is so ready to explode!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know that Mr. Lomax must have been mentioned to me when I did the posts of Mr. Zamperini, but I afraid that I completely forgot to search out this book/movie. Richard (my better half!!) saw this was on TV and recorded it, since he knew it would be something I would like to watch. (He watched it with me and we both were very impressed.)
      Almost all is green again and it is that lovely pale Spring green, we enjoy it since it will be summer before we know it, maybe in just a couple of weeks!

      Delete
  3. It sounds to be a good movie. I will watch for it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do hope that you will see it. To be honest with you, I thought it was really a better movie than "Unbroken". I wish that Mr. Zamperini's story could have been done by the same people who did "The Railway Man"! Not to downplay Mr. Zamperini's story at all, it is that I am such a movie critic, you see!

      Delete
  4. I've got the movie recorded...and I keep meaning to watch it. Perhaps I will do so over this weekend. Part of it was filmed in Ipswich, a city not too far from here where I live...about 85kms away (a fraction over 1 hour's drive).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now that you mention it, I remember that you told me about this movie when I wrote my post about Mr. Zamperini. Now, did I remember it? My brain is a sieve, I used to erase unpleasant memories but now, I even forget the things I WANT to remember!
      I wonder, what scenes were filmed in Ipswich? Some of the railway scenes? Some of the cities meant to look like 1980's Scotland? (And Richard and I both noticed that the trains were wrong for the year 1980, and I looked at IMDB, that is one of the goofs!)

      Delete
  5. Always good to hear you review movies and the cherry trees are just beautiful. Hope you have a good weekend !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. These cherry trees...we also have a Cherry Blossom Festival associated with them, and they sell this same cherry tree at low cost so that more in the county will have cherry trees. We bought three of them years ago, and they are quite big now and fill our front yard with cherry blossoms in late March! :-)

      Delete
  6. Yes, My Rare One and I went to see this movie when it first came out. Colin Firth gave an amazing performance (as he always does) and the movie's message was very powerful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And I should have mentioned that the young man who played Eric Lomax was also recommended by Colin Firth and HE did a wonderful job also, it was perfect casting!
      (Jeremy Irvine is his name, I think his performance was amazing too.)

      Delete
  7. Beautiful post. Those cherry trees! I never heard of that movie and will check Netflix and Amazon. I like Colin Firth and love a good movie.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Connie, this movie is one you should certainly see. After you see it, come back and click on that link I gave you. Don't forget!

      Delete
  8. That sounds like a great movie. I think it's great that the guy was able to meet the people who were portraying his life before it came to an end too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Eric Lomax and Louis Zamperini both died before the movies about them were released and yet, they both were able to meet with the actors and director beforehand. Maybe that they gave them both some peace.

      Delete
  9. You seem to be about a full month ahead of us here cherry tree wise. Always a wonderful time of year with a real riot of colour. The Lomax story was featured in a documentary here a while ago. Not seen the film yet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bob, please make sure that you see the movie! It is very well done, beautifully filmed and presented in such a loving, HONEST way that I just know his widow must have been pleased with it.

      Delete
  10. That was a really GREAT movie- haunting in some ways. We have nothing blooming here- not even grass at this point...and we have snow coming tonight. UGH! I want to move south! xo Diana

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Diana!
      As usual, you are correct! GREAT but also haunting in some ways, that perfectly describes it.
      I saw the snow on TV in your area.
      Come on South, honey, we can walk up Stone Mountain together and laugh and talk the WHOLE WAY! :-)

      Delete
  11. Yes, the Railway Men was an excellent movie, about events which involved many Australians. Part of the movie was filmed a few miles from where we live - but unfortunately I wasn't able to organise to see/meet Colin Firth! We Aussies are always proud of 'our' Nicole Kidman :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OH, that Colin Firth! My mother-in-law has a great crush on him...her friends and family send her birthday cards and such with photos of Colin Firth pasted upon them. (This is always good to make her laugh!!)
      Lee told me that this was filmed near her also, maybe you both live near each other? Nicole Kidman was also great in this film... "Casting is everything" in a movie, and this film proves it!

      Delete
    2. Just catching up here, and checked Lee's comment. We are about 20km from Ipswich, although not necessarily in the same direction as Lee! Ipswich has a railway museum which might have been used in the movie, and there is tropical vegetation all over south-east Qld so they could have utilised that as well.

      Delete
    3. Oh, it would be great if you are near each other. You could meet for a drink and raise a toast to me, I would be so tickled! We wondered why they used the trains that they did in the movie, they didn't look right for 1980, but maybe most people didn't notice! LOL.

      Delete
  12. I've had the opportunity to watch the film but I've not yet had the courage: it sounds rather too emotional.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Graham, you should watch it. While the subject matter is not something to be taken lightly, it is also a true story and not just of great suffering but also one of amazing forgiveness. (And you shouldn't go by my description of things, I find words very hard to come by when I am describing someone I love or something that I find truly moving.)

      Delete
    2. I love to see cherries in blossom but I sometimes think the fallen flowers are almost as pretty.

      Delete
    3. Hello Jenny Woolf! I am so happy to see your comment here! When the wind blows the pink petals against my cheek, it is like being kissed by flowers! And the fallen flowers are certainly as pretty on the ground!

      Delete
  13. I've never even heard of this movie, but it really sounds very, very powerful. This is a wonderful post showing how countries can turn from enemies to friends. I have a post ready on Tuesday about cherry blossoms too. I'll be missing them this year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you were able to see the clip that I have on here...it is very short but you must see it!!
      And you would like the movie, it is not over the top at all, just presented very honestly. I hope you get to see it.
      Cherry blossoms! Oh my, I love them, grateful for the Japanese company that left us so many in this county.

      Delete
  14. Hi Kay

    Those cherry trees are amazing. They make humans look rather insignificant - which you could never be otherwise!

    Looking forward to seeing Rick, Joan, Peter and PeTe in a couple of hours.

    Take care

    H

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am with you all in spirit! Glad you were able to get together. How about finding out how we can get some MILKY BONES for the dog? I asked Richard to bring me some for my Dad's dog and he told me that J & P can't find them over there anymore. Say WHAT?!!
      Love to you and Sarah and to Joy & Henry. xx

      Delete
  15. You are right - I should see this film. I missed it at the cinema when it came out. Love the fallen flowers, something poignant there. x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, make sure to watch it and then, come back and watch that clip that I have here for you. You must see it.

      Delete
  16. You know, I saw this movie on Netflix and started it but turned it off shortly after. Based on your post, I may give it another try. You know I always like an excuse to see my man, Colin! XOXO

    ReplyDelete