Has there ever been a film or mini-series made that accurately covers the Fall of Singapore from a military angle? It is one of the most crucial points of the war and was as pinnacle as Dunkirk for military withdrawals and political failures, and it surely deserves it's own dramatic telling on film. Years ago I have seen A Town like Alice and Tenko about women caputured and made POW's but I'm not sure if these are set in Singapore. I'd like to know if there is anything covering the land battle on the <alay Peninsular, the air battle and the sea battles etc all relating to the Fall of Singapore? Thanks.
A Town Like Alice was up-country, but Tenko started and finished in Singapore. There is a Malaysian film - Leftenan Adnan - that deals with the Malay Regiment at Pasir Panjang. The snippet that I've seen of it suggests it might be a bit overdone but hopefully I will get a chance to see it sometime. Strange that the Aussies haven't produced anything (that I'm aware of) as there's plenty of scope for baiting us Poms!
Interesting question, From the outset, my cynical nature would suggest that as the US wasn't in Singapore, a movie about its "fall" would not garner much interest at the box office & as such, it would be a hard sell. From the British perspective, I suppose the mindset of that period of British war movie making, between the mid '50's through to the early '70's wouldn't do it either for political reasons (no doubt), nobody tends to make movies about their military disasters per se; now do they?, & I am sure that during that period, they didn't really want to remember it. "To end all wars" is the only British movie I know of that dealt with the early battles in Malaya of the Argyle & Sutherland Highlanders(at the begining) & then the treatment of POW's. I think also,another reason why something has yet to be done is that you need a good story upon which you build your characters & sub plots a detailed chronology of fact wont bring'em in & put bums on seats either. Fact has nothing to do with a good movie. Realistically, a war movie is a story, a good story that may not necessarily be factually correct apart from wardrobe & props & they can still bugger that up. Most of what you will see is doco's & good ones. The only thing that I know the Aussies did was a mini series on "Operation Jaywick" about the members of Z special force who penetrated Singapore Harbour & blew up the Japanese shipping. In fact, they were able to use the "Krait" during the filming. The only other show I have seen along the lines discussed are certain episodes of "Spyforce". Regards Simon
Strewth! Z Special Force is a bit over-represented: Attack Force Z The Highest Honor The Heroes (the one that I could remember) Heroes II: The Return Not seen Blood Oath - would make a nice birthday present for my dear mother as she rather liked Bryan Brown in A Town like Alice!
IMHO if a true version was ever shown (it has already been written) it would be full of recriminations and incompetence in Singapore command and headquarters in Britain. Although a different enemy and location, the boys club was alive and well at Raffles. The only way it could be a winner this far down the track is to carry it through the many losses until final victory in1945. This would at least show what went on in the different countries in this theatre through those years and the competent fightback that occurred.
IMHO if a true version was ever shown (it has already been written) it would be full of recriminations and incompetence in Singapore command and headquarters in Britain. Although a different enemy and location, the boys club was alive and well at Raffles. The only way it could be a winner this far down the track is to carry it through the many losses until final victory in1945. This would at least show what went on in the different countries in this theatre through those years and the competent fightback that occurred. Would have to agree Spidge, Anything that is made could not cover up the inadaquecies of the Singapore High Command. The scapegoate for the whole defence of Malaya fiasco, was General David Murray-Lyon, who was sacked by Percival (they never liked each other in any case) & contrary to wikipedia was not captured by the Japanese but was sent home in disgrace. He never received another command, fearless in battle (DSO* MC) & loved by his troops of the 11th Indian division, highly respected by the officers. Fought the war office to obtain another command after Fortress Singapore fell, I think Percivals dispatches did enough to knobble him for life & as anyone who could attest on his behalf was a POW or dead, he lived the rest of his life a broken man. I think the hatred from the Australian troops point of view, comes from the fact that they once again found themselves under the control of near sighted British Generalship as they did during WW1, with the same disasterous results. The whole thing about a film about Singapore is, as Spidge suggests, a need to go from defeat through to victory to give it the "legs" & unfortunately it is a scarey project to undertake. From a political angle, if one was to do a "warts & all" production, you run the risk of upsetting the Japs, I don't think they would sit back & take a recreation of the Alexandria Hospital massacre without protest, it would upset their revisionist history too much. Regards Simon Regards Simon
Spidge / Simon To make a movie from losses to success in the commonwealth actions- it should be recalled that Singapore was a BIG disaster - but it was in February of 1942 and so it was just six weeks after Alan Brooke had taken over as C.I.G.S.- and he had not had time to sort a lot of things out - but inside eight months when we had lost the Crusader battle - the Gazala Gallop and the loss of Tobruk and stopping Rommel at 1st Alamein - followed by Alam el Halfa and El Alamein of October '42 - we never lost another battle......by then of course we had the support of the production capacity of the USA...so perhaps it would put bums on seats if the USA contribution was highlighted .. Cheers
We may be forced to forgive the Japanese of that era, but forget "never"! Progressive Japanese governments have done nothing but deny the inhuman brutality and slaughter of men, women and children in their many years of butchery leading up to and including WW2. They have diligently kept the truth of their atrocities from their population while continually altering history within publications throughout their education system. Funding from many normal sources would be scarce as nobody would wish to offend. Maybe one day!
Spidge / Simon To make a movie from losses to success in the commonwealth actions- we had the support of the production capacity of the USA...so perhaps it would put bums on seats if the USA contribution was highlighted .. Cheers Hi Tom, I agree wholeheartedly and have posted the GDP statistics in support of the USA etc on many occasions. There may even be an opportunity for a five or ten part series like Band of Brothers but unlike the Pacific version. There are many opportunities to make a good series with/from the compilation of actual footage that exists. It would take a good team of writers to put it together but would be well worth the end result.
Tom, I do not think for 1 minute that anyone from the Commonwealth blamed Alan Brooke for this or the IGS per se, as you rightly point out, things were happening all over the place, and as such, it fell to the commanders in that theatre to engage a plan that would work & to have the resources, which were in hindsight too little too late. Compound this with the fact that Britian had not engaged in large scale jungle warefare since, I think Burma in 1887-89 (not withstanding the Burma campaign of 1931-32). But by human nature someone always has to be blamed & Percival fitted the bill at that time. spidge would no doubt be aware of the movie "Blood Oath" it was banned in Japan which gives you an idea that that (The japanese still won't accept that the war in the Far East & Pacific was their fault nor the atrocities commited by them). Regards simon
Simon / Spidge The other well touted myth is Churchill's statement "that before El Alamein we never had a victory - and after that never a defeat " Ruling out the defeat of a whole Italian Army at Beda Fomm by a couple of worn out British Divisions and the Australian division chasing them onto the guns - the defeat of an even bigger army in Ethiopia by two Indian divs and a scratch British div - not forgetting Cap Matapan when the Italian Navy was sent packing and the Fleet Air Arm victory at Taranto which kept the Italian fleets in their harbours - those were good morale boosting victories - but El Alamein was the big one - like D Day - Ahrnem - Bulge - forget the rest.. Cheers
Simon / Spidge The other well touted myth is Churchill's statement "that before El Alamein we never had a victory - and after that never a defeat " Ruling out the defeat of a whole Italian Army at Beda Fomm by a couple of worn out British Divisions and the Australian division chasing them onto the guns - the defeat of an even bigger army in Ethiopia by two Indian divs and a scratch British div - not forgetting Cap Matapan when the Italian Navy was sent packing and the Fleet Air Arm victory at Taranto which kept the Italian fleets in their harbours - those were good morale boosting victories - but El Alamein was the big one - like D Day - Ahrnem - Bulge - forget the rest.. Cheers Winston with an audience was hard to beat. North Africa was a sideshow one member wrote! Many an Allied Soldier, Sailor and Airman cut their teeth in that theatre. El Alamein was the biggy for sure, Tobruk 1941, (I call that a victory), and to add Operation Exporter (the Lebanon-Syrian campaign was completed 12th July 1941 and kept Germany out of Syria. Cheers Geoff
nobody tends to make movies about their military disasters per se; now do they? Bataan. <---that Flick was made in 1943 and was largely a fictionalied account, but nonetheless depicted the disaster in the Philippines.
Jeff - True - the Phillipines was a big disaster - but again that was early days before Marshall came up - along with MacArthur and Knox on how to fight back - and win - many consider that Mac Arthur was your best strategist- including Alanbrooke as his island hopping was brilliant and he did return ! Cheers
Bataan. <---that Flick was made in 1943 and was largely a fictionalied account, but nonetheless depicted the disaster in the Philippines. Jeff, Agree but with a difference, It was also purposeful, in as much as it had propaganda value at the time, something by which the masses could rally around Regards Simon
Episode 275-The Fall of Singapore from The History of WWII Podcast - by Ray Harris Jr | Podbay Part of "The History of World War 2 podcast - by Ray Harris Jr." published 31st December 2019 - 46min audio. "Despite a 3 to 1 advantage in men, Archibald Percival, GOC Malay, is pushed by Churchill and ABDACOM Commander Gen. Wavell to defy the Japanese in trying to take Singapore. Yet Gen. Yamashita will continue defying the odds with audacity and speed." All Podcasts | The History of WWII Podcast - by Ray Harris Jr
Any relation to Arthur Percival, GOC Malaya Command? Such basic errors are not a great recommendation.
