The Life and Death of Colonel BlimpTime marches on and to its own drum. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is a comedy and romance, inspired by a series of comics about a blustering, old, fat military blowhard called "Colonel Blimp". Yet the film infuses this farcical image of the British soldier with humanity and a soul, exploring how this figure--who the younger soldiers may snicker at--was once like them, fought in wars like them, and holds to the idea that war should be fought on civilized terms. Can these paradoxical ideas survive the 20th century?
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"Colonel Blimp's" real name is Clive Wynne-Candy (Roger Livesey), and to be fair, he's not that fat, especially in his youth. Actually, as a young man, he's fit as a fiddle with a strong sense of patriotism. So much so that it lands him in trouble with his superiors. He recalls--in one of the most elegant flashbacks in cinema--how as a young soldier in 1902 who distinguished himself in the Second Boer War, he is troubled that there is slander (at least in his eyes) being spread by a German in Berlin about military misconduct by the British. And despite being instructed not to get involved by his superiors--as he is on leave, and is supposed to be resting--he makes his way to Berlin to meet with the writer of this letter: a lovely ex-governess named Edith Hunter (Deborah Kerr). Having lost her position due to increasing anti-British sentiment in Berlin, Clive almost relents in his desire to confront the spreader of these rumors, yet isn't above playing a musical prank on the culprit instead. Long story short, this lands him in a diplomatic tangle which, apparently, can only be resolved by way of a duel. His opponent was determined by lots, and turns out to be a German soldier named Theo Kretschmar-Schuldorff (Anton Walbrook)...a name that anyone who ever sees this movie will never forget. Both men are proud, but also honorable. Both men wound one another (slightly), and both recover in the same hospital. And both men, surprisingly, become friends. On the day they are to be discharged, Theo reveals that he is in love with Edith. There is a pregnant pause before Clive joyfully congratulates them. It turns out Clive was in love with her, too, but steps aside in his greatest example of gentlemanly behavior. And yet this sacrifice, this gallantry haunts him for the rest of his life. Was it worth it? Is the cost of honor sometimes too high? This is the question that permeates The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, all the way into its "present day" of 1942, a time when war was not only knocking on England's doorstep, it was bombing it to bits.
It would have been easy to portray Clive as a jingoistic and arrogant fool, but nothing could be further from the truth in The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp. (Even its own title is a misnomer, as this is not a story about any "Colonel Blimp".) After Edith and Theo go off to live a life together, the lonely Clive finds solace in hunting. And in yet another exemplary cinematic depiction of the transition of time, each new trophy is marked by the year in which it was obtained and where, segueing into Clive's involvement in World War I. Promoted to the rank of brigadier general, Clive travels through occupied France (Flanders, I believe), where he upholds the virtues of--in his eyes--gentlemanly warfare. He tries to question a German prisoner by employing reason, but this gets him nowhere. It isn't until he departs when a "South African" commander subtly suggests that he won't be so nice in his interrogation. Nevertheless, Clive operates on the assumption that his allies do not employ the same deplorable methods that the Germans have to extract information or fight the enemy. When the armistice is called, he informs his adjutant, Murdoch (John Laurie), that this is proof that "right makes might", and not the other way around. Is Clive naive? Theo later tells Clive that he didn't "learn the lesson" about how warfare has changed in the 20th century because his side won anyway. Theo, on the other hand, is resentful at first at his side's defeat, even shunning Clive when they are reunited in the posh officer's prison. Theo has realized that his nation is battered. He believes that his time as a professional soldier is over, and that his life has no meaning left. Clive has yet to confront this demon himself; that won't happen for at least another twenty years. And Clive's world remains essentially the same after the war. Despite his legitimate military experience, he has an insular worldview, and he isn't alone. The most awkward scene in The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (and that's a compliment, mind you) comes after Clive invites Theo over to dinner...a dinner party which includes a multitude of British soldiers, politicians, and businessmen. Theo is bombarded with questions about his plans for the future. When he answers honestly about how he believes that Germany is all but lost, the British men all pat him on the back and make promises to help build Germany back better that the have no intention of keeping. "There, there, old chap." It's humiliating, but at least coming from Clive, it never seems deceitful...just a bit foolish. Clive truly believes that, in that old English way, that you pick your foe up off of the mat, dust them off, and shake hands when it's all over--just like their duel twenty years prior. Only...history has shown us that this dream is just that: a dream, underscored more effectively in The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp than nearly anywhere else in film.
For all of Clive's successes, the hole left behind in his heart by Edith's absence compels him to essentially track down a young nurse he sees in France while he's seeking food at a convent. On the faintest of clues, he arranges events back home to meet her, then marries her. Does he truly love her, or who she represents more? Murdoch calls Clive out on how this isn't the first woman he's been drawn to who supposedly looks like Edith. Her name is Barbara Wynne, and she is also played by Deborah Kerr, to emphasize how--at least in Clive's eyes--she is the image of his lost love. They marry, they fall in love. They enjoy domesticity, and they talk of life in their London townhouse--that even if the floods should come, they'll have pool for themselves. (This leads to a remarkable visual callback at the film's conclusion.) In another tour de force transition of the years--this time by way of a scrapbook--we discover that Barbara has perished, and Clive is alone yet again. World War II has come and Theo seeks asylum in Great Britain, imploring for special consideration by way of a beautiful and compassionate speech that helps to explain just how fundamentally vile the rise of Nazi Germany was for the nation's soul. Clive, despite any past disagreements, isn't just benevolent in vouching for his old chum, he is positively ebullient to see him again. Though Theo is weathered by time and fleeing Nazi Germany, Clive seems to be thriving in the midst of the war. He is no hawk, but war is in his blood; he's built for it, he's trained for it. So when he prepares to give a speech over the radio, trying to offer up to the people of England encouragement by informing the nation that resorting to the same vile tactics as the Nazis isn't necessary--and is, in fact, wrong--what thanks for his service does he get? He is forcibly retired. Now Clive must face the same crisis that Theo did years ago. Thankfully he has his old friend's experience to guide him through, along with the support of his pretty young driver, Angela "Johnny" Cannon (once again played by Deborah Kerr).
The fundamental question at the end of The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is whether there can be such a thing as a virtuous war. We have rules of engagement, rules prohibiting the use of things like chemical and nuclear weapons; but when push comes to shove, will a nation honor such terms if it means losing the war? Probably not. And therein lies the fundamental paradox of honor; it's only useful if you're already privileged enough to afford it. But then again, if all people comported themselves honorably, there would be no war. Conflict would be resolved without the need for violence. This might make it sound as though Clive is inherently a fool, but this isn't so. In fact, the film is remarkably sympathetic toward him. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is bookended by a military exercise being conducted after Clive has taken over the Home Guard. He has given his soldiers the task of simulating an invasion of London, expressing that "war starts at midnight" in his telegram, but also to "make it seem real". A zealous soldier--who also happens to be Angela's boyfriend--interprets this to mean that in war, there are no "rules", so he ambushes Clive at the Turkish bathhouse he enjoys so much. Outraged at this breach of protocol, the young soldier barks back that Clive doesn't understand how war has evolved, and that to beat the enemy, you essentially have to fight dirtier than them. Fisticuffs ensue, and when all is said and done, Clive is forced to recognize not that his outlook on honor was wrong, but that there are more viewpoints in the world to consider all the same. Youth must have its day, and must come to learn the folly of its choices on its own, just as he did in his youth. There is a warm charm to The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, but it soundly resists the temptation to descend into saccharine nostalgia for some lost way of life. It is clear how Clive's revelation has made him grow as a person. He is far more real of a character than the cartoon sketch that inspired him. Sometimes we forget that our leaders, our fathers, our countrymen and those countrymen from other lands, that although we are different, we are all human beings with our own hopes and dreams, our own values and sense of honor. The only way to survive in such a world is to accept these differences without sacrificing our own virtues. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp optimistically hopes that such a thing is possible. At least, that's my way of looking of it.
Recommended for: Fans of a poignant and meaningful meditation on honor and warfare, and of recognizing opposing viewpoints, while not letting this be an invitation to abandon your values. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is a monumental movie, a true giant of cinema. Just imagine that it was made in the midst of World War II itself! It may not have been popular with Churchill, as the story goes, but time has been more than kind to the film, as it has been to its protagonist. It's okay to remember why we fight, and that includes to make the world a better place for those who follow us. Perhaps for that reason most of all.
It would have been easy to portray Clive as a jingoistic and arrogant fool, but nothing could be further from the truth in The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp. (Even its own title is a misnomer, as this is not a story about any "Colonel Blimp".) After Edith and Theo go off to live a life together, the lonely Clive finds solace in hunting. And in yet another exemplary cinematic depiction of the transition of time, each new trophy is marked by the year in which it was obtained and where, segueing into Clive's involvement in World War I. Promoted to the rank of brigadier general, Clive travels through occupied France (Flanders, I believe), where he upholds the virtues of--in his eyes--gentlemanly warfare. He tries to question a German prisoner by employing reason, but this gets him nowhere. It isn't until he departs when a "South African" commander subtly suggests that he won't be so nice in his interrogation. Nevertheless, Clive operates on the assumption that his allies do not employ the same deplorable methods that the Germans have to extract information or fight the enemy. When the armistice is called, he informs his adjutant, Murdoch (John Laurie), that this is proof that "right makes might", and not the other way around. Is Clive naive? Theo later tells Clive that he didn't "learn the lesson" about how warfare has changed in the 20th century because his side won anyway. Theo, on the other hand, is resentful at first at his side's defeat, even shunning Clive when they are reunited in the posh officer's prison. Theo has realized that his nation is battered. He believes that his time as a professional soldier is over, and that his life has no meaning left. Clive has yet to confront this demon himself; that won't happen for at least another twenty years. And Clive's world remains essentially the same after the war. Despite his legitimate military experience, he has an insular worldview, and he isn't alone. The most awkward scene in The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (and that's a compliment, mind you) comes after Clive invites Theo over to dinner...a dinner party which includes a multitude of British soldiers, politicians, and businessmen. Theo is bombarded with questions about his plans for the future. When he answers honestly about how he believes that Germany is all but lost, the British men all pat him on the back and make promises to help build Germany back better that the have no intention of keeping. "There, there, old chap." It's humiliating, but at least coming from Clive, it never seems deceitful...just a bit foolish. Clive truly believes that, in that old English way, that you pick your foe up off of the mat, dust them off, and shake hands when it's all over--just like their duel twenty years prior. Only...history has shown us that this dream is just that: a dream, underscored more effectively in The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp than nearly anywhere else in film.
For all of Clive's successes, the hole left behind in his heart by Edith's absence compels him to essentially track down a young nurse he sees in France while he's seeking food at a convent. On the faintest of clues, he arranges events back home to meet her, then marries her. Does he truly love her, or who she represents more? Murdoch calls Clive out on how this isn't the first woman he's been drawn to who supposedly looks like Edith. Her name is Barbara Wynne, and she is also played by Deborah Kerr, to emphasize how--at least in Clive's eyes--she is the image of his lost love. They marry, they fall in love. They enjoy domesticity, and they talk of life in their London townhouse--that even if the floods should come, they'll have pool for themselves. (This leads to a remarkable visual callback at the film's conclusion.) In another tour de force transition of the years--this time by way of a scrapbook--we discover that Barbara has perished, and Clive is alone yet again. World War II has come and Theo seeks asylum in Great Britain, imploring for special consideration by way of a beautiful and compassionate speech that helps to explain just how fundamentally vile the rise of Nazi Germany was for the nation's soul. Clive, despite any past disagreements, isn't just benevolent in vouching for his old chum, he is positively ebullient to see him again. Though Theo is weathered by time and fleeing Nazi Germany, Clive seems to be thriving in the midst of the war. He is no hawk, but war is in his blood; he's built for it, he's trained for it. So when he prepares to give a speech over the radio, trying to offer up to the people of England encouragement by informing the nation that resorting to the same vile tactics as the Nazis isn't necessary--and is, in fact, wrong--what thanks for his service does he get? He is forcibly retired. Now Clive must face the same crisis that Theo did years ago. Thankfully he has his old friend's experience to guide him through, along with the support of his pretty young driver, Angela "Johnny" Cannon (once again played by Deborah Kerr).
The fundamental question at the end of The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is whether there can be such a thing as a virtuous war. We have rules of engagement, rules prohibiting the use of things like chemical and nuclear weapons; but when push comes to shove, will a nation honor such terms if it means losing the war? Probably not. And therein lies the fundamental paradox of honor; it's only useful if you're already privileged enough to afford it. But then again, if all people comported themselves honorably, there would be no war. Conflict would be resolved without the need for violence. This might make it sound as though Clive is inherently a fool, but this isn't so. In fact, the film is remarkably sympathetic toward him. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is bookended by a military exercise being conducted after Clive has taken over the Home Guard. He has given his soldiers the task of simulating an invasion of London, expressing that "war starts at midnight" in his telegram, but also to "make it seem real". A zealous soldier--who also happens to be Angela's boyfriend--interprets this to mean that in war, there are no "rules", so he ambushes Clive at the Turkish bathhouse he enjoys so much. Outraged at this breach of protocol, the young soldier barks back that Clive doesn't understand how war has evolved, and that to beat the enemy, you essentially have to fight dirtier than them. Fisticuffs ensue, and when all is said and done, Clive is forced to recognize not that his outlook on honor was wrong, but that there are more viewpoints in the world to consider all the same. Youth must have its day, and must come to learn the folly of its choices on its own, just as he did in his youth. There is a warm charm to The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, but it soundly resists the temptation to descend into saccharine nostalgia for some lost way of life. It is clear how Clive's revelation has made him grow as a person. He is far more real of a character than the cartoon sketch that inspired him. Sometimes we forget that our leaders, our fathers, our countrymen and those countrymen from other lands, that although we are different, we are all human beings with our own hopes and dreams, our own values and sense of honor. The only way to survive in such a world is to accept these differences without sacrificing our own virtues. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp optimistically hopes that such a thing is possible. At least, that's my way of looking of it.
Recommended for: Fans of a poignant and meaningful meditation on honor and warfare, and of recognizing opposing viewpoints, while not letting this be an invitation to abandon your values. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is a monumental movie, a true giant of cinema. Just imagine that it was made in the midst of World War II itself! It may not have been popular with Churchill, as the story goes, but time has been more than kind to the film, as it has been to its protagonist. It's okay to remember why we fight, and that includes to make the world a better place for those who follow us. Perhaps for that reason most of all.