For Screen and Country

This is London. It is 1940 and the Blitz is at its most intense... seeing a period of 57 consecutive nights of bombing. Afraid for young George's life, his mother attempts to send him away from London to ride out the attacks. George has no interest in leaving,and jumps from the train intending to head back home. But much like Odysseus, Xenophon and The Warriors... the journey would not be simple o...

Are you about to be... IN HARM'S WAY? Well, certainly if you reject Kirk Douglas! The guys talk about Eddington's (Douglas) very questionable redemption arc, John Wayne's unconvincing romance plot, the movie's exciting and dangerous first act and much more. Next week: GLORIOUS! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You can always shoot us an e-mail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Imagine a world where Nazis roam... in Wales! The menfolk have left and its up to the ladies to endure a strange occupation by a small unit of Heer soldiers who, among other things, like to play English dress up - just another day in Nazi-occupied Wales. Bring a pillow.  Next week: two very manly men. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You can always shoot us an e-mail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

The boys are back in town! This week, the fellas revisit the Afghanistan crew from Restrepo with the documentary "sequel" Korengal. The guys question if a sequel can just be a selection of deleted scenes from the original film and then discuss masculinity and homoeroticism in the military along with a slew of other topics! Next week: alternate history! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You can alw...

Like Tom Cruise, Reinhard Heydrich lives, dies, and repeats for our amusement. This time, we take a look at a 2016 version of the story, Anthropoid with our old Irish pals Jamie Dornan and Cillian Murphy! If you can't get real Czechs or Slovaks, you can always get a couple of Irishmen. That's just good sense! Next week: checking in on the boys in Afghanistan! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You...

We're off-list this week to discuss the Oscar-nominated biopic The Imitation Game concerning the story of Alan Turing and his code-breaking skills that helped to put to rest some nasty Nazis. The guys talk about the gaggle of historical inaccuracies in this Hollywood adaptation and whether it ruins the film at all, Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley's wonderful performances, the controversy...

This week the fellas fire up their DeLorean and head back to Afghanistan and this time, they drop in on the Soviet-Afghan war! After a group of Soviet tanks massacre and destroy a civilian town hiding Mujahideen, the surviving war machine attempts to escape to the lines. Meanwhile, local Khan Taj and his guerilla brethren vow to destroy the tank and wreck vengeance upon the invaders. Ripping stuff...

The fellas get all greased up and talk about some manly men this week with 1968's Where Eagles Dare. Clint Eastwood AND Richard Burton together? You betcha! The guys talk about the surprising lack of tension on the set, the acting masterclass during the pivotal reveal, Ingrid Pitt's horrifying backstory, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg's connections with the film and much more! Next week: Afghan...

This week, the Dark Knight rises! No, we're not watching the 2012 Batman threequel, you silly person! Why would you think that? It's the rise of the actor Christian Bale, in 1987 's Empire of the Sun! As the young son of British diplomats, Jamie (Bale) navigates the second world war as the Japanese invade his hometown of Shanghai. Separated from his parents, he clings to American sailor Bassie (Jo...

DDL is back, baby! But this time... are the guys celebrating as much as usual? In what is sure to be a divisive episode, Brendan and Jason take a close look at Michael Mann's The Last of the Mohicans and question if Daniel Day-Lewis is at his usual best. They also talk about the non-stereotypical portrayal of the indigenous peoples, the very recognizable score and much more. Next week: Spielberg!...

Boy, war is hell, all bloody and dirty and whatnot. But it isn't all glum, chum! No, the boys and girls of the 4077th MASH unit find plenty of time to play grab-ass and and cause all kinds of chaos. Surely, you didn't think the war ended at the front line! These nurses and doctors are fighting the only way they know how - surgery, sex and awful misogynist attacks disguised as pranks! There's a rea...

Malick did it! But Malick wasn't the first one who did it! Marton first! The fellas talk about the 1964 novel-to-film adaptation of The Thin Red Line. Just how different are these adaptations? What's with the David Lynchian dream sequence? Why do soldiers enjoy dressing in drag so much? All this and more! Next week: back to the list... in Korea! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You can always sho...

His nephew dead and his mind newly class-conscious, Confederate medic Newton Knight (Matthew McConaughey) deserts the Rebs and retreats to a swamp in his beloved Jones County with a multiracial crew of ne'er-do-wells and ex-slaves in tow. This ain't your typical Civil War movie and I bet it makes Ron Maxwell angry for reasons he can't articulate. The boys discussed Free State of Jones so get educa...

After the boys recall their abominable state during the Whisky Galore episode some eons ago, they dive deep into the WWII air force film Memphis Belle starring a who's who of Hollywood's brightest and hottest stars of 1990. They also discuss the moments of terrific visual effects mixed with some of the most questionable ones, historical inaccuracies not getting in the way of enjoyment and so much...

The Germans did not attempt to invade Great Britain during WWII. But imagine this, soldier: what if (and stay with me here) they did? And what if it was a story told via action figures?! You like that, fella? That get the old war juices flowing? Well, don't grab a napkin just yet before we talk about 2010's Jackboots on Whitehall. You don't want a rash. Next week: A real pretty plane. Questions? C...

What happens when Guy Ritchie's "Guy Ritchie Flourishes" are kept to a minimum? When you get a standout performance by a fairly unknown actor named Dar Salim? When you decide to keep switching your protagonist? You get Guy Ritchie's The Covenant, a film about Afghanistan and a surprising connection to a Jarhead sequel. Next week: Real cheap. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You can always shoot u...

Denmark, 1945: the nation is liberated and the clean-up begins... Millions of German planted landmines sit on Danish beaches. Who better to clear them than the Germans themselves? Is it different, though, when those Germans are but boys conscripted in the desperate, last days of the war? Clear the mines, go home or die in the process. Next week: It's about Afghanistan, innit? Questions? Comments?...

Well... howdy, Audie! This week, the fellas welcome back everyone's favourite war hero with To Hell and Back. In this movie, Audie Murphy takes on the role of a lifetime as... Audie Murphy. Despite being a proto-blockbuster whose Universal Pictures box office record wasn't shattered until Jaws, does this film also approach and challenge the idea of hyper-masculinity? Find out inside! Next week: Al...

Last week was the appetizer - you had a coupon and that was expired but you cried and cried so we'd take it and we made clear we hoped you didn't fill up on bread because the main course was coming to the table now! His follow-up to Flags of our Fathers, Clint Eastwood's Letters from Iwo Jima takes us to the eyes of the defenders - the Japanese. Cultural expectation conflicts with martial necessit...

Before we watch the ACTUAL Iwo Jima-centered Clint Eastwood movie on the list, let's gather some context by watching this one first! It's 2006's Flags of our Fathers, a movie that is NOT in fact a patriotic rabble-rousing picture. The guys talk all about stolen valor, the political war propaganda machine, Clint's complicated politics and much more. Next week: Raise that flag, Clint! Part 2 Questio...

Sometimes war is just a game of ping pong where the paddles are knives and bullets and the balls... well, the balls are you and me and everyone around! A game where there is no winner - only losers who brutally express and receive expressions of power. Civil wars are notoriously uncivil and the Russian Revolution was no different. This week - 1967's The Red and the White. Next week: Raise that fla...

Glory! Glory! Glory! No, it's not the Denzel Washington film. It's the film about glory-seeking by the Germans in WWI in the George Peppard-led film The Blue Max. The guys talk all about glory-seeking in its many forms, sex scenes that really push the censorship laws, the incredible aerial photography and much more. Next week: Morally gray warfare! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You can always...

War is hell, of course, and Vietnam was so deep even Dante would blush, babe. As if it couldn't get worse, your squaddies want you to participate in the unthinkable and you're not down to clown. What do you do? How do you maintain your humanity when both foe AND friend assault it daily? Michael J Fox tries to answer these questions in Casualties of War! Next week: I'm blue daboo dee daboo dah. Que...

This week, the boys shovel coal and come aboard The Train! They debate the importance of culture and human life, discuss Paul Scofield's quiet intensity in the villain role, revel in the dramatic shift in cinematic style in the 1960s, delight at the most authentic character ever and much more! Next week: Vietnam! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You can always shoot us an e-mail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Cor blimey, mate! It's a nuclear bomb, innit? Imagine! No more chemist, no more chippies, no more kestrels to adopt. Right sad, I'd say. They made a show on telly about it. Threads! From 84... back when your mum was running around town. Don't deny it.  Next week: back to the list! Chugga Chugga! Choo Choo! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You can always shoot us an e-mail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...