BostonUniStudent t1_j5vfa5m wrote
And his son wasn't senselessly killed during it. I really wondered why they decided on that in the film. It was ahistorical and left some audiences with the wrong message. What was the takeaway from that? Fear PTSD cowards?
It really took me out of the movie.
The real life Lightoller did lose two sons in the War. But both died in the line of duty. Not killed by some shell shocked recently rescued sailor.
jjrrad t1_j5vlkb9 wrote
The boy who gets killed in the movie is not the son of the civilian pilot but a friend.
BostonUniStudent t1_j5vuny3 wrote
So did that happen where one of the rescued sailors killed his son's friend?
I double checked after because it was so horrible. Found no evidence of anything like it.
FruityFetus t1_j5wx16v wrote
The character in Dunkirk is simply inspired by him, not literally him.
Onetap1 t1_j5vmipf wrote
He lost 2 sons in WW2, one was an RAF bomber pilot killed on the second day of the war, one killed in 1945 during the Granville Raid.
I've no idea what the thing with the boy on the boat was about.
Impeachcordial t1_j5vssfl wrote
Well apparently he also saved 127 people, rather than the ~30 in the film. But if you didn't know it was ahistorical until now, why did it take you out of the movie?!
Farados55 t1_j6lxayb wrote
The takeaways were that fear makes you do inhuman or dangerous things. Like when the Highlanders wanted to make the disguised Frenchman get off the boat. Those things have unintended consequences. Those things actually don’t matter at all, sometimes.
That not all heroic acts end in glory. A lot of people die in wars, tragic and mundane deaths. But they're still heroes nonetheless. George was a hero because he risked his life to help his nation's army, despite the circumstances of his death. Peter asked him "Do you know where we're going?" and George simply replies "France." He doesn't realize the severity of the situation, much less that a man traumatized by a near death experience could kill him even if he is on his own side.
The British people came to the aid of their soldiers, but it wasn't all glory and easy. That is the real purpose of the Moonstone's involvement.
Farrier is the other side of this I think. He fully knows the consequences of his actions. Not having enough fuel to return to England might mean his death or capture. But he does it to help his comrades and ultimately his nation. This stark contrast goes to show just how sad yet meaningful George’s death is.
It's funny that you say "Fear PTSD cowards" because the dad addresses George's question of "Is he a coward?" with "He's shell shocked, he's not himself, and might not ever be."
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