Making Sense of
The film The Battle of Culloden has two meanings: 1) the senselessness of acts of butchery during war, and 2) the senselessness of rising up against the British government. Many cinematic devices were used to get these two meanings across.The Scottish Highlanders in this film were bedraggled, wretched specimens of the remains of Charles Stuart's army. Charles himself was portrayed as
On the other hand, the British army was shown at its very best, all spit and polish, and the Duke of Cumberland, while fat and rather disgusting, was portrayed as knowing what he was doing. Appearance were also used to point up the film's second message, that of useless butchery. This film, then, was a statement against the butchery of civilians, both in Inverness in 1745 and Viet Nam in 1967. The time period in which this film was made is also important. a pompous fool, while his aides were not much better. However, the film was released at a time when there was growing unrest in both Northern Ireland and Scotland for independent rule. Indeed, several of the Dragoons were actual butchers from Nottinghamshire. The King's Dragoons, who were responsible for most of the killing of civilians after the battle, were portrayed as stupid, oafish creatures, who butchered for the sake of killing. What better way to stress the futility of opposing Mother England than a film on the defeat of those who tried to rebel?. 1967 was a time when there was growing opposition to "unjust" wars, like Viet Nam.
Common topics in this essay:
Duke Cumberland,
Battle Culloden,
Viet Nam,
Charles Stuart's,
King's Dragoons,
Indeed Dragoons,
Ireland Scotland,
Scottish Highlanders,
Mother England,
british army,
viet nam,
,
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Acceptance Essays
