Aug 21, 2011

My Boy Jack - Kiplings Son

    I just finished watching the anti war drama My Boy Jack and I am overwhelmed from the useless of wars, so I will share my feelings with you. Millions of soldiers just died at the battle fields and no one will really honor them. But in our story Kipling's son represent the officers and the privates with their fears and shitty life at the front.  Once again we understand the futility of wars and glory, all ending war is the beginning of another war and problems can not resolved on the battlefield, that's the philosophy given years later by Rudyard Kipling.


Plot (source) : As The Great War (WWI) begins, 17 year old Jack Kipling (Radcliffe), the only son of the famous English writer and poet Rudyard Kipling, declares his intention to join the Royal Navy to fight against the Germans. The elder Kipling (Haig), who encourages him in his ambition, arranges several appointments for him to enlist in both the Army and Navy. However, Jack's poor eyesight prevents him from passing the medical examinations, and both he and his father are devastated. However, Rudyard uses his influence with the military establishment to eventually secure Jack an officer's commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Irish Guards regiment. Both Jack's mother Carrie (Cattrall), and sister Elsie (Mulligan), disapprove of this post, as they do not wish for him to be deployed on the front lines.

Jack, who proves to be a popular officer with his troops, undergoes military training and travels to France within six months. On his 18th birthday, Jack receives his mission orders to lead his platoon into action on the following morning. However, during this attack in the Battle of Loos Jack goes missing in action and the Kipling family is informed by military telegram that he is missing, presumed injured.

Over the next two years, Jack's parents track down surviving members from Jack's platoon and interview them. One of Jack's privates eventually confirms that Jack was killed in the Battle of Loos, shot by enemy gunfire, after losing his glasses in the mud during an assault on a German machine-gun post within the enemy lines.

My Boy Jack - Trailer


My Boy Jack - Spanish trailer


My Boy Jack - The Poem by Rudyard Kipling
“Have you news of my boy Jack?”
Not this tide.
“When d’you think that he’ll come back?”
Not with this wind blowing, and this tide.

“Has any one else had word of him?”
Not this tide.
For what is sunk will hardly swim,
Not with this wind blowing, and this tide.

“Oh, dear, what comfort can I find?”
None this tide,
Nor any tide,
Except he did not shame his kind —
Not even with that wind blowing, and that tide.

Then hold your head up all the more,
This tide,
And every tide;
Because he was the son you bore,
And gave to that wind blowing and that tide!

My Boy Jack - end episode the poem

May I recommend you, to read also the anti war book Johnny Got His Gun link

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