Jerry Posted May 10, 2008 Report Share Posted May 10, 2008 This isn't exactly Book & Film review, more like stage play and TV Special review but..... I enjoyed the Masterpiece Theater presentation on Public TV here in the states -- Rudyard Kipling's and the world's loss of lives in the First World War. I didn't know it had been staged a few miles from where I lived: in Long Beach in 2006! Both stage and TV version written by the same David Haig, (isn't that a scottish name? Haig & Haig?) Didn't know Jack had an American mother. Didn't know he was 18 years plus 1 day when killed. Didn't catch all the nuances of The Irish Guards. Didn't know they MIGHT have found his body 52 years after he went missing. I guess it is still controversial. Didn't know Daniel Ratcliffe is an extremely fine actor. Very thought provoking and excellent dramatization of history and important events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve the Original Posted May 10, 2008 Report Share Posted May 10, 2008 Cant say i know of this!! so i guess i will have to have a looksy on google.. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Chaos Posted May 10, 2008 Report Share Posted May 10, 2008 http://www.gunga-din.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=52&Itemid=48 Has a little bit of information about Jack Kipling... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted May 10, 2008 Report Share Posted May 10, 2008 Wow - can you imagine helping your child get into the army and then him dying? On top of that never finding his body? It must have been pure hell for his father. Very sad. Thank you Jerry for pointing this play out and thank you Captain Chaos for the link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Chaos Posted May 10, 2008 Report Share Posted May 10, 2008 Rudyard Kipling never really recovered from Jack's death, he held hopes until the end of the war that he had been taken prisoner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Posted May 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2008 Thanks, Didn't know Conan Doyle and Theodore Roosevelt also lost sons there, although I knew T.R. Jr. was killed on D-Day at Normandy. Or T.R. III, I forget. I missed the introduction of Capt. Chaos to this forum -- is this in honor of Dom DeLouise of Cannonball fame? I'm happy to see Mike Steele's blog and access to the Kipling poems. I remember in his poem The Betrothed, Maggie tells him 'it's either cigars or me, you must choose'. He says he's only known Maggie a short time, but he's been a Priest of Partagas for much, much longer. And a woman is only a woman, but a good cigar is a smoke. I love politically incorrect statements these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Chaos Posted May 11, 2008 Report Share Posted May 11, 2008 Hi Jerry my name change is indeed in honour of Dom de Luise but am still the same old Mike Steele underneath! I am glad you are enjoying the poetry on my site. Best wishes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Posted May 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2008 Correction to my earlier post. President Teddy Roosevelt's son did die at Normandy as a Brigadier General, but it was a month after the landing. After the war his body was placed next to his brother Quentin Roosevelt, who had died in the First World War. Like young Kipling, Quentin was a nearsighted chap who had to memorize the eye chart in order to be accepted. He joined the Army Air Corps and served with distinction until shot down by Germans. His body was buried by the Germans at that time with military honors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Posted May 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2008 I just went over to Capt. Chaos' blog to read some more Kipling and Robert Service poetry, and SURPRISE, SURPRISE, in the Kipling collection there was a poem dedicated to President Theodore Roosevelt, upon the death of that particular leader. How did I get so lucky? It almost makes me believe in Guardian Angels again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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