"The Siege at Jadotville" - No spoilers

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fnord

Lifer
Dec 28, 2011
2,746
8
Topeka, KS
Caught this Netflix exclusive the other day and can't recommend it enough.
Based on a true story 160 odd members of the Irish Army participate as UN peacekeepers during the Katanga Conflict in the Congo, circa 1960. Stuck in a web of Borgia/Machiavelli-like deceit this small group of lightly armed men held off an attack by up to 5,000 heavier armed native troops led by French mercenaries for five days. Five days of intense fighting. No resupply, 60mm mortars vs. 80mm mortars plus a French 75, enduring a strafing and bombing run by a modified training jet, a poisoned water system and dwindling food reserves. And the Irishmen held until their last round was expended.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Jadotville
The very fine actors were all unknown to me save a badly wigged but superb as usual, Mark Strong, as the oily, back dealing UN representative, Conor Cruise O'Brien. Thanks to IMDB I read that the Irish commander, Commandant Pat Quinlan was well portrayed by Jamie Dornan fresh off his success as Christian Grey in "Fifty Shades of Gray." But the breakout performance belonged to Jason O'Mara playing the hard as nails, senior NCO, Sgt. Jack Prendergast. (He's been a working actor for over 20 years - mostly UK productions - but he nailed this role.)
I've been chewing on this movie for several days and it finally dawned on me tonight why I like it so much. There are feats of arms and then there are feats of arms. I've always admired Lt. Col. John Frost and 2nd Para's defense of Arnhem during Operation Market-garden in WWII. This defense of Jadotville was cut from the same cloth.
Final note: the Irish accents are very, very thick. Closed captioning was a big help when viewing.
Fnord

 

oldreddog

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 4, 2014
923
6
This is top of the list to watch this weekend.I belive oneof the actors is the grandson of Commandant Quinlan.

One of the veterans tells the story of while been held as pows the men where allowed to play hurley.A guard remarked to him that had they know the Irish did this for sport, they never would have attacked them.
It's beyond time that the bravery and effort of those men was recognised. As they were treated shamefully upon their return home.

 

tslex

Lifer
Jun 23, 2011
1,482
13
THANK YOU for this review. I had no idea they'd made a film about this little-know but simply magnificent stand. Bravery, honor, perseverance -- the heart of the Irish fighting man. I've been telling people about these events for years, and rarely run across anyone who'd ever heard of the story before I told them.
I will be watching it very soon.
Again, thanks.

 

tslex

Lifer
Jun 23, 2011
1,482
13
One famous radio communication during the events:
"We will defend until our last bullet. Could do with some whiskey"

 
Mar 30, 2014
2,853
78
wv
Sounds good. I've almost clicked on it a few times, but I somehow always find another WWII doc.
Checkout "TURN"
An excellent series about the revolutionary war.

 

tslex

Lifer
Jun 23, 2011
1,482
13
I "Siege at Jadotville" last night, while drinking more than one glass of Jameson. Just an outstanding film about an all-too-forgotten piece of history. I couldn't be more proud. An-mhaith, boys.
The movie is full of lessons. Here are three:
1. Do not wear a white suit and a Panama hat in a firefight.
2. A hit with a 60mm mortar beats a miss with an 80mm mortar.
3. Conor Cruise O'Brien was every bit the feckless, arrogant, self-promoting, venal shite I've been raised to believe.

 

fnord

Lifer
Dec 28, 2011
2,746
8
Topeka, KS
Slight spoiler here.
Tslex wrote:
1. Do not wear a white suit and a Panama hat in a firefight.
I was puzzled that the character, Sniper, set aside his scoped Enfield and hollered for the Bren. (Glass vs. open sights when both chamber the .303? WTH?) But, a quick Google search led to a Wiki on the Bren which taught me that our cousins retooled the .303 Bren in the 50's to accommodate the 7.62 NATO round.
My "Huh?" moment has been laid to rest.
Fnord

 

cabinfever

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 6, 2016
117
3
This is a great movie. As a collector of military arms, I find movies like this very interesting.
If you are not aware, there is a website that identifies and provides film clips of the firearms used in almost every movie every made ==> http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Category:Movie
Here is the website's page for The Siege of Jadotville ==> http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Siege_of_Jadotville,_The

 
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