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
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
