ccrosner

We are making a trip to Scotland and London in August with our children, ages 11 and 13. Have seen quite a few of the Scotland movies (Braveheart, etc.). Would like to give our children a sense of Britain during WWII prior to visiting London so that the Imperial War Museum and the War Cabinet Rooms have more meaning to them. Also, I want to teach my children something about the connection between the Brits and the Americans, especially at that time, as my family is from Scotland and I have been told many stories about care packages being sent to Scotland, Victory gardens, etc.

Can you help with some ideas for good movies to watch (or books to read) for our family? Some on my list include:

Hope and Glory
Mrs. Miniver
Battle of Britain

Others? Scotland films welcomed too (of course, the kids have seen and read all of the Harry Potter series). Chariots of Fire?

Thanks for helping me get our creative juices flowing!

PalenQ

American Werewolf in London?

SuzieCII

Gosh, and i was going to add shallow movies like Notting Hill and Love Actually...

They will get the WWII in high school.

PatrickLondon

I believe Mrs Miniver wasn't terribly well received when shown in the UK during the war. Having seen it, I'm not quite sure why, though I suppose seeing the picture postcard village as typical of Britain grated a bit.

The 1969 Battle of Britain movie is a bit stodgy, apart from the "aerial ballet" sequence, though it's a fair retelling of the story.

There were movies at the time that may well be available on DVD in the UK, but possibly not in the States. If you can find them, the classic ones for Anglo-American relations would be "A Letter from Home" and "The Way to the Stars", but I'm not sure either would particularly appeal to young teenagers (the same might apply to "A Matter of Life and Death", which is a great movie, but not exactly cosy about American attitudes to Britain). "Millions Like Us" is about civilians taking up factory jobs. "Hue and Cry" is an immediately postwar caper movie where the children defeat some spivs - it shows youngsters playing on all the bomb sites in central London - a fine contrast with today's townscapes.

More recent and more likely to be available to you: "Yanks" was about the impact of the influx of US servicemen on a small community. "Hope and Glory" focusses on children as do "Carrie's War" and "Goodnight Mr Tom".

Scotland films: tentative suggestions - "Local Hero", "Gregory's Girl" or (if it's around - it still turns up on TV) "Kidnapped".

bluestar

Here are three videos that I can recommend -- I own them all and think the kids would enjoy them (and learn some things), as well as you. You can read customer reviews there on each Amazon page.

<i>1940s House</i>
http://tinyurl.com/2eqh7g

<i>Kidnapped</i>
http://tinyurl.com/ynst9o

<i>Carrie's War</i>
http://tinyurl.com/yq6fs6


-

jamikins

How about Bed Knobs and Broomsticks...its a fun Disney movie with Angela Lansbury...I think its set during the war (but its been a while since I've seen it). More entertaining then historical, but fun.

Wesse

&quot;Oliver Twist&quot; by Roman Polanski

PatrickLondon

Yes, of course, the 1940s house - a replica of the house was in the Imperial War Museum with various things for youngsters to investigate and think about. If it's not still there, it would relate to:
http://london.iwm.org.uk/upload/pack...dren/index.htm

Robespierre

Simon Schama's <u>A History of Britain</u> - a little thin on the WWs, but plenty of background on the people and how the empire was maintained against all comers pre-20th century.

DVD collections of <u>The Great War</u> and <u>BBC History of WWII</u> (both wars are featured prominently at IWM).

Several episodes of <u>The World at War</u> (BoB, blitz, homefront, anti-invasion plans).

<u>Enigma</u>. Possibly the single most important effort of the entire war (you can visit the site in Bletchley Park, an hour north of London by train).

ccrosner

Thanks all for the great suggestions! I knew you Fodorites would have better ideas than I. I've recorded all of your suggestions and will start looking for them at our libraries and video stores (and Netflix!).

desertduds

I loved 84 Charing Cross and Duchess of Bloomsbury, extremely easy read, wonderful. Also, an absolutely wonderful little book is Brit-think, Ameri-think written by an American married to a British man...it has different chapters such as &quot;furniture&quot;, &quot;engagement rings&quot;, &quot;taking children to restaurants&quot;, etc. and they're written from the two different viewpoints and IMO follow VERY closely on both sides...this is also a very easy read and fun....there are also numerous British/American English encyclopedia/slang books, probably can find them at Borders, I bought mine all via the internet.

fnarf999

An oddball choice for Scotland, but a fun movie, is &quot;The Maggie&quot;, about an American businessman trying to move some freight in Scotland, back in the days before trucks and containers, and his encounters with the romantically historical fleet of Glasgow &quot;puffers&quot; -- ramshackle steam-powered boats piloted by picturesque old Scots cliches. It's one of the famous &quot;Ealing comedies&quot; of the 1950s. It has excellent location scenes in Glasgow and in a few loch villages.

While the Scotland it portrays is mostly gone, it's a lot more pertinent to the modern age than Braveheart!

BTilke

In Which We Serve, a classic written by (I think) and starring Noel Coward .

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034891/

I've seen the movie about 20 times--a few years ago, it was featured on the French version of TCM and shown every day for two months. After seeing it all those times, it never got stale.

logandog

Notting Hill.

Kellye

Chronicles of Narnia opens with a WWII sequence since the children are being sent to the country home to escape the Blitz...

TaniaP

Bluestar - Thanks for mentioning the DVD of Carrie's War. I LOVED the book when I was a kid growing up in England, and had no idea there was a video. I will order it from Amazon.

Lily622

When I was about that age, I loved the book &quot;Goodnight Mr. Tom&quot; by Michelle Magorian. Involves an 11-year old boy who is evacuated to the English countryside at the advent of WWII.

Lily622

And this doesn't really relate to preparation for your trip, but I would highly, highly recommend The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper. Also involves an 11 year old boy and is set in England.

Vttraveler

I can't think of anything with WWII, but maybe Pygmalion (or My Fair Lady)
Another Wendy Hiller classic set in Scotland is I know Where I'm going
Truly, Madly, Deeply
The Thirty Nine Steps

You could try some of the Rumpole TV series or Sherlock Holmes (or read sherlock Holmes)

tondalaya

I was going to add old favorites that starred my favorite actress back in those days, Glenda Jackson.
A Touch of Class.
Sunday, Bloody Sunday.