A Letter From Ulster (1942)- remastered
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- čas přidán 7. 08. 2015
- "Everyone here should see this film" Mike Catto BBC NI film critic
"It is a special film and it is an important that this part of our military history and your cultural heritage is preserved". General John W Vessey former Joint Chief Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces.
Northern Ireland's greatest film director, Brian Desmond Hurst, knew a thing or two about film making and soldiering. He was the natural choice to travel to Belfast to make a film about the US troops arriving in Northern Ireland and training for the war in Europe that lay ahead. Over 300,000 US troops trained in Northern Ireland and 'A Letter From Ulster' is a classic in Northern Ireland's film legacy and has stood the test of time. A Letter From Ulster was screened nightly across the USA in 1942 and Hurst received a commendation from the President of the United States.
The production quality is evident given the team which Hurst assembled including protege Terence Young (subsequent Bond director) and William MacQuitty (Producer of a Night To Remember).
It has been remastered and is being released on 9 August 2015 to commemorate the cruel slaughter of Brian's comrades at their Battle of Chunuk Bair in Gallipoli. The tragedy of this service battalion lies in the brutality of the numbers. 100 years ago today above Anzac cove on 9 August 1915 the roll call of Brian's battalion recorded 778 men. Three days later the roll call identified 368 were dead or wounded in fighting at its most brutal which included a bayonet charge at an isolated location near an area called 'the Farm'. Nearby regiments such as the Sandringham Pals are well remembered for their actions and losses. The men from Belfast, Dublin and surrounding areas were air-brushed from history except for brief comments such as Punch's interview with Hurst in 1969 "Catholic-Protestant antagonism vanished in this holocaust". A memorial to Brian's comrades now features at www.briandesmondhurst.org/biog...
This is Hurst's message to America and lets the 'moms' and dads, brothers and sisters know that their 'boys' were fine and being looked after in Ulster. As the film progresses and Hurst lingers on the faces of the young men, and especially in the church service filmed in St. Mays in Belfast, the Hurst 'signature' close ups can be seen to underline a point. Because Hurst knew what lay ahead.
In 2011 a special commemorative film Revisiting A Letter From Ulster was made for screening at the Queens Film Theatre and the Aspects Arts Festival. It includes many 'then' and 'now' sequences looking at the locations used in A Letter From Ulster and can be viewed here:
• Revisiting A Letter Fr...
Hurst on Film 1928-1970 is available on Amazon kindle and as paperback. By leading writer for TV, radio and stage Stephen Wyatt (who helped Brian prepare his memoirs in the mid 1970s) and Hurst's x3 niece Caitlin Smith (who had access to the vast Hurst archives). It is lavishly produced at over 600 pages and 1,000 images and includes A Letter From Ulster. In total more than 30 films made over four decades in three continents.
www.amazon.co.uk/Hurst-Film-B...
More about Hurst at
/ briandesmondhurstlegacy
/ briandhurst
/ briandesmondhurst
My mom and dad are seen here at the red cross dance just after minute 30....the American sailor and the British WREN with dark hair. My mom just passed away a year ago and my dad died in 1982. It is so good to see them in their youth. Thank you for making this available.
its wonderful to see such old footage of folk from around there!! my grandfather was from broughshane born & bred, and him and his sister talked / talks just like the wee woman at 20:00!! nice to see that accent's always been around
Thank you for this excellent film made in 1942 in Ulster. My father commanded the 151st Field Artillery battalion out of Minnesota; he appears in the "mail call" scene with the two brothers who got no mail. He tells them to write a 10-page letter home (his lines like the rest of the film were scripted). The battalion went to North Africa to Operation Torch in November '42.
Col. Sylvester sets the two GIs straight and Don (Prill) and Wally (Newfield), both from Minneapolis set off on their journey through their letter to be sent back home. Very pleased that you love the film and your family (and many 34th Div) family members can see dad/granddads time in Northern Ireland. Search Northern Ireland War Memorial and revisiting a letter from ulster for a free booklet that tells much more!
Im from East Belfast where Brian Desmond Hurst (maker of this film) grew up.
As part of the Childrens Program Of Northern Ireland 1988 I spent 6 weeks in Minnesota (Baldwin).
I spent that 6 weeks with the Van Damme family who literally gave me the best 6 weeks of my life. Wonderful family.
I had the best parents anyone could have had growing up and I love Belfast but America was great.
Minnesota and its people though are a class above most.
Reading your familys history is so interesting and its a shame that in this day and age people so easily forget the sacrafices that brave men & women before us have made.
Lest we forget ❤
So wonderful to see this!
thank you so much , my late father is seen here in the jeep also in the ball game , he often told us all about getting off school for the day ,,,,,, he died 20 years ago at age 65 but always talk about a letter from ulster , in his home village of caledon . co tyrone ,,,, my mother seen the film today thank you for this great gift to us ,,,,,
Search Northern Ireland War Memorial and revisiting a letter from ulster for a free booklet that tells much more! and has a foreword written by the late General John 'Jack' Vessey who, as a young Sgt loved his time in Northern Ireland. So pleased that the film still holds fond memories in Caledon and Tynan. Search youtube for Revisiting A Letter From Ulster for my short film and more.
You prolly dont care but if you're bored like me atm then you can stream all of the latest movies and series on instaflixxer. I've been binge watching with my brother lately :)
@Brentley Zayden Definitely, been watching on instaflixxer for since december myself :)
Nice to see Cultra Station and Tynan.
No hard border even during the war!
I hope there are more films like this on the internet.
Today's young people really have no Idea what this generation faced and overcame and THAT is a criminal shame.
Seems they are doomed to repeat...and happy about it.
There's been a lot of generations since the Silent Generation (born pre-1945), it isn't just today's young people who fail to appreciate it.
@@scottleft3672 Really? How so?
@@seanolaocha940 old prejudices die hard when they are taken in with breast milk.