The battle where they broke to plunder was VERY understandable, though - it wasn't just the payroll train, but the carriages of, IIRC, King Joseph Bonaparte and his entourage that overturned in their haste to escape. I heard a figure quoted on the amount of treasure, and though I've forgotten it, it was millions of pounds. MILLIONS. To guys who went months without pay and had to cover the cost of their uniforms and boot blacking..
Waterloo was the military catasfroph for Napoleon and his army but THE BIGGEST MORAL VICTORY over his enemies. His soldiers choosed death as a free men because they fought for Freedom, Equality and Brotherhood.
The other famous quote of Wellington was said after he had reviewed his troops. Talking about them he said, "I don't know if they will scare him but by God they scare me!"
@AceinIN He put slightly differently but you're almost correct : "I don't know what effect these men will have upon the enemy, but, by God, they frighten me."
@ottoramsaig I'm no historian, but I believe he referred to them as "scum of the earth", but also "what fine fellows he made of them". I think he was referring to his soldiers backgrounds, where they had come from, that they were from scum backgrounds, but that they had changed into fine fellows. Just my humble opinion, I may be wrong :)
@ottoramsaig Though he gave credit where it was due, Wellington and Blucher's philosophies on the rank and file troops was very aristocratic, a system we British have thankfully gotten rid of in the last century. To inspire them to become excellent soldiers, they were flogged for various infractions. Napoleon's tactic (as a leader) was much the same as Alexander the Great's and Ceaser's: Inspire them on a name/individual basis, much more in keeping with the revolutionary attitude of brotherhood.
@ottoramsaig He greatly disapproved of their looting, raping, pillaging which most soldiers of any army would do after taking a town, also he abhored any lack in discipline but on many occations commented on their bravery and trusted that they wouldnt run away in battle
@ottoramsaig They use some of Wellington's quotes out of context.Wellington was realistic about his men especially of how quickly they could lose discipline in the face of temptation(he also felt the same way about his officers).The scum of the earth description was voiced in disgust after the battle of Vittoria(the last battle of the Peninsula campaign when he too many British troops(and their officers)took part in looting the French payroll train and let the French escape.
Unfortunately yes...Wellington was disrespectful for our (plebeian) kind, and looked at his soldiers as the scum of the world... the idea of civil equality that (imperfect as it was) the French had enjoyed/spread in Europe (imperfect as I said) was kind of nullified after this battle...
"When you meet a cuirrasier beam to beam, you'll be lucky if you bring away your life with you, nevermind his helmet. Boy, you'll learn the art of fighting from the French!"
6:19 one of the coolest/saddest parts of the movie...
she means (in movie terms): "That officer brings death with him--the end of dancing and drinking and fun, the end of the fancy uniforms and waltzing and grandeur, and the start of the disaster and killing". sorta makes me shudder O.o such a cool line, great scriptwriting.
love it when the duchess says to Wellington "Arthur what an Englishman you are" not strictly accurate as Wellington was actually Irish so was a third of the British Army at that time. Great movie I love it
@Sammy1234568910 Funny you should mention Wellesley's birthplace, it is reported he said on that subject:
"A man may be born in a barn, and yet it does not make him a horse."
In short, he did not think himself Irish, his family were English gentry after all. They were given lands in Ireland like lots of Protestant peers and nobles because Catholics were not trusted with that responsibility.
@DemonsWrath616 I didn't mean that by saying he was Irish meant he wasn't British at that time all of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom (Now its just Northern Ireland) and being Irish meant you were British same way as being Scottish, welsh or English meant you were British, But like you said most protest family's in Ireland to this day are either from English or Scottish descent anyway, more so Scottish descent in Northern Ireland my family for example originated in the Shetland Islands.
@9911aleksey LOL. Napoleon was the better commander. But Wellington was a genius. Napoleon's mistake was underestimating him. Napoleon was also a genius but no one is invincible.
I acknowledge that Wellington won at Talavera in the field, and repelled every French assault at Quatre Bras, but in the end, the French gained the most in the outcome. French achieved their objective in stopping Wellington's Madrid Offensive, and forced him to retreat. French gained the field of Quatre Bras in the end.
Calling the Scotts beggers and that they were loyal to gin.
Fucking twat, that is the attitude that lost the America's for the English. Glad my family told England to stick it up their ass before we left Scotland.
@mrceebees14 Surely you have the intelligence to grasp that this is a film for dramatic purposes and not a documentary?
In any event, Wellington was Irish not English and further still, he is on record so many times in real life (ie. not a film) in praising his troops and army, which he built.
The people who downed my comment are in denial or they just don't want to face teh truth. The British Guards today don't deserve that title. It's like recieving a reward for something you didn't do. The British Foot Guards fought against the Chasseurs of the 3rd and 4th, but never the grenadiers.
The people who downed my comment are in denial. The British Guards today don't deserve that title. It's like recieving a reward for something you didn't do. The British Foot Guards fought against the Chasseurs of the 3rd and 4th, but never the grenadiers.
@Strategos300, just recently, I discovered that Maitland's British Guards in fact retreated before the 4th Chasseurs of the Middle Guard. the British Guards believed they defeated the Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard, and they received the title "Grenadier Guards". That title is given to them by mistake and the regiment today bears that honor even though they don't deserve it. They only fought against the 3rd Chasseurs.
He led a hugely succesful campaign in Spain, defending against the advancing French, defeating Soult, Massenna etc at major battles, then advanced into southern France.
He then fought and defeated Napoleon - with Prussian help - and you say he wasn't a good commander?
Only on his attack on a Spanish town. For some reason it didn't write that, must be this pathetic laptop.
Anyway, salute both. Wellington, Napoleon. Of course we both know that if Napoleon burned Berlin, there'd be French reinforcements on the way, not Prussian.
But it didn't matter. Napoleon won waterloo because he had another 300,000 army in France.
However, his government stupidly abdicated him. I'm not saying I want french rule, but in their POV, isn't it GOOD to have a genius?
@WolfytheWolf5667 wellington was never defeated ever not bad for someone who wasn;t a good commander'he defeated most of boney's top marshalls in spain often with great vision and cunning eg:salamancer and had the a great insight into second guessing all the opponents he ever faced and for making an enemy face him on a terrain of his own choosing.....................but your right though mate he was a shit commander.........NOT
@fringecakeboy, Wellington wasn't undefeated. He lost at Talavera (strategically), siege of Burgos, Redinha, Pombal, Quatre Bras, Toulouse, and 1st San Sebastian. The only marshals he fought were Soult, Massena, and Marmont. He never fought against commanders such as Davout, Lannes, Suchet, and Murat.
Quatre Bras wasnt a defeat for him, nobody really won, but in the end it turned out to be Wellingrons victory, the French gave up all the land they had just gained and people say if Ney managed to beat Wellingtona nd take it, the battle of Waterloo may have been different.
@expertstrategy Lying much? LOL. He did not lose Talavera strategically at all, he eventually lost his strategic position but that was not through actions of the French! At Talavera the French army was CRUSHED and driven from the field, you have to face up to that. Quatre Bras was in wellington's favour. Ney was an incompetant, he only prevented Wellington from supporting the Prussians, but he completely failed to take Quatre Bras. wellington retreated because of the prussian defeat, not Ney.
@expertstrategy Toulose is arguably a British victory, although the French army DID manage to escape. Redinha, another falsehood - not a defeat, but only a delay. Pombal a skirmish, who cares? But you are right about Burgos and San Sebastian. Why are french full of lies and excuses may i ask?
@seal201111, Redinha is a defeat for Wellington because he failed to crush the rearguard. Yes, at Talavera, Wellington did win the battle, but he was low on supplies and he had to retreat in order to deal with Soult's invasion of Portugal from the north shortly after the French withdrew from the battlefield. His Madrid offensive failed. At Quatre Bras, the French still gained the field nevertheless.
@expertstrategy he never lost at talavera and what about marshal victor and ney get your facts right mate,he nearly got beat in a night battle in india but didn't,WELL THAT'S SETTLED THEN BYE
@fringecakeboy, that was months ago, when I was a little ignorant on a few things. Do not presume I think the same way as I did all that time ago.
Yes, Wellington won at Talavera, but he failed in his goal to capture Madrid. This was mainly because Soult invaded Portugal with an army of 30,000 men, and so, the allies retreated.
The Talavera Campaign was in the end a French victory after the Spanish were defeated at Almonacid, even though Wellington won a great victory.
how i about i end this for you all ok... Wellingtons family was english, he was born in ireland and grew up there however remember despite Ireland having alot of freedoms granted in the late 1700's it was effectively part of the union. Wellington saw himself not as english nor irish but as BRITISH... thats right that bloody word we always forget BRITISH. Sometime the ignorance of my fellow englishmen towards the union scares me as much as the scottish attitude towards it!
@angrycaveman Nope. That's Virginia McKenna of "Born Free," a real English beauty. If you want to see a younger version, rent "The Cruel Sea," a really great movie.
@LordWellington15 Sure if you consider a member of the Protestant Ascendancy, who lived most his life outside of Ireland, who would have considered himself anything but irish, Irish, then yes he was Irish.
@TLSUk It doesnt matter if he lived in Ireland for 2 minutes, or he moved when he was 6 months, but he was still Irish. But I am by no means an Irish Republican, in fact im part of the Orange Order
@LordWellington15 You are what your parents are. If you parents work abroad and you are born in Dubai, then you would still be British, it has nothing to do with where you were born. That line of the protestant ascendancy would have been and considered themselves English rather than Irish. They came from Norman lineage who conquered the country and tended to marry either other norman conqueror desecendants or English aristocrats. The never were 'Irish'.
What did Wellington mean when he remarked Napoleon as "Not a gentleman" ? Either he is referring to his manners or his social status before he became emperor.
@likojib The Waterloo Waltz by Nino Rota (available on the CD soundtrack) it was also used as Natasha's Waltz in one of the War and Peace Movies (whichever Nino Rota was composer for, i think the Hepburn/Fonda US version)
1:19 the scene where wellington considered napoleon a monster is actually false. in fact wellington secretly admired napoleon which is why after his defeat at waterloo when blucher wanted napoleon flayed alive and killed wellington did everything possible to save napoleon and have him brought to a distant island.
@ultradumbass Actually the comment is pretty accurate, he thought he a monsterous peasant, however at the same time he admired him as a great general, famously stating him to have been the greatest of this age, past ages and any age. This comes across from the comment his hat is worth 50k men, meaning him on the field is worth virtually another army.
"Wherever you were in those days, you fought to eat! Thing havn't changed much today. Plus Wellington did not stop Napolian at Waterloo, it was the other way round. Then the Prussians saved what was left of Wellington. Most of what Britain says today are lies. (an englishman.) "
I don't know but the way Wellington goes on about Charleroi in a slightly smug way indicates that he knows this means thingsa re heading towards a battle at Waterloo - ground he has kept 'in my pocket' (see his comment later in the film) for some time. I wish I could be as calm under pressure as depicted in this film: "I BEG MARSHAL BLUCHER TO COME TO WATERLOO AT ONE O'CLOCK."
the badge the Duke wears during this ball - (e.g. at 4:59). Is it a Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath or some badge cross for Order of the Garter (I did not think the a KG got a badge, rather, literally, a garter belt around the lower leg). It surely cannot be a GCH as this would have been a continuity error as the Duke may not have had it awrded or conferred until later than the Battle of Waterloo. Any thoughts or answers?
this movie always makes me....emotional =/ especially this part...it's like a huge going-away party, saying goodbye for the last time, even if nobody knows it yet....so sad and tragic, but so beautiful =/
I might be wrong about this, but I think the reason Wellesley was such a snob is due to his experience in the Peninsular campaign. His soldiers, on more than one occasion, took to raping, looting, and killing civilians rather than riding down routing enemy armies.
@RavingDissension When you say his Soldier's do you mean all of his soldiers or a minority? Because for a second there i thought you were claiming that the English soldiers commit war crimes. I think not, only a small minority.
Personally, I think the atrocities committed in the Peninsular campaign do not warrant being labeled "war crimes". I'm sure if you looked at Napoleon's incursion into Russia, you would find far more deplorable deeds. But that's beside the point.
The point is Wellington's low opinion of the common soldier stemmed from his experiences in Iberia.
like the only great british officer at that time may have been horatio nelson for navy though i might be wrong if something comes up that i am not yet aware, since he was one of few officers who did not allow his men to be whipped or physically disciplined. and isaac brock pulled a few bold movies in the war of 1812 and even took the front in every battle until killed at queenston heights.
@ultradumbass No actualy nelson did flog his men and installed discipline. But what made him a great man is because he knew how seamanship works as he did join the navy at the age of 12 to be a midshipman. And also his courage was infectious to those around him and his audacious tactics were of his own making.
Being flogged wasn't a million laughs but in Nelson's time it wasn't seen as the horrific punishment that it is today. At Spithead the mutineers, who were in many ways a lot more conservative than their officers, had no hesitation in flogging their own shipmates and from all accounts were a lot more heavy handed than the aforementioned officers that they had replaced. It wasn't the actual punishment that the sailors objected to so much as when the punishment was unjust.
@oarfrost the soldiers were more angered because they'd be flogged or shot for something an officer might be dismissed or suspended at most. for example in the first couple of years of ww1 if a regular soldier cracked down and fled he would either be shot, sentenced to labour or do hard drills. while an officer would be sent back to england to recover. but in 1916 the generals made it even officers can be shot. the commonwealth shot 2 officers in the war and one was not even for PTSD reasons.
@ultradumbass well in that aspect, The anzacs were only ones that never shot their own soldiers or officers for desertion or mutiny. They just arrest them and keep them in a prison camp for the entire war. Haig suggested strongly to the anzac commanders that the death penalty must be introduced in order to keep discipline. But they refused to do so as it is was their choice.
@matt2house ironically australia is the only country not to execute in ww1 yet they were the last major commonwealth country to ban execution in civilian life, the last being carried out in 1967, as compared to canada in 1962 and england in 1964.
@matt2house a few of them though nearly got killed. one australian was actually being tied to a post and the officer coming to get him had his vehicle break down and had to sprint to the execution scene. canada itself did not support firing squads but the british had control of the european threatre. 4 of the 25 canadians executed were by british tribunals. 2 of 25 canadians executed were for murder but the 2 that killed were from PTSD related reasons.
@ultradumbass well the canadian and the anzac forces were part of the BEF seeing that canada, australia & new zealand volunteered to support britain during WW1.
@matt2house "Haig suggested strongly to the anzac commanders that the death penalty must be introduced in order to keep discipline. "
True enough. The Anzac commanders had no hesitation in telling Haig what he could do with his suggestions. That said, the Austalian and New Zealand High top brass could be pretty bloody nasty as well. Most of the Anzacs came from small towns where the knowledge that one of the local lads was in jail for cowardice was social death for him and his family.
@oarfrost ... And the Anzac generals had no hesitation in leaking the information to the local press. It may have been better than being shot, but at that time and in such places, probably not by much.
@oarfrost Well the aussies and the kiwi's didnt want be thought of as cowards there by they didnt want to recieve the white feather from their mates or neighbours.
@CaptainHollister Yes, but Napoleon always tried to make his men feel valued. Thats why his army loved him so much. Guys like Wellington was a snobish British aristocrat who had a superiority complex. Like most of the officers of his day. Napoleon had charisma and charm. He was unique in his time.
@TheMedievalMan Napoleon shot at his own men during the retreat at Waterloo so he could get away. SO he really loved damm!! No Wellington took good care for his soldiers only when they disappointed him he was furious at them for example: after the battle of Vitorria the men started looting, because of this the french army could get away.
@LtcolSharpe I didnt say he actually loved his men. I said he made them FEEL that way. Why do people like yourself always like to split hairs with me when I say something? Okay then, I will split hairs with you. "... feel valued..." and "... had charisma and charm..." is hardly saying that he was being honest. Even today politicians and those in power couldnt give a damn about you, but try to make you feel that way. Just look at Obama and Bush. But Im sure you think they care about you.
@TheMedievalMan I wouldnt say he had a superiority complex as he did struggle to become a great commander in the british army. Not to mention he was clever enough to take on board several lessons he learnt from india.
@CaptainHollister I think what he is down as saying is probably some form of bach-handed compliment. Meaning thye are salt of the earth troops who are, naturally, a touch coarse. Nevertheless, the (Irish, by the way) Duke knows they are superb fighting men. Only, he does not trust them due to the class divide and the extraordinary discipline required to get them to fight. This is before the days of modern conscription, remember.
@CaptainHollister General Picton (Jack Hawkins here) was also a snob, but a foul mouthed rude and obnoxious one. In fact so much so that he is reputed to have been shot in the back by his own men during the battle. At least thats the story thats been in my family for around 200 years! He is one of my antecedents.....
@matt2house wellington was a terrible general. had it not been foggy that day napoleon would have attacked 3 hours earlier. if he had been able to do so, the additional 3 hours would have given him enough time to knock wellington off the map, and then be able to throw his entire army into the incoming prussians.
@ultradumbass wellesley was far from being a terrible general, I would be a fool to say that he was the same as napoleon, but he was far from terrible. He was a good general . He was clever enough utilize guerilla tactics in spain and portugal and also he was an expert at seige warfare which he learnt in india. He was also clever enough to recognize good terrain to fight a battle on. which is why he was the only one in europe that was never defeated.
@matt2house napoleon was a great general too. his weakness is he got overconfident in some battles when he had a crushing victory at austerlitz. he only won the battle that easily by luck. which would cause him disaster in russia and at leipzig. wellington wasn't a good field general, his only strength is he was so overconfident that he never noticed danger so he'd just act like nothing is happening and not be too hasty to fight. had there been no fog at waterloo, napoleon would have easily won.
@ultradumbass that's because wellesley is not an emotional man. he actually learnt how to control his emotions on the field (like spock) which obtained him the nickname the 'iron duke'. I would have to disagree with you on claiming that wellesley wasnt a good field commander because he thought highly of logistics and intelligence gathering to support his army. Wellesley had fought offensive battles before and that was during the anglo maratha war in India.
@matt2house i agree with everything you say, except that he was nicknamed the iron duke to him installing iron shutters on his windows to prevent a pro reform mob from throwing things through when he was prime minister.
as for his ability as a commander, i definitley side with you. in my opinion only napoleon was better. the people who deny wellingtons genius are the ones who adore napoleon to the point of finding him faultless
@donorleone indeed mate, Wellesley was far from being terrible as I said in previous comments. But it would be foolish to say that he was anything like napoleon. Napoleon was truly a better commander on the field just that at waterloo he met his match. But you do have to give wellesley credit for keeping cool minded and making the right decisions whilst under pressure.only he can do that, other european commanders have not and ended up beaten by napoleon.
@ultradumbass well let's put it this way..... if it wasnt raining on the previous night before, then I think napoleon would stand a better chance of winning.
The guerilla tactics in Spain were the tactics of the Spaniards, not something graciously handed down to them, half sentient mediterranean monkeys,.by some Superior Anglo-Saxon spirit.
@Gargantua606 I'm not saying at all that wellesley passed down guerilla tacitcs to the spanish. I'm saying he was clever enough to utilize guerilla tactics. And I am aware that the spanish were using guerilla tactics already but so was the british riflemen (green jackets) which they aided the spanish guerillas
I first saw this movie yrs ago and Now just watching this, I am very impressed. This re-actment of Napoleon's final battle was very accurate to the smallest detail. Ive been very intrigued on learning more about the Napolenic Wars and Waterloo is the reason why. I like to learn more about it. Again, great re-enactment
how i despise the arrogance of the british! how i loathe their pompous ways! would that the french had humbled that haughty race, and ended centuries' assault on humanity!
I've watched this movie a number of times over the years, and I've always assumed that Virginia McKenna's character was Wellington' wife until more recently finding out that she is portraying the Duchess of Richmond. I don't hear anything just by watchng the movie itself referring her as such. The ball depicted here actually did occur the night before the Battle of Quatre Bras, which occured a couple days before Waterloo.
@CaptainHollister Wellington gets a different light though doesn't he? "They are scum, beggaers and scoundrels!" If the men heard that would they be so motivated?!
@andy7666 " "They are scum, beggaers and scoundrels!" If the men heard that would they be so motivated?!"
Probably. They would have almost certainly have laughed in agreement at being told that the spirit of their patriotism was gin and that most had only enlisted because they had gotten their girlfriends pregnant. A chap called sargeant Wheeler was with Wellington in Spain and at Waterloo and said that the Duke could be relied upon to give his men the best food and conditions available..
@oarfrost and that he was always careful of their lives. As far as the average British squaddie was concerned that was more motivating than any amount of fine words.
I knew that Wellington had to be an arrogant bastard. He thought of his soldiers as tools, while Bonaparte considered his men his allies, knights. As he said, a career without distinction of birth, open to everyone.
Wellington was never arrogant about his men, he pretty much looked aftered them by making sure that discipline was enforced by officers of high standards and not to mention that he made sure that his men were well supplied and fed. He even made sure that every battalion had a chaplin too.
For real if anyone wants to know what a non-Hollywood style film is like watch a movie from the French New-Wave cinema, check out a movie like Breathless (1959)
That movie HARDLY follows the same conventions of the Hollywood style, and the movie is meant to challenge the question of what "film" should be, and it challenges the conventions of filming that came from Hollywood directors and the typical Hollywood style of filming.
Although it was released under columbia productions the finance came from Russia/Italy, but i dont agree with you on a Hollywood style movie, no disrespect intended but the movie is a European influenced movie, with the exception of Chris Plumber and Rod Steiger.
Locations, dress, actors, finance, director, producer, etc etc is all European.
You do realize what a Hollywood style film is, right? No disrespect, but seriously. Look people, even IF a movie comes from any part of the country it can still be labeled as a "Hollywood style film" because it follows EVERY FILM TECHNIQUE AND CONVENTION of the typical Hollywood film.
How about this, you tell me how this film is different from the style of a Hollywood film. For example, the differences in camera shots, cross cutting, music, story telling, etc.
Just about every movie you see can trace it's roots back to Hollywood film techniques, these techniques did not come from Europe, They started with Edison and then continued on through people like D.W Griffith. Google him, i'm limited on comment length.
Movies like Batman, Slumdog Millionaire, Gladiator, Braveheart, Sparticus, etc ALL follow the same typical invisible style that is referred to as the Hollywood Style. Casablanca, all of them. Seriously, im not making this up.
where's ya proof eh?....where's ya proof to say that this is a hollywood film. see you're not providing any evidence at all mate. So if you're not providing any evidence that just means you're just crapping on. telling people to take your word for it isnt good enough mate, you need proof to back it up. Secondly saying "Oh I'm studying for a diploma in films" isnt really convincing seeing that this is the internet.
If this was a pure Russian film movement, then why aren't they speaking Russian? Why are they speaking English? And why do all of the film techniques used follow the same conventions that EVERY HOLLYWOOD FILM USES.
And what about the use of music to enhance particular moments in the film, and how the film is written itself? Where do you think the director and screenwriter got the blueprints on how to make this film? From other Hollywood Movies.
Dino Delaurantes was the American director who wanted to do this project that Hollywood declined to do Dino had funding from Italian production companies, the English provided production and post production facilities in Pinewood, and the Russians provided the Russian army and the producer. Hollywood was the birth place of the movie industry,granted...but many countries and many producers are advancing film to new levels. Witness the rise of Bollywood.
I don't think anyone here is realizing what I'm saying. It doesn't matter who makes the movie or where it is made or who funds it, what matters is the film techniques and conventions used. The narrative film is a product of Hollywood, the "Invisible style" is a product of Hollywood, this whole movie reeks of the film techniques and conventions of every other Hollywood movie.
In other words this movie doesn't feel any different than any other typical movie.
Um dino delaurentes was actually italian, not american and this film was directed by a russian man named sergei bondarchuk who also directed the russian version of war & peace.
Wellington was a genius at battlefield geography
jed371 3 days ago
Back when people had to actually learn how to dance, not whatever kids these days do....
ThePlaceCannel 3 weeks ago
@ThePlaceCannel i know i am 22 it's true
MaRcOsBeauGosse 1 week ago
The battle where they broke to plunder was VERY understandable, though - it wasn't just the payroll train, but the carriages of, IIRC, King Joseph Bonaparte and his entourage that overturned in their haste to escape. I heard a figure quoted on the amount of treasure, and though I've forgotten it, it was millions of pounds. MILLIONS. To guys who went months without pay and had to cover the cost of their uniforms and boot blacking..
JPH1138 1 month ago
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Waterloo was the military catasfroph for Napoleon and his army but THE BIGGEST MORAL VICTORY over his enemies. His soldiers choosed death as a free men because they fought for Freedom, Equality and Brotherhood.
Odysses100 2 months ago
The other famous quote of Wellington was said after he had reviewed his troops. Talking about them he said, "I don't know if they will scare him but by God they scare me!"
AceinIN 2 months ago
@AceinIN He put slightly differently but you're almost correct : "I don't know what effect these men will have upon the enemy, but, by God, they frighten me."
mikelheron20 1 month ago
damn plummer's appereance in the beginning is so smooth, fucking cool
tenirpaslager 3 months ago
Napoleon, was never ever a monster! he never drinks blood xD :P his thrist was only battle
POTCMarc101 3 months ago
I know its only a movie, but did Wellington really think so low of his troops?
ottoramsaig 4 months ago
@ottoramsaig I'm no historian, but I believe he referred to them as "scum of the earth", but also "what fine fellows he made of them". I think he was referring to his soldiers backgrounds, where they had come from, that they were from scum backgrounds, but that they had changed into fine fellows. Just my humble opinion, I may be wrong :)
CaptainHollister 4 months ago 4
@CaptainHollister Hmm yes i would Agree.
ThePlaceCannel 3 weeks ago
@ottoramsaig Though he gave credit where it was due, Wellington and Blucher's philosophies on the rank and file troops was very aristocratic, a system we British have thankfully gotten rid of in the last century. To inspire them to become excellent soldiers, they were flogged for various infractions. Napoleon's tactic (as a leader) was much the same as Alexander the Great's and Ceaser's: Inspire them on a name/individual basis, much more in keeping with the revolutionary attitude of brotherhood.
Trialbystone17 3 months ago
@ottoramsaig They had also allowed the enemy to escape several times due to them being to busy looting to advance.
nutyyyy 2 months ago
@ottoramsaig He greatly disapproved of their looting, raping, pillaging which most soldiers of any army would do after taking a town, also he abhored any lack in discipline but on many occations commented on their bravery and trusted that they wouldnt run away in battle
j3parrots 2 months ago
@ottoramsaig They use some of Wellington's quotes out of context.Wellington was realistic about his men especially of how quickly they could lose discipline in the face of temptation(he also felt the same way about his officers).The scum of the earth description was voiced in disgust after the battle of Vittoria(the last battle of the Peninsula campaign when he too many British troops(and their officers)took part in looting the French payroll train and let the French escape.
MrReded69 1 month ago
@ottoramsaig unfortunat
Unfortunately yes...Wellington was disrespectful for our (plebeian) kind, and looked at his soldiers as the scum of the world... the idea of civil equality that (imperfect as it was) the French had enjoyed/spread in Europe (imperfect as I said) was kind of nullified after this battle...
Matteax1 3 days ago
"When you meet a cuirrasier beam to beam, you'll be lucky if you bring away your life with you, nevermind his helmet. Boy, you'll learn the art of fighting from the French!"
-General Picton
EJ160E 4 months ago
I know this is a minor point but the music in the ballroom scene is about 20/30 years out of period - this is the early 19th c not the middle 19th c.
Producers go to much trouble with settings and costumes yet slip up on a point like this - strange.
TheVaughan5 4 months ago
6.14 who the hells he.....its fred elliot
2815andy 4 months ago
@2815andy By 'eck! I never noticed until you said!
angrygingersteve 3 months ago
6:19 one of the coolest/saddest parts of the movie...
she means (in movie terms): "That officer brings death with him--the end of dancing and drinking and fun, the end of the fancy uniforms and waltzing and grandeur, and the start of the disaster and killing". sorta makes me shudder O.o such a cool line, great scriptwriting.
rofflemows2 4 months ago
If I cant hold him there......I'll stop him here.......
northshore7x 5 months ago
love it when the duchess says to Wellington "Arthur what an Englishman you are" not strictly accurate as Wellington was actually Irish so was a third of the British Army at that time. Great movie I love it
Sammy1234568910 7 months ago
@Sammy1234568910 Funny you should mention Wellesley's birthplace, it is reported he said on that subject:
"A man may be born in a barn, and yet it does not make him a horse."
In short, he did not think himself Irish, his family were English gentry after all. They were given lands in Ireland like lots of Protestant peers and nobles because Catholics were not trusted with that responsibility.
DemonsWrath616 6 months ago
@DemonsWrath616 I didn't mean that by saying he was Irish meant he wasn't British at that time all of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom (Now its just Northern Ireland) and being Irish meant you were British same way as being Scottish, welsh or English meant you were British, But like you said most protest family's in Ireland to this day are either from English or Scottish descent anyway, more so Scottish descent in Northern Ireland my family for example originated in the Shetland Islands.
Sammy1234568910 6 months ago
Thank you for posting this amazing movie!
cannuck1 7 months ago
@9911aleksey LOL. Napoleon was the better commander. But Wellington was a genius. Napoleon's mistake was underestimating him. Napoleon was also a genius but no one is invincible.
TyrannicalTyler86 7 months ago
@TyrannicalTyler86 Why would Napoleon underestimate someone? His own words: "Never underestimate the enemy when he makes a mistake."
gerian001 6 months ago
I acknowledge that Wellington won at Talavera in the field, and repelled every French assault at Quatre Bras, but in the end, the French gained the most in the outcome. French achieved their objective in stopping Wellington's Madrid Offensive, and forced him to retreat. French gained the field of Quatre Bras in the end.
expertstrategy 7 months ago
7:53 whos she o.o
95thRiflesOCI 8 months ago
Calling the Scotts beggers and that they were loyal to gin.
Fucking twat, that is the attitude that lost the America's for the English. Glad my family told England to stick it up their ass before we left Scotland.
mrceebees14 8 months ago
@mrceebees14 Surely you have the intelligence to grasp that this is a film for dramatic purposes and not a documentary?
In any event, Wellington was Irish not English and further still, he is on record so many times in real life (ie. not a film) in praising his troops and army, which he built.
THthefirst 8 months ago
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The people who downed my comment are in denial or they just don't want to face teh truth. The British Guards today don't deserve that title. It's like recieving a reward for something you didn't do. The British Foot Guards fought against the Chasseurs of the 3rd and 4th, but never the grenadiers.
expertstrategy 8 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
The people who downed my comment are in denial. The British Guards today don't deserve that title. It's like recieving a reward for something you didn't do. The British Foot Guards fought against the Chasseurs of the 3rd and 4th, but never the grenadiers.
expertstrategy 8 months ago
Wellington really respected Boney. "I have never before seen such a genious" he said.
Strategos300 8 months ago 2
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@Strategos300, just recently, I discovered that Maitland's British Guards in fact retreated before the 4th Chasseurs of the Middle Guard. the British Guards believed they defeated the Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard, and they received the title "Grenadier Guards". That title is given to them by mistake and the regiment today bears that honor even though they don't deserve it. They only fought against the 3rd Chasseurs.
expertstrategy 8 months ago
@expertstrategy wow, hehe so cool!
Strategos300 8 months ago
Wellington = asshole. Hated by Americans and Communists alike - Fuck so called "royalty" !!!!!!!!!!!!
LeHiGuy1 9 months ago
@LeHiGuy1 i'm guessing you've never read anything about him...infact, yes. You clearly know nothing about him
donorleone 9 months ago
@donorleone i agree. LeHiGuy1 has no idea
nick21sammy 9 months ago
@nick21sammy
although he was funny.
he broke down crying when he saw the losses his soldiers took, in ONE TOWN.
Wellington wasn't a good commander.
But he had class. You can't deny that...
WolfytheWolf5667 8 months ago
@WolfytheWolf5667 "Wellington wasn't a good commander"
On what basis do say that?
He led a hugely succesful campaign in Spain, defending against the advancing French, defeating Soult, Massenna etc at major battles, then advanced into southern France.
He then fought and defeated Napoleon - with Prussian help - and you say he wasn't a good commander?
THthefirst 8 months ago
@THthefirst
Only on his attack on a Spanish town. For some reason it didn't write that, must be this pathetic laptop.
Anyway, salute both. Wellington, Napoleon. Of course we both know that if Napoleon burned Berlin, there'd be French reinforcements on the way, not Prussian.
But it didn't matter. Napoleon won waterloo because he had another 300,000 army in France.
However, his government stupidly abdicated him. I'm not saying I want french rule, but in their POV, isn't it GOOD to have a genius?
WolfytheWolf5667 8 months ago
@WolfytheWolf5667 Er, are you serious, "Napoleon won Waterloo because he had another 300,000 army in France".
You do realise that Napoleon lost the battle, right? If not, then what is the point of this conversation and are you mental?
THthefirst 8 months ago
@THthefirst no no he's right! Napoleon DID defeat Hitler at Waterloo! with the very kind support of Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Jedi fellows! ^^
crepinadrien 8 months ago 5
@WolfytheWolf5667 wellington was never defeated ever not bad for someone who wasn;t a good commander'he defeated most of boney's top marshalls in spain often with great vision and cunning eg:salamancer and had the a great insight into second guessing all the opponents he ever faced and for making an enemy face him on a terrain of his own choosing.....................but your right though mate he was a shit commander.........NOT
fringecakeboy 7 months ago
@fringecakeboy, Wellington wasn't undefeated. He lost at Talavera (strategically), siege of Burgos, Redinha, Pombal, Quatre Bras, Toulouse, and 1st San Sebastian. The only marshals he fought were Soult, Massena, and Marmont. He never fought against commanders such as Davout, Lannes, Suchet, and Murat.
expertstrategy 7 months ago
@expertstrategy
Quatre Bras wasnt a defeat for him, nobody really won, but in the end it turned out to be Wellingrons victory, the French gave up all the land they had just gained and people say if Ney managed to beat Wellingtona nd take it, the battle of Waterloo may have been different.
mwillis1000 7 months ago
@mwillis1000, that is true, but Wellington retreated from the battlefield at the end upon hearing of the news of Blucher's crushing defeat at Ligny.
expertstrategy 7 months ago
@expertstrategy
Yeah, i know it was no victory for him, but it really wasnt a defeat either.
mwillis1000 7 months ago
@mwillis1000, it was more of a draw.
expertstrategy 7 months ago
@expertstrategy Lying much? LOL. He did not lose Talavera strategically at all, he eventually lost his strategic position but that was not through actions of the French! At Talavera the French army was CRUSHED and driven from the field, you have to face up to that. Quatre Bras was in wellington's favour. Ney was an incompetant, he only prevented Wellington from supporting the Prussians, but he completely failed to take Quatre Bras. wellington retreated because of the prussian defeat, not Ney.
seal201111 7 months ago
@expertstrategy Toulose is arguably a British victory, although the French army DID manage to escape. Redinha, another falsehood - not a defeat, but only a delay. Pombal a skirmish, who cares? But you are right about Burgos and San Sebastian. Why are french full of lies and excuses may i ask?
seal201111 7 months ago
@seal201111, Redinha is a defeat for Wellington because he failed to crush the rearguard. Yes, at Talavera, Wellington did win the battle, but he was low on supplies and he had to retreat in order to deal with Soult's invasion of Portugal from the north shortly after the French withdrew from the battlefield. His Madrid offensive failed. At Quatre Bras, the French still gained the field nevertheless.
expertstrategy 7 months ago
@seal201111 "Why are french full of lies and excuses may i ask?" I could ask the same thing out of the British.
expertstrategy 7 months ago
@expertstrategy he never lost at talavera and what about marshal victor and ney get your facts right mate,he nearly got beat in a night battle in india but didn't,WELL THAT'S SETTLED THEN BYE
fringecakeboy 3 months ago
@fringecakeboy, that was months ago, when I was a little ignorant on a few things. Do not presume I think the same way as I did all that time ago.
Yes, Wellington won at Talavera, but he failed in his goal to capture Madrid. This was mainly because Soult invaded Portugal with an army of 30,000 men, and so, the allies retreated.
The Talavera Campaign was in the end a French victory after the Spanish were defeated at Almonacid, even though Wellington won a great victory.
expertstrategy 3 months ago
@LeHiGuy1
stfu
TheMmnpa 8 months ago
@LeHiGuy1 What have Americans and Communists got to do with Wellington and Waterloo?
This is the kind of banal comment that makes me despair at you tube.
THthefirst 8 months ago
god willing sire. god?! gods got nothing to do with it XD
hippietitis69 9 months ago
how i about i end this for you all ok... Wellingtons family was english, he was born in ireland and grew up there however remember despite Ireland having alot of freedoms granted in the late 1700's it was effectively part of the union. Wellington saw himself not as english nor irish but as BRITISH... thats right that bloody word we always forget BRITISH. Sometime the ignorance of my fellow englishmen towards the union scares me as much as the scottish attitude towards it!
TheNikzaw 10 months ago
is that glen close?
angrycaveman 10 months ago
@angrycaveman Nope. That's Virginia McKenna of "Born Free," a real English beauty. If you want to see a younger version, rent "The Cruel Sea," a really great movie.
anghmho 10 months ago
@anghmho thank you
angrycaveman 10 months ago
Wellington was Irish... Not English. But still a great British military tactician
LordWellington15 10 months ago
@LordWellington15 Sure if you consider a member of the Protestant Ascendancy, who lived most his life outside of Ireland, who would have considered himself anything but irish, Irish, then yes he was Irish.
TLSUk 10 months ago
@TLSUk It doesnt matter if he lived in Ireland for 2 minutes, or he moved when he was 6 months, but he was still Irish. But I am by no means an Irish Republican, in fact im part of the Orange Order
LordWellington15 10 months ago
@LordWellington15 You are what your parents are. If you parents work abroad and you are born in Dubai, then you would still be British, it has nothing to do with where you were born. That line of the protestant ascendancy would have been and considered themselves English rather than Irish. They came from Norman lineage who conquered the country and tended to marry either other norman conqueror desecendants or English aristocrats. The never were 'Irish'.
TLSUk 10 months ago
What did Wellington mean when he remarked Napoleon as "Not a gentleman" ? Either he is referring to his manners or his social status before he became emperor.
expertstrategy 10 months ago
Comment removed
dmax631 11 months ago
But, Wellington didn't have any daughters?
ClassicalMonarchism 1 year ago
Does anyone know the name of the Song being played at the ball? The one that can be heard at 6:40-7:20?
likojib 1 year ago
@likojib The Waterloo Waltz by Nino Rota (available on the CD soundtrack) it was also used as Natasha's Waltz in one of the War and Peace Movies (whichever Nino Rota was composer for, i think the Hepburn/Fonda US version)
TLSUk 10 months ago
1:19 the scene where wellington considered napoleon a monster is actually false. in fact wellington secretly admired napoleon which is why after his defeat at waterloo when blucher wanted napoleon flayed alive and killed wellington did everything possible to save napoleon and have him brought to a distant island.
ultradumbass 1 year ago
@ultradumbass Actually the comment is pretty accurate, he thought he a monsterous peasant, however at the same time he admired him as a great general, famously stating him to have been the greatest of this age, past ages and any age. This comes across from the comment his hat is worth 50k men, meaning him on the field is worth virtually another army.
TLSUk 10 months ago
@ultradumbass blucher was just wanting revenge for the repeated drubbings napoleon gave prussia. jena was particularly humiliating.
mackshayster 9 months ago
"Wherever you were in those days, you fought to eat! Thing havn't changed much today. Plus Wellington did not stop Napolian at Waterloo, it was the other way round. Then the Prussians saved what was left of Wellington. Most of what Britain says today are lies. (an englishman.) "
Grifiki 1 year ago
I don't know but the way Wellington goes on about Charleroi in a slightly smug way indicates that he knows this means thingsa re heading towards a battle at Waterloo - ground he has kept 'in my pocket' (see his comment later in the film) for some time. I wish I could be as calm under pressure as depicted in this film: "I BEG MARSHAL BLUCHER TO COME TO WATERLOO AT ONE O'CLOCK."
pix042 1 year ago
the badge the Duke wears during this ball - (e.g. at 4:59). Is it a Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath or some badge cross for Order of the Garter (I did not think the a KG got a badge, rather, literally, a garter belt around the lower leg). It surely cannot be a GCH as this would have been a continuity error as the Duke may not have had it awrded or conferred until later than the Battle of Waterloo. Any thoughts or answers?
pix042 1 year ago
I would be so bored at this party.
pepelepew2006 1 year ago
@pepelepew2006 i'd be hitting on sarah!!!! she is fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine
jc3Ai 1 year ago 2
Now, can someone tell me, did Wellington have an English accent or an Irish accent?
sstuddert 1 year ago
@sstuddert Had he an Irish accent, being the utter toff ponce he is portrayed here, he would likely hang himself..
andy7666 1 year ago
@TheStandofTheLastGuy well up until 1916 prior to the battle of the somme, the british had an all voluntary army which was nicknamed kitchener's army
matt2house 1 year ago
this movie always makes me....emotional =/ especially this part...it's like a huge going-away party, saying goodbye for the last time, even if nobody knows it yet....so sad and tragic, but so beautiful =/
alexp9999 1 year ago
I might be wrong about this, but I think the reason Wellesley was such a snob is due to his experience in the Peninsular campaign. His soldiers, on more than one occasion, took to raping, looting, and killing civilians rather than riding down routing enemy armies.
RavingDissension 1 year ago
@RavingDissension When you say his Soldier's do you mean all of his soldiers or a minority? Because for a second there i thought you were claiming that the English soldiers commit war crimes. I think not, only a small minority.
TechStudent2010 1 year ago
@TechStudent2010
Personally, I think the atrocities committed in the Peninsular campaign do not warrant being labeled "war crimes". I'm sure if you looked at Napoleon's incursion into Russia, you would find far more deplorable deeds. But that's beside the point.
The point is Wellington's low opinion of the common soldier stemmed from his experiences in Iberia.
RavingDissension 1 year ago
I think Hugh Fraser from "Sharpe" will always be Wellington for me. This guy seems yo play him a bit flat.
MrCopperhead1861 1 year ago 2
who is the actress for Sarah? She's lovely!
einsamaberfrei 1 year ago
such a terrifying but awesome marching scene at 2:01...
sends chills to any enemy!
bugsy101073 1 year ago
like the only great british officer at that time may have been horatio nelson for navy though i might be wrong if something comes up that i am not yet aware, since he was one of few officers who did not allow his men to be whipped or physically disciplined. and isaac brock pulled a few bold movies in the war of 1812 and even took the front in every battle until killed at queenston heights.
ultradumbass 1 year ago
@ultradumbass No actualy nelson did flog his men and installed discipline. But what made him a great man is because he knew how seamanship works as he did join the navy at the age of 12 to be a midshipman. And also his courage was infectious to those around him and his audacious tactics were of his own making.
matt2house 1 year ago
@ultradumbass
Being flogged wasn't a million laughs but in Nelson's time it wasn't seen as the horrific punishment that it is today. At Spithead the mutineers, who were in many ways a lot more conservative than their officers, had no hesitation in flogging their own shipmates and from all accounts were a lot more heavy handed than the aforementioned officers that they had replaced. It wasn't the actual punishment that the sailors objected to so much as when the punishment was unjust.
oarfrost 1 year ago
@oarfrost the soldiers were more angered because they'd be flogged or shot for something an officer might be dismissed or suspended at most. for example in the first couple of years of ww1 if a regular soldier cracked down and fled he would either be shot, sentenced to labour or do hard drills. while an officer would be sent back to england to recover. but in 1916 the generals made it even officers can be shot. the commonwealth shot 2 officers in the war and one was not even for PTSD reasons.
ultradumbass 1 year ago
@ultradumbass well in that aspect, The anzacs were only ones that never shot their own soldiers or officers for desertion or mutiny. They just arrest them and keep them in a prison camp for the entire war. Haig suggested strongly to the anzac commanders that the death penalty must be introduced in order to keep discipline. But they refused to do so as it is was their choice.
matt2house 1 year ago
@matt2house ironically australia is the only country not to execute in ww1 yet they were the last major commonwealth country to ban execution in civilian life, the last being carried out in 1967, as compared to canada in 1962 and england in 1964.
ultradumbass 1 year ago
@ultradumbass ok well i didnt know that, I only knew that they were the only ones that never executed their own soldiers during ww1.
matt2house 1 year ago
@matt2house a few of them though nearly got killed. one australian was actually being tied to a post and the officer coming to get him had his vehicle break down and had to sprint to the execution scene. canada itself did not support firing squads but the british had control of the european threatre. 4 of the 25 canadians executed were by british tribunals. 2 of 25 canadians executed were for murder but the 2 that killed were from PTSD related reasons.
ultradumbass 1 year ago
@ultradumbass well the canadian and the anzac forces were part of the BEF seeing that canada, australia & new zealand volunteered to support britain during WW1.
matt2house 1 year ago
@matt2house "Haig suggested strongly to the anzac commanders that the death penalty must be introduced in order to keep discipline. "
True enough. The Anzac commanders had no hesitation in telling Haig what he could do with his suggestions. That said, the Austalian and New Zealand High top brass could be pretty bloody nasty as well. Most of the Anzacs came from small towns where the knowledge that one of the local lads was in jail for cowardice was social death for him and his family.
oarfrost 1 year ago
@oarfrost ... And the Anzac generals had no hesitation in leaking the information to the local press. It may have been better than being shot, but at that time and in such places, probably not by much.
oarfrost 1 year ago
@oarfrost Well the aussies and the kiwi's didnt want be thought of as cowards there by they didnt want to recieve the white feather from their mates or neighbours.
matt2house 1 year ago
@thejohn95 i hate him
zolg56 1 year ago
Wellington was the best commander the British army had. The only one who can beat the french: Napoleon himself.
haynes1776 1 year ago
It all depends on ....
(Zooms into face for eighty hours)
Dragoon201 1 year ago
Wellington was such a snob haha
thejohn95 1 year ago 7
@thejohn95 Of course he was - they all were, the Officer class (apart from Sharpe lol )
CaptainHollister 1 year ago 26
@CaptainHollister Yes, but Napoleon always tried to make his men feel valued. Thats why his army loved him so much. Guys like Wellington was a snobish British aristocrat who had a superiority complex. Like most of the officers of his day. Napoleon had charisma and charm. He was unique in his time.
TheMedievalMan 1 year ago
@TheMedievalMan Napoleon shot at his own men during the retreat at Waterloo so he could get away. SO he really loved damm!! No Wellington took good care for his soldiers only when they disappointed him he was furious at them for example: after the battle of Vitorria the men started looting, because of this the french army could get away.
LtcolSharpe 1 year ago
@LtcolSharpe I didnt say he actually loved his men. I said he made them FEEL that way. Why do people like yourself always like to split hairs with me when I say something? Okay then, I will split hairs with you. "... feel valued..." and "... had charisma and charm..." is hardly saying that he was being honest. Even today politicians and those in power couldnt give a damn about you, but try to make you feel that way. Just look at Obama and Bush. But Im sure you think they care about you.
TheMedievalMan 1 year ago
@TheMedievalMan I wouldnt say he had a superiority complex as he did struggle to become a great commander in the british army. Not to mention he was clever enough to take on board several lessons he learnt from india.
matt2house 1 year ago
@CaptainHollister in the sharpe movies i always found him verry likeable
comanderfarsight 1 year ago
@CaptainHollister yeah but sharpe is cooler then the others and also he dont run away from battle...
svensksoldat91 1 year ago
@CaptainHollister I think what he is down as saying is probably some form of bach-handed compliment. Meaning thye are salt of the earth troops who are, naturally, a touch coarse. Nevertheless, the (Irish, by the way) Duke knows they are superb fighting men. Only, he does not trust them due to the class divide and the extraordinary discipline required to get them to fight. This is before the days of modern conscription, remember.
pix042 1 year ago
@pix042 "I think what he is down as saying is probably some form of bach-handed compliment"
He might also have been teasing the Duchess. Wellington was a great one for the ladies and he might have been trying his luck.
oarfrost 1 year ago 2
@CaptainHollister General Picton (Jack Hawkins here) was also a snob, but a foul mouthed rude and obnoxious one. In fact so much so that he is reputed to have been shot in the back by his own men during the battle. At least thats the story thats been in my family for around 200 years! He is one of my antecedents.....
chanctonbury63 11 months ago
@thejohn95
All high-class British officers were
Cornwallis was like a fag lol
BlackPanteraSociety 1 year ago
@thejohn95 snob yes but a smart snob :p
matt2house 1 year ago
@matt2house wellington was a terrible general. had it not been foggy that day napoleon would have attacked 3 hours earlier. if he had been able to do so, the additional 3 hours would have given him enough time to knock wellington off the map, and then be able to throw his entire army into the incoming prussians.
ultradumbass 1 year ago
@ultradumbass wellesley was far from being a terrible general, I would be a fool to say that he was the same as napoleon, but he was far from terrible. He was a good general . He was clever enough utilize guerilla tactics in spain and portugal and also he was an expert at seige warfare which he learnt in india. He was also clever enough to recognize good terrain to fight a battle on. which is why he was the only one in europe that was never defeated.
matt2house 1 year ago
@matt2house napoleon was a great general too. his weakness is he got overconfident in some battles when he had a crushing victory at austerlitz. he only won the battle that easily by luck. which would cause him disaster in russia and at leipzig. wellington wasn't a good field general, his only strength is he was so overconfident that he never noticed danger so he'd just act like nothing is happening and not be too hasty to fight. had there been no fog at waterloo, napoleon would have easily won.
ultradumbass 1 year ago
@ultradumbass that's because wellesley is not an emotional man. he actually learnt how to control his emotions on the field (like spock) which obtained him the nickname the 'iron duke'. I would have to disagree with you on claiming that wellesley wasnt a good field commander because he thought highly of logistics and intelligence gathering to support his army. Wellesley had fought offensive battles before and that was during the anglo maratha war in India.
matt2house 1 year ago
@matt2house i agree with everything you say, except that he was nicknamed the iron duke to him installing iron shutters on his windows to prevent a pro reform mob from throwing things through when he was prime minister.
as for his ability as a commander, i definitley side with you. in my opinion only napoleon was better. the people who deny wellingtons genius are the ones who adore napoleon to the point of finding him faultless
donorleone 1 year ago
@donorleone indeed mate, Wellesley was far from being terrible as I said in previous comments. But it would be foolish to say that he was anything like napoleon. Napoleon was truly a better commander on the field just that at waterloo he met his match. But you do have to give wellesley credit for keeping cool minded and making the right decisions whilst under pressure.only he can do that, other european commanders have not and ended up beaten by napoleon.
matt2house 1 year ago
@ultradumbass well let's put it this way..... if it wasnt raining on the previous night before, then I think napoleon would stand a better chance of winning.
matt2house 1 year ago
@matt2house
The guerilla tactics in Spain were the tactics of the Spaniards, not something graciously handed down to them, half sentient mediterranean monkeys,.by some Superior Anglo-Saxon spirit.
Gargantua606 1 year ago
@Gargantua606 I'm not saying at all that wellesley passed down guerilla tacitcs to the spanish. I'm saying he was clever enough to utilize guerilla tactics. And I am aware that the spanish were using guerilla tactics already but so was the british riflemen (green jackets) which they aided the spanish guerillas
matt2house 1 year ago
@thejohn95
The upper class wouldn't give a rat's ass for the common man.
shanghaibenny2 1 year ago
@thejohn95
Don't think you are so smart..He isn't English...he is Irish...So don't be hating
spudnick3490 10 months ago
Plummer played a great Wellington.
Falor5151 1 year ago
thx so much ur freakin awsome and good quality ur amazing WOOT
DJsharp707 1 year ago 7
@DJsharp707 Thanks :)
And thanks to all for your comments - this is one of the best movies of all time I reckon :)
CaptainHollister 1 year ago 10
What's the name of the dance??
JohnnieNaked 1 year ago
me dad's in waterloo
mamadavies5 1 year ago
@mamadavies5
Which part does he play?
GothicKnight2 1 year ago
I first saw this movie yrs ago and Now just watching this, I am very impressed. This re-actment of Napoleon's final battle was very accurate to the smallest detail. Ive been very intrigued on learning more about the Napolenic Wars and Waterloo is the reason why. I like to learn more about it. Again, great re-enactment
haynes1776 1 year ago
Damn shame a lot of those women DID wear black afterwords,,
Paladin1441 1 year ago
how i despise the arrogance of the british! how i loathe their pompous ways! would that the french had humbled that haughty race, and ended centuries' assault on humanity!
LDD86 2 years ago
@LDD86 yeah modesty in the french go together lol.....
timebandit71 2 years ago
I've watched this movie a number of times over the years, and I've always assumed that Virginia McKenna's character was Wellington' wife until more recently finding out that she is portraying the Duchess of Richmond. I don't hear anything just by watchng the movie itself referring her as such. The ball depicted here actually did occur the night before the Battle of Quatre Bras, which occured a couple days before Waterloo.
lovesclassiccars 2 years ago
where the hell is sharpe when you need him
raraandraja 2 years ago 24
@raraandraja Damn, I loved the Sharpe Series - I still have the whole boxset on DVD :)
CaptainHollister 1 year ago 6
Comment removed
raraandraja 1 year ago
i cant remeber was he in the 60th or 95th rifles?
ColScots726 1 year ago
@CaptainHollister Sharpe is amazing, only it portrays the French troops as pushovers when they weren't at all.
AquilaRomana8 1 year ago
@CaptainHollister Wellington gets a different light though doesn't he? "They are scum, beggaers and scoundrels!" If the men heard that would they be so motivated?!
andy7666 1 year ago
@andy7666 " "They are scum, beggaers and scoundrels!" If the men heard that would they be so motivated?!"
Probably. They would have almost certainly have laughed in agreement at being told that the spirit of their patriotism was gin and that most had only enlisted because they had gotten their girlfriends pregnant. A chap called sargeant Wheeler was with Wellington in Spain and at Waterloo and said that the Duke could be relied upon to give his men the best food and conditions available..
oarfrost 1 year ago
@oarfrost and that he was always careful of their lives. As far as the average British squaddie was concerned that was more motivating than any amount of fine words.
oarfrost 1 year ago
haha she believes in that monster stuff?!what an idiot
thetaiyo1 2 years ago
does anybody know the name of the walz they play :$
pauloman16 2 years ago
I knew that Wellington had to be an arrogant bastard. He thought of his soldiers as tools, while Bonaparte considered his men his allies, knights. As he said, a career without distinction of birth, open to everyone.
5B0YAKASHA5 2 years ago
Wellington was never arrogant about his men, he pretty much looked aftered them by making sure that discipline was enforced by officers of high standards and not to mention that he made sure that his men were well supplied and fed. He even made sure that every battalion had a chaplin too.
matt2house 2 years ago
For real if anyone wants to know what a non-Hollywood style film is like watch a movie from the French New-Wave cinema, check out a movie like Breathless (1959)
That movie HARDLY follows the same conventions of the Hollywood style, and the movie is meant to challenge the question of what "film" should be, and it challenges the conventions of filming that came from Hollywood directors and the typical Hollywood style of filming.
biagiotti2006 2 years ago
@biagiotti2006
Although it was released under columbia productions the finance came from Russia/Italy, but i dont agree with you on a Hollywood style movie, no disrespect intended but the movie is a European influenced movie, with the exception of Chris Plumber and Rod Steiger.
Locations, dress, actors, finance, director, producer, etc etc is all European.
j0andc0 2 years ago
You do realize what a Hollywood style film is, right? No disrespect, but seriously. Look people, even IF a movie comes from any part of the country it can still be labeled as a "Hollywood style film" because it follows EVERY FILM TECHNIQUE AND CONVENTION of the typical Hollywood film.
How about this, you tell me how this film is different from the style of a Hollywood film. For example, the differences in camera shots, cross cutting, music, story telling, etc.
Tell me how it departs.
biagiotti2006 2 years ago
Just about every movie you see can trace it's roots back to Hollywood film techniques, these techniques did not come from Europe, They started with Edison and then continued on through people like D.W Griffith. Google him, i'm limited on comment length.
Movies like Batman, Slumdog Millionaire, Gladiator, Braveheart, Sparticus, etc ALL follow the same typical invisible style that is referred to as the Hollywood Style. Casablanca, all of them. Seriously, im not making this up.
biagiotti2006 2 years ago
where's ya proof eh?....where's ya proof to say that this is a hollywood film. see you're not providing any evidence at all mate. So if you're not providing any evidence that just means you're just crapping on. telling people to take your word for it isnt good enough mate, you need proof to back it up. Secondly saying "Oh I'm studying for a diploma in films" isnt really convincing seeing that this is the internet.
MrMattias87 2 years ago
Ok, so tell me how this ISN'T a Hollywood film?
If this was a pure Russian film movement, then why aren't they speaking Russian? Why are they speaking English? And why do all of the film techniques used follow the same conventions that EVERY HOLLYWOOD FILM USES.
And what about the use of music to enhance particular moments in the film, and how the film is written itself? Where do you think the director and screenwriter got the blueprints on how to make this film? From other Hollywood Movies.
biagiotti2006 2 years ago
This was an Italian movie with a Russian producer and and American director.The English studios at Pinewood did the post production work
TexianSJ1 2 years ago
@TexianSJ1
Doesn't seem like an Italian movie to me. How is this movie "italian"?
TO be honest any director in Hollywood could have made this film, doesnt depart from the popular style of making movies.
biagiotti2006 2 years ago
Dino Delaurantes was the American director who wanted to do this project that Hollywood declined to do Dino had funding from Italian production companies, the English provided production and post production facilities in Pinewood, and the Russians provided the Russian army and the producer. Hollywood was the birth place of the movie industry,granted...but many countries and many producers are advancing film to new levels. Witness the rise of Bollywood.
TexianSJ1 2 years ago
I don't think anyone here is realizing what I'm saying. It doesn't matter who makes the movie or where it is made or who funds it, what matters is the film techniques and conventions used. The narrative film is a product of Hollywood, the "Invisible style" is a product of Hollywood, this whole movie reeks of the film techniques and conventions of every other Hollywood movie.
In other words this movie doesn't feel any different than any other typical movie.
biagiotti2006 2 years ago
Um dino delaurentes was actually italian, not american and this film was directed by a russian man named sergei bondarchuk who also directed the russian version of war & peace.
matt2house 2 years ago