The English Patient-

[BellyTank]

I watched the English Patient again on TV and was again impressed at the clothing- just my cup of tea. The North African International adventurer style mixing '30s civilian and military gear- army pants, crisp white shirts, commercial leather jackets- nice stuff.

B
T

 

[Flitcraft]

Like the style, but..

Wish the story had been more true to fact, or had billed itself as strictly fiction (which it was).
Thought the costumer did a terriffic job.
Screenwriter gets failing grades.

 

[jake_fink]

True fiction?

The film was based on a novel which can be found in the fiction section. There was never any question of it being "true to fact" though it may have borrowed some facts to help the telling of the story. (There really was a war.. etc.)

:cheers1:

 

[Flitcraft]

You're right.
I was re-acting more to the "based on a true story" hype of the movie marketing machine.

 

[Feraud]

jake_fink, there is certainly the opportunity for people to misunderstand the story of the English Patient and confuse fact from fiction.
The English Patient tells a ficticious story, using a real person in a real setting as the protagonist. Almasy was a real person, a desert explorer before and during WWII and worked with and against the allies. This gives a lot of leeway for misunderstanding of his real history.

The following books,The Lost Oasis: The Desert War and the Hunt for Zerzura and The Secret Life of Laszlo Almasy: The Real English Patient detail the life and exploits of the real Almasy.

It can be impossible for those not "in the know"(moviegoers, non history buffs, etc.) to know fact from fiction.

The movie shows some great clothes!

http://img244.echo.cx/img244/2217/e39la.png
http://img244.echo.cx/img244/8945/e27ys.png
http://img244.echo.cx/img244/2808/e18hh.png

 

[Flitcraft]

Yeah, that's pretty much my point. The way the movie was marketed, most people are going to see it, think its fact and not go any further. I just don't like being sold fiction as fact and vice versa.

Having said that, the movie was visually very appealing, especially the costumes.

 

[Feraud]

I read that sentiment in your post Flitcraft.
And to step off topic for another second, this is exactly what annoys me about the success of Brown's Da Vinci Code. The people who are misinformed enough to think this 100% fictional story is in anyway based in historical fact.

O.k., I am stepping off my soapbox now!

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Roger that, Feraud. About the Da Vinci Code...nothing but fiction, period.

 

[Flitcraft]

Yeah, Da Vinci Code is the current embodiment of this phenomenon.
Now you've got all these people running around looking for secret meanings in the Louvre and the sculpture outside the CIA building.

If you want a good read, with a strong flavor of the Golden Age, try the novels of Alan Furst. The World At Night is a good one to start with. He writes mostly about WWII and the events leading up to it, but you know this is the way things might have been, not necessarily the way they actually were.
If you try Furst's novels and like them, we should start a new thread, because they are the kinds of books that would probably appeal to a lot of the members here.

 

[Feraud]

Now you've got all these people running around looking for secret meanings in the Louvre and the sculpture outside the CIA building.

And these are also the same people who are totally uninterested in History, religious or otherwise! Give 'em a UFO story, government coverup or Catholic suppression of the "Truth" and folks eat it up..
I guess people need their conspiracies... [huh]

 

[Flitcraft]

Laslo Almasy's story is intriguing enough, and filled with enough twists and turns, that a movie version could have followed the facts and been entertaining!

 

[Hemingway Jones]

"Elaine, I hope you're keeping your eyes on the clothes, becaue I can't take my eyes off the passion." -J. Peterman to Elaine on "Seinfeld."

BellyTank,
There are excellent clothes in that film, from the tuxes to the desert gear. The hats are excellent as well. There really is nothing like a white shirt and khakis with a Panama. I watch it everytime it pops up on cable.

 

[Feraud]

"Elaine, I hope you're keeping your eyes on the clothes, becaue I can't take my eyes off the passion." -J. Peterman to Elaine on "Seinfeld."

haha, now that brought a smile to my face! What an episode.

I guess I forgot to mention that I like this movie too. I had a copy on VHS and watched it many times. I like Ralph Fiennes as an actor. The E.P. reminds me of romance films in the same vein as Casablanca, To Have and Have not, and The Snows of Kilimanjaro. Romance in the time of war. Who knew they had the time!

 

[scotrace]

I watched the English Patient again on TV and was again impressed at the clothing- just my cup of tea. The North African International adventurer style mixing '30s civilian and military gear- army pants, crisp white shirts, commercial leather jackets- nice stuff.

B
T

No poorly fitting stinky suits for you, eh?

 

[BellyTank]

Well- I gotta sleep sometime-

There was actually a disclaimer in the movie that some of the characters were based on real people and most of the places were real, including 'the cave of swimmers'.

Davinci code, hmmm...
but there are conspiracies wherever there is power and the Church is no exception.

B
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[BellyTank]

BellyTank,
There are excellent clothes in that film, from the tuxes to the desert gear. The hats are excellent as well. There really is nothing like a white shirt and khakis with a Panama. I watch it everytime it pops up on cable.

Hemingway, there are 'khakis' and 'khakis'. I mean the old style, high waisted style- the modern 'khakis' or 'Chinos' are all eucchhh.... to me-
-low waists and 4 pleats??? Why???...
And the white shirt has to be just so...

B
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[scotrace]

Details, Man! Details!

Hemingway, there are 'khakis' and 'khakis'. I mean the old style, high waisted style- the modern 'khakis' or 'Chinos' are all eucchhh.... to me-

And the white shirt has to be just so...

B
T

Agreed! Now, let's see some examples.

 

[BellyTank]

Well.... there's those British Army Khaki jobs with the 2x buckle waist fastening- http://www.whatpriceglory.com/ukkd.htm (bottom right image but in khaki)
with or maybe without the thigh pocket- that's the style (exactly or very close to) Ralph(Raiff) wears in the English Patient.

Also, Old Town Clothing in the UK do some fantastic vintage utility-wear- thay do an excellent English Patient pants style ('Utility Trousers') and some of their other trousers ('High Rise')are kool too. Their jackets are classic '30s too. Check out the product photos.

http://www.old-town.co.uk/products.htm

...And a decent vintage collar style on the white shirt is a necessity. I have a repro '30s USN chambray work shirt which works with that look too. Just went SALE shopping and nabbed a nice single stitched white shirt in a 60/40 linen viscose blend- easy care, no crease and nice and soft, with a little bulk- nice...

Just off to get another '30s vintage leather jacket I spied- short with some fancy yoke and panel work and a cool collar. That's the second one I've managed to find locally. I like the vintage European leathers now- the '30s stuff is cool. Just picked up a nice '30s striped collarless shirt too and a couple of stud fastening starched collars too- oh, and a nice plain black '30s rayon tie.
just need the right lid now.

Got the herringbone Apple cap Scot! It's OK.

B
T

 

[BellyTank]

Pants!

This is what I mean, although I'm sure I saw the buckle waisted ones too-

B
T

 

[scotrace]

Great Look

Yup. Gotcha now.
She ain't bad either.
How's the cap?