Queen of the Desert

You heard it here. Release date September 15th.

The film premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2015. That's how long I've been waiting.

Official blurb:
Queen of the Desert is a 2015 epic biographical drama film written and directed by Werner Herzog and is based on the life of British traveller, writer, archaeologist, explorer and cartographer Gertrude Bell.

Starring Nicole Kidman, James Franco, Robert Pattinson, Damian Lewis.

So why is his head bigger than hers in the poster, eh? Eh?!

Better?

Early reviews of the movie are mixed although all seem to agree it's stunningly filmed in grand proportions.

Some say Kidman "completely embodies" Gertrude Bell.[1] 

Others are underwhelmed by some "regrettable dialogue" finding it all "the tiniest dull."[2] 

"What drives her is never really illuminated."[3]

Not to denigrate Kidman's acting skills, but she seems miscast to me. Apparently she replaced Herzog's first choice, Naomi Watts. What? Who? (How about someone not conventionally beautiful? Laura Dern? Tilda Swinton?) There was talk for some time of Angelina Jolie producing and starring in a Gertrude Bell movie but perhaps she came to her senses.

I would not be surprised if the magnificent scenery of Jordan and Morocco overpowers Gertrude's extraordinary career. Hoping they don't overdo the T.E. Lawrence association.

[1] Justin Harp, 8 July 2015,"Nicole Kidman journeys across the Middle East in breathtaking Queen of the Desert trailer," Digital Spy (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a657019/nicole-kidman-journeys-across-the-middle-east-in-breathtaking-queen-of-the-desert-trailer.html#~pjc4LBUoPvGUJQ). 

[2] Peter Bradshaw, 7 February 2015, "Berlin 2015: Queen of the Desert review – a towering Nicole Kidman goes there and back again," the guardian (http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/feb/06/queen-of-the-desert-film-review-berlin-nicole-kidman-werner-herzog).

[3] "'Queen of the Desert,' Berlin Film Review," 6 February 2015, The Hollywood Reporter (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/nicole-kidman-werner-herzogs-queen-770806).

Friends Send Me ... camel things (2)

A First World War buff, I am also a longtime admirer of contemporaneous Gertrude Bell, the fearless desert adventurer and tribal negotiator, turned British intelligence officer and kingmaker. With expertise in antiquities and architecture, she located countless ancient sites for archaeologists to uncover; she founded the great Baghdad Museum. The Gertrude Bell Archive at Newcastle University Library includes thousands of priceless photographs of her explorations, nomadic encounters, and historical artifacts. Many of those same subjects have disappeared or are in great danger of destruction as we speak.

Iraq (Mesopotamia) 1914; photo by Gertrude Bell

Why mention Gertrude? In the nature of Friends Send Me ... camel things, imagine my delight when Mike shared his grandfather's story with me. It is a story of military perseverance in the same time period and unforgiving climate. The First World War was fought not only in Europe. British Forces were in the Middle East alongside Arab allies to drive the Ottoman Empire out of the storied Euphrates lands called Mesopotamia. We have to remember that one hundred years ago there was no Iraq, Iran, Israel, or another half-dozen Middle Eastern countries we hear about today. 

Arthur James Knowles, Mike's grandfather, served in that theatre with the 1/4 Hampshire Regiment from March 1915 to the end of November 1919. Arthur's service records are gone, destroyed with so many others during the bombings of the Second World War. But using the published regimental history, Mike could reconstruct the actions of Arthur's unit.[1] The Brits encountered unfamiliar terrain and the inevitable battles but were unprepared for the climate's deleterious health consequences.

[quote] The climate and moist heat of Mesopotamia were having a detrimental effect on the battalion. By June 1915, 180 were sick in the hospital and six had already died. Only 16 officers and 300 men were available.[2]

And that was just a few months after arrival!

During his service, Arthur took numerous photographs that did survive, although not in good shape, with Mike doing his best at restoration. What unique treasures! These two photos are of Sudanese allies. Camels were the natural choice for cavalry. 

  

Mike wrote about Arthur in the newsletter of the Ottawa Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society (see footnote). Clearly Arthur survived the Great War and I'm more than pleased to add that he came to Canada to settle in 1921.

Ancestor envy!

[1] C.T. Atkinson, The Royal Hampshire Regiment, Volume Two 1914-1918, Glasgow: Robert Maclehose & Company Limited, 1952

[2] Mike More, "The 1/4th Hampshires in Mesopotamia," The Ottawa Genealogist, Vol. 47, No. 4, October – December 2014.

© 2015 Brenda Dougall Merriman