The Brylcreem Boys (1996)
In 1941, as part of an effort to remain strictly neutral, the Dublin government made a deal with both Berlin and London whereby any soldier, sailor or pilot captured on Irish soil, whether of German or Allied forces, would be interned for the duration of the war. What the Irish failed to tell was that they would intern everybody in the same camp. It is here that Canadian pilot Miles Keogh and German pilot Rudolph Von Stegenbeck meet after a fight in which both their planes were downed.
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Awesome Movie
A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."
It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.
I'm an avid history buff - particularly interested in WW2. I did not know until watching this film the first time that Ireland was neutral during WW2. Who knew? Obviously not me.The acting is great and very believable. The scenes are beautiful - right out of an Irish painting - and the plot is engaging. Some very good American and British humor, to boot.Just to be on the safe side, let me warn you that SPOILERS FOLLOW.The only negatives to the film were I found it hard to believe that a British bomber would make it all the way back from a raid over the Continent and overfly England to over Ireland and not realize they weren't still over France. "'Clocks' shot out" or otherwise, that one seemed a bit of a stretch.And, I love a movie where the "guy gets the girl." So, I was disappointed that Miles died and the German Count actually returned after the War to marry Mattie. At least they named their kid "Miles."
Having now seen "The Brylcreem Boys" for the third time, I adore the whole mood and feel of the piece. The subject matter (true, according to a recent article in the UK paper The Guardian) is handled in a way that only a British movie maker can do: with humor and without mawkishness. Suprisingly it was shot on the Isle of Man which just looks beautiful. As for the casting, it has to be one of the best and inspired collections of UK actors to be seen together for at least a decade. Gabriel Byrne gives one of the warmest performances and simply cannot loose his glint in his eye. Bill Campbell nearly steals every scene and for a genuine laugh-out-loud moment (his puzzled line at the escape) Marc Sinden is outstanding! The ensemble work as though they have been a team for years and play off each other in a way that should be a lesson for any aspiring movie actors and yet the majority are well-known Brit stage actors in their own right. A delight!
This is a great little film, with all the ingredients of a good evenings entertainment. It has action and romance blended with humour and Irish music. A wonderful cocktail of true life events set against a fantastic background of Irish scenery. I really enjoyed watching this film and highly recommend it to those who appreciate seeing a good film. The most incredible thing about this film is that it is based on actual events that happened in Ireland. During the second world war, Ireland was neutral and had a Prisoner of War (POW) camp exactly like the one depicted in The Brylcreem Boys. This POW camp was situated 30 miles outside Dublin near a town called Naas, and it housed both Allied and German prisoners of war. This film does a great job in showing how life in the POW camp really was and how the British, American and German prisoners all had to get along together. A fantastic story and really worth seeing portrayed in the film. All the crew and cast involved in the researching, writing and the making of this film deserve a cheer! Well done! All the best from: Monty-46
I've had a chance to see this film and i think that for a war time story its actually quite good. It has a good story and is very easy to follow. The gorgeous Jean Butler Play's her part wonderfully. If you've got a couple of hours free i recommend it.