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26-03-2019, 02:32 PM
1

Peterloo

Has anyone seen this film? I missed it when it out in the cinema but have just watched it on DVD. It's set in and around Manchester just after the battle of Waterloo. The infamous 'Corn Laws' were in place and people were starving on the street. The film opens with groups of people meeting in the hopes of taking a petition to Parliament to have the corn laws repealed. This develops into dissatisfaction with government in general, the unfair representation in Parliament of the working man in particular - and demands for a 'one man one vote'.

I found it excellent and appalling at the same time.

Excellent - as it drew my attention to a period of history I knew little about. The acting, screenplay, and locations were all superb. Maxine Peake was brilliant.

Appalling - as it also showed - in gory detail - the 15th Hussars charge - with sabres drawn - against unarmed men, women and children present at a 'hustings'. 15 were killed and hundreds injured - their escape routes being blocked by infantry with bayonets at the ready.

Man's inhumanity to his fellow man - sadly, nothing changes!
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26-03-2019, 03:59 PM
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Re: Peterloo

I want to point out something that needs to be said for the sake of historical accuracy. The brutality displayed in the film really did occur. But there is something that also needs to be said. The ruling classes of the time had observed with horror what had happened during and immediately after the French Revolution with the frequent use of the guillotine. They were convinced that all opposition must be immediately crushed or they would undoubtedly be met with the fate. All dissent was ferociously suppressed for a whole generation. I am not saying that this excuses the behaviour at Peterloo but it does help to explain it.
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26-03-2019, 08:44 PM
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Re: Peterloo

Yes, I agree, and it was mentioned a couple of times in the film, Mr Magoo, but it was also made clear that the people meeting on St Peter's field were unarmed.

It was certainly a film to make one think!
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26-03-2019, 09:16 PM
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Re: Peterloo

Originally Posted by Silver Tabby ->
Has anyone seen this film? I missed it when it out in the cinema but have just watched it on DVD. It's set in and around Manchester just after the battle of Waterloo. The infamous 'Corn Laws' were in place and people were starving on the street. The film opens with groups of people meeting in the hopes of taking a petition to Parliament to have the corn laws repealed. This develops into dissatisfaction with government in general, the unfair representation in Parliament of the working man in particular - and demands for a 'one man one vote'.

I found it excellent and appalling at the same time.

Excellent - as it drew my attention to a period of history I knew little about. The acting, screenplay, and locations were all superb. Maxine Peake was brilliant.

Appalling - as it also showed - in gory detail - the 15th Hussars charge - with sabres drawn - against unarmed men, women and children present at a 'hustings'. 15 were killed and hundreds injured - their escape routes being blocked by infantry with bayonets at the ready.

Man's inhumanity to his fellow man - sadly, nothing changes!
Not just the Corn Laws (which benefited rich land-owners), but also for political reform. The working classes didn't have any representation in Parliament as they were not entitled to vote at that time and working class men didn't get suffrage until 1918 after the WW1 along with women over 30 years of age, who were householders or married to a householder or lived in rented properties of over £5 per annum.
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26-03-2019, 09:37 PM
5

Re: Peterloo

Originally Posted by Silver Tabby ->
This develops into dissatisfaction with government in general, the unfair representation in Parliament of the working man in particular - and demands for a 'one man one vote'.
Originally Posted by Judd ->
Not just the Corn Laws (which benefited rich land-owners), but also for political reform. The working classes didn't have any representation in Parliament as they were not entitled to vote at that time and working class men didn't get suffrage until 1918 after the WW1 along with women over 30 years of age, who were householders or married to a householder or lived in rented properties of over £5 per annum.
I did mention that , Judd. I was jumped on in another thread where I said people were killed in their struggle for the right to vote - but this film just proves I was right.

This was never taught in our history lessons in school - but I really think it should be. It is too easy to take our voting rights for granted and become complacent.
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27-03-2019, 01:08 AM
6

Re: Peterloo

Originally Posted by Silver Tabby ->
I did mention that , Judd. I was jumped on in another thread where I said people were killed in their struggle for the right to vote - but this film just proves I was right.

This was never taught in our history lessons in school - but I really think it should be. It is too easy to take our voting rights for granted and become complacent.
It was taught at our school as part of our Social and Industrial History course charting the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the struggles to get the vote for ordinary people, culminating in the ill-fated general strike of 1926.

For this reason, I think it's extremely important to cast your vote at elections because the privilege was hard come by.

Can't see why you were jumped on for mentioning the deaths and injustices meted out in the struggle to get the vote. It is all true.
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27-03-2019, 07:06 AM
7

Re: Peterloo

I haven't seen it Tabs but I'll look out for it later...I love historical drama.
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27-03-2019, 07:49 AM
8

Re: Peterloo

Originally Posted by Judd ->
It was taught at our school as part of our Social and Industrial History course charting the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the struggles to get the vote for ordinary people, culminating in the ill-fated general strike of 1926.

For this reason, I think it's extremely important to cast your vote at elections because the privilege was hard come by.

Can't see why you were jumped on for mentioning the deaths and injustices meted out in the struggle to get the vote. It is all true.
Judd: You are lucky - we seemed to be stuck forever on the evils of the Tudors in general, Henry VIII in particular- but then it was an RC school. Personally, I don't think Henry was such a bad king - as kings go.

Summer: Yes, do try to see it if you can. It is a remarkable film.
 

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