Tolkien Bio-pic

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

And there was much scope for and use of cavalry in the more open campaigns in Russia and the Middle-east. (besides Lawrence's irregular Arab cav, the battle of Beersheba was won in great part by Australian Light Horse).

Well, Tolkien wouldn't have encountered massed enemy cavalry on the Western Front, anyway.

[Galadriel55]

There are a couple examples of cavalry being used in WW2 which was critical to securing the outcome. It had a similar role to the German motorized units and saved some maneuvers when there was a shortage of tech. I'd have to do a little history research to find the specific examples though, don't remember off the top of my head. And anyways these would not be German troops, or ones Tolkien would have seen, or the right timing.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Well, I wouldn't say "shortage of tech" so much as "nonexistence of tech." Automotive technology was at the Model T stage; while there were armored cars they were basically confined to roads and hadn't a prayer in mud or shell-torn ground. Tanks existed, but as of the Somme they were both few and ineffective (and snail-slow).

WWI was a horse-drawn war; even though mounted troops disappeared from the Western Front, all the guns and supply were pulled by old-school horsepower (this actually was true in WWII also, for every army but the US. Yes, including the "mechanized" Germans).

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Oh, sorry: you said WW2. Yes, there were some cavalry that had a niche role. The US 26th Cavalry carried out a successful rearguard action vs the Japanese in the Philippines, covering the retreat into Bataan. Soviet Cossacks proved very effective in raiding German supply lines, especially in winter when most motor vehicles were stuck.

[Rhun charioteer]

I've been looking forward to this, I'm sure it will have its flaws and inaccuracies but I have been waiting for it for a long time.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Rhun charioteer

I've been looking forward to this, I'm sure it will have its flaws and inaccuracies but I have been waiting for it for a long time.

I just hope that any "flaws and inaccuracies" don't cast unwarranted aspersion on the real man's character. Judging figures from the past based upon modern-day sensibilities has become increasingly common.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

I just hope that any "flaws and inaccuracies" don't cast unwarranted aspersion on the real man's character. Judging figures from the past based upon modern-day sensibilities has become increasingly common.

I have heard, and perhaps someone can correct me on this, that the film minimizes or virtually negates Tolkien's Catholicism as an important factor in his upbringing and with the spiritual nature in which he carried those dogmatic tenets through his work and his relationships with the Inklings.

If that were the case, I don't think the terms "flaws and inaccuracies" would span the chasm of incredulity created by such a rift from reality. I am not a religious person, but one has to acknowledge, in Tolkien's case quite forcefully, that Catholicism was a primary motivation of Tolkien's philosophical makeup.