Truly Dreadful Film

i know i wasted 90 mins of my life.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

"Tumbledown" is yet another film in the list of some of Colin Firth's early works that needs to be made available for viewing in the US, in some fashion, now. I was able to get a copy and it was a revelation to me. Various reviewers here have given excellent account of the entire film and its historical context, so I would like to zero in on the acting of Firth, as Robert Lawrence. Anyone who has an image of Firth only as Mr. Darcy, both "Pride and Prejudice" and "Bridget Jones" versions, being the essence of his acting really needs to try to see this amazing early work of this actor. There are plenty of other examples of the great potential that led to the pinnacle of his success as an actor in "A Single Man" and "The King's Speech", but in this film, he is simply a force of nature. You forget completely that he was not actually a partially paralyzed man. The viewers also need to have conveyed to them the emotions and feelings that can only be done so through the eyes and facial expressions of the actor, and not every actor is as accomplished as Mr. Firth in this regard. He showed, even in his twenties, that not just a great actor was in the making, but was already fully formed.There are wonderful supporting performances in this as well, particularly the Lawrence parents, played by David Calder and Barbara Leigh-Hunt. Their love for their son, mixed with the emotions of needing to let him be in his life, along with the frustration at his circumstances, is beautifully and poignantly portrayed. Note must also be made of a fine performance by Paul Rhys as the good friend of Lawrence, often helpless in the hurricane of emotions that make up his blustery, gung-ho, and eventually badly damaged friend and fellow officer.If one is any sort of fan of Colin Firth, "Tumbledown" is a must-see. Simple as that.I believe this film is still available in the UK on DVD, and US Region copies exist. This viewer is wishing this, along with several of Firth's other films, could be made available in the US. The deeper talents of this actor need to be on equal display with to the lighter fare that originally brought him success in the US.

This was a TV movie done by the BBC in 1988, aired in the UK in 1989 that stirred all sorts of attitudes and drew a lot of flak within the UK. Yet it sticks to the memories of Lt. Lawrence, the Scots Guards officer who came to fight for the Queen and for his country, contributed to final victory at the summit of Mount Tumbledown in the Malvinas (Falklands) Islands, but paid a price higher than being killed: to stay alive, but critically wounded, useless for the Army, and not able to return to the only job he could work in. It showed crudely that 1. The victors did not handle their wounded well, hiding them in indifference and with shame 2. War is war, and far from romantic. The most controversial scene (that the Ministry of Defense tried to delete from the movie by putting pressure on the BBC) shows Lt. Lawrence mercilessly bayoneting a wounded Argentine marine on the hillside. The soldier groans "don't kill me, don't kill me, please.. please... while the killer pushes the bayonet several times, almost sadistically. For the British viewers this was hard to see, as it also portrayed their soldiers as evil in combat with fallen enemy soldiers. 3. It is one of the few movies that recreates faithfully how the Falklands war was fought. Until 2005, there were only two movies with this war as a background. The other one was "Resurrected". In 2005 the movie "Lit by fire" (Iluminados Por El Fuego") told form the Argentine side the way its vets were neglected from society). "Tumbledown showed that the Argentines did fight well despite their limitations (18-year-old draftees with inadequate clothing and shaky morale).

This film is a 'must' to watch. I felt so emotionally overwhelmed and stunned after watching Colin Firths portrayal of Robert Lawrence that I felt the need to put down some of my thoughts and to thoroughly recommend this film to others. Tumbledown was totally absorbing, gripping and a poignant reminder to us all of just how our Soldiers suffered and what they sacrificed during and after the Falklands War. Its brought home to me the realities of the battle and the truth about how the Soldiers and their families coped with the aftermath of Battle and their own 'personal'struggles to recover from and cope with their physical and mental injuries during and after the War.Colin Firths portrayal of Robert Lawrence's was totally captivating and electrifying that one could really relate to and feel the struggle that Robert had gone through to recover from his injuries and his experiences and nightmares of the battle, also it was chilling to watch just how insensitive and distant the Nurses, Doctors,some Senior Officers and people in general were towards our great hero's, their experiences and sufferings in battle and the mental and physical scars they were left with.After watching Tumbledown it just confirms my beliefs further still that Colin Firth is such a natural highly talented, fantastic Character actor and he deserves far more recognition and credit when he plays such roles. It shone through that Colin Firth had thoroughly researched this role and whilst spending time with Robert during filming had got to know and understand the very essence of Roberts character,his sufferings and anger. Colin conveyed all of this to the audience with a natural honesty and sensitivity that was gripping, refreshing and emotive to watch. Also credit must go to David Calder (John Lawrence) and Barbara Leigh-Hunt (Jean Lawrence), they were perfect in their roles as Roberts shocked and distraught Parents upon learning of their sons serious injuries, their love and devotion,hope and despair was very touching and distressing to watch during Roberts recovery and their feelings of outrage, helplessness and disbelief at how Robert was treated by some Medical Staff,some of the Army and members of the Public. This film should be a lesson to us all of how to relate to those of us who are in great need, to treat them with respect, honesty and above all as an equal.Thanks first and foremost to Robert Lawrence for allowing his story to be told, to the writer for such an excellent script and of course thank you to Colin Firth for vividly, emotionally and honestly depicting Robert Lawrences story and character in an unforgettable emotionally moving, thought provoking film. The feelings of this film will stay with me always.

Some background information; in 1982 2nd Bn, the Scots Guards were pulled from public duties (sentry-mounting in London) and sent to the Falkland Islands as part of the Task Force sent to recover it from Argentina. Unprepared as they were, they fought a savage and decisive battle to capture a vital hill, Mount Tumbledown. During the fighting, Lt. Richard Lawrence was very severely wounded.This film alternates sequences from before and after his wounding; the battle, and his long and difficult recovery and convalescence. It has to steer a tricky course around the major pitfalls of british public opinion. There are on one hand, the tabloid-fuelled jingoism of a country involved in a major fight, and on the other hand the subsequent revulsion that such losses were suffered in a squabble for some barren islands several thousand miles from home.The film does highlight the callousness and indifference with which the war's casualties were sometimes treated.The overall story and moral are not new, but their treatment here, with hardly any bad language or earth-shattering battle effects, strikes a more thoughtful note than, say, "Saving PRivate Ryan".