2:30 I have been searching everywhere, but I've never been able to find an answer. Does anyone happen to know what song the Gordon Highlanders are singing as they march past Wellington in this scene? It gets cut off in this video, but you hear a little more of it in the film.
People often forget about Wellington.....but he was an awesome general. At Assaye he turned a 100,000 men into a rout, with just 5000. Probably the only general who could have defeated Napoleon.
Plummer was the perfect cast as Wellington as he plays the role to stunning perfection and alongside his roles Captain Von Trap and General Chang was one of his most memorable performances as an actor.
Wellington is still correct. The scum of the earth will fight for Britain, given the chance to protect their nation. Not for Wellington or the aristocrats of today, but because this is their only home. Diversity is not a strength, its a lie they have been sold.
I quite like Rupert Everett as an actor but, his portrayal of Wellington in that dogs breakfast of a movie by Scott compared to Christopher Plummers portrayal was an abysmal embarrassment. Like wise Joachim Phoenix’s parody of Napoleon contrasted to Rod Steiger doesn’t hold a candle to it. Ridley would have done himself and his reputation a favour if he hadn’t bothered to make that farce misnamed Napoleon.
Held back the British army for Years after the Napoleonic Wars. As you can see I am not a Wellington fan. To me the Duke of Marlbough was a better general. I feel he had to remain on the defense at Waterloo because the best troops were in America or demobed.
Music - See the conquering hero comes - Duchess of Richmonds Ball, she did ask said if he said no she would not ask further no explanations necessary. He said You may have your Ball. "Class"
One tiny thing that just elevates this performance that little much more is just the physical look of Plummer. Specifically, his nose. Now, it's hardly meant as an insult at all, but Plummer had a rather prominent nose, just as the Duke of Wellington did. In fact, his men affectionately referred to him as "Old Nosey!" Just those tiny, unmentioned things are what I love about movies like this.
"nothing but scum and beggars" The opinion was widely shared in England, because the service conditions were appalling, and enrolling was voluntary: this meant that only the poorest and desperate accepted the harsh living conditions and discipline of soldiers. Wellington used to disparage his own armies, and he wrote the one he commanded at Waterloo was the worst of them all.
4:35 Fun fact: This was Uxbridge's first time serving under Wellington, because a few years before he ran away with the wife of Wellingtons brother. He might have commanded cavalry in Spain, but was rejected because of the history.
Command of the cavalry of the British army in Spain went instead to Sir Stapleton Cotton, but many officers in the cavalry still thought Uxbridge would have been superior. The other option, if he had lived past Salamanca, was John Le Marchant, the pioneer of the excellent 1796 Light Cavalry sword, many combat innovations for the cavalry, and founder of Britain's first officer academies, which later combined into RMC Sandhurst (which still exists today). Sir Cotton, later elevated to Lord Combermere, later went on to serve as CinC in India and led the army that successfully took the 'impregnable' fortress of Bharatpur.
