Barry Lyndon movie fakery.

[ColonialRifleSmith]

Usually Stanley Kubrick is really detail oriented in his movies. That said, I watched Barry Lyndon for the first time in many decades. The scene where Barry is fighting for the Prussian army, he is in a building where they are shooting out of a window, it's hard not to notice the flintlock muskets are actually have trap door actions with a fake flint on the hammer. Also, the (obviously fake) frizzen is open before firing. My wife thought I was going mad since I was laughing so much during that battle scene. Anyone else pick up on this?

My wife hates when I watch supposedly historically based movies. I always pic 'em apart. It drives her crazy. I always look a flintlocks and get a kick out of the one that can fire without reloading or has the frizzen open and the cock doesn't move when the shooter pulls the trigger. Semper Fi.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

My wife hates when I watch supposedly historically based movies. I always pic 'em apart. It drives her crazy. I always look a flintlocks and get a kick out of the one that can fire without reloading or has the frizzen open and the cock doesn't move when the shooter pulls the trigger. Semper Fi.

If I had to choose one thing that irritates me about guns and hollywierd is the fake recoil the "actors" always do.

 

[Sam squanch]

I’ve read John banner and the others made the producers promise to always make the nazis look foolish, or they would quit. John Banner was also in some movies, mostly of the B type.

 

[Eutycus]

If I had to choose one thing that irritates me about guns and hollywierd is the fake recoil the "actors" always do.

Also fake is the victims being keeled over (sometimes doing cartwheels) when shot. Granted they are being hit with some foot pounds but special effects make them look like they are being hit with a cannon. If guns produced that much force the shooters would all have broken shoulders and wrists.Hollywood seems to have a fascination with shotguns, they really make the person being shot fly through the air when hit.

 

[Sam squanch]

“Hello, Bob! Goodbye, Bob! Best buck and 80 cents I ever spent!!

 

[64Springer]

I couldn't get past the bad acting and shut it off in a matter of a few minutes.

What a terrible movie.

I got to the point where he was on his horse paying the tavern girl for a drink of water.

I contacted Amazon about getting those 20 minutes of brain cells back.

No luck.

 

[64Springer]

...but had no problem wearing a Wehrmacht uniform??? That doesn't seem plausible to me.

Wehrmacht uniforms don't travel at 2,600 FPS and tear through flesh and bone.

 

[Coinneach]

Wasn't the 17th Indiana (also known as Wilder's Lightning Brigade or the Hatchet Brigade) equipped with Spencers?

From what I read it was, they were issued with Spencer Rifles rather than Carbines, and were organised as Mounted Infantry rather than Cavalry.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe they were the only Brigade size formation to be equipped with Spencers.

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

Concerning the Krag rifle in Hogan's Heros, the german army could easily have had Krags, not the U.S. 30-40s but the actual Danish or Norwegian ones. They would have issued as second tier weapons.

 

[Iron Jim Rackham]

Barry Lyndon is, arguably, the most beautiful movie ever "painted". Every shot is a masterpiece. It's a slow movie but, it was a "slow" century. It was the last "handmade" century. Every item, of everyday life was made by hand. 18th century Britons moved at the same speed as 1st century Britons. They travelled as fast as they could walk, run, ride or sail. No bicycles, locomotives, cars or planes. It was a slow century. It would be tough to make a "fast moving" flick about a slow historical period. It's not a Hollywood western, or a Spielberg spectacular. It's a very beautiful movie about unlikeable people behaving badly...while maintaining a facade of fashionable etiquette. The duels and battle scenes are great and the concert brawl is fascinating, not least because it illustrates that beneath the fine clothes and manners, you've got some passionate flesh and blood people who can't always behave like ladies and gentlemen. The movie does a great job of illustrating the convenient fictions that holds society together, and ultimately the futility of all human activity. As stated in the films epilogue:
"It was in the reign of George III (and 2nd) that the aforesaid personages lived and quarreled; good or bad, handsome or ugly, rich or poor, they are all equal now."

Much like muzzleloading, Barry Lyndon is an acquired taste. Muzzleloading isn't ultimately about speed, or accuracy but of taste. I like muzzleloaders because of their style. Muzzleloaders are the least accurate and least efficient firearms I own, but they are also the most stylish. I can't explain muzzleloading to someone who doesn't appreciate it, any more than I can explain the beauty of Barry Lyndon. You either love them or you don't. Unfortunately, we live in an age that no longer accepts dueling as an acceptable means of conflict resolution, otherwise I'd be happy to settle the matter with sword or pistol.

 

[64Springer]

How about a Barry Lyndon sequel.

Call it Behry Lyndon.

A movie about watching paint dry.

In keeping with the 18th century theme, colonial colors would be used.

 

[RAEDWALD]

Ryan O’Neal was far too ‘nice’ and colourless for the role of a rogue. Now Leonard Rossiter as Captain John Quin was outstanding. As usual.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

As stated in the films epilogue:
"It was in the reign of George III (and 2nd) that the aforesaid personages lived and quarreled; good or bad, handsome or ugly, rich or poor, they are all equal now."

Indeed, we all are "equal" in the end.

 

[64Springer]

Indeed, we all are "equal" in the end.

Not at all true.

Even in death a few are raised to mythical status.

While the majority of the dead simply rot in their graves.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

Not at all true.

Even in death a few are raised to mythical status.

While the majority of the dead simply rot in their graves.

Still, do we not all return to dust? In one, two generations maybe, we are forgotten for the most part. Unfortunately, myths usually become stories of people who never existed with the constant retelling.

Edit: Imagine the above words being spoken by Reverend Runt during his funeral discourse.

 

[Felonious]

....
Most of the available "flintlock" prop guns were those trap door guns. Made it easier for the armorers to provide blank cartridges.....

Imagine having to do 10-20 takes of a scene with multiple ML's. They would need an entire crew just to reload.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I have a bad habit of pointing out historical inaccuracies of firearms in movies. At least those that were Black Powder.

Several decades ago, I watched the Sante Fe trail with Ronald Reagan. They were storming the Harper’s Ferry Arsenal taken over by Abolitionist, John Brown. In their hands were Colt Peacemakers instead of the 1858 Army Revolver which would have been the Officer’s sidearm in 1859 when this took place. The giveaway was the cartridge extractor!

Most recently, was in “The Men Who Built America Series: Frontiersmen.” At the Battle of San Pasqual, John C. Fremont and a young Kit Carson are engaged in a battle with the Mexican Army near present-day San Diego. One scene shows a Flintlock Rifle, another a Civil War Percussion Musket, then back to the Flintlock.

Walt

1858 Army revolver?

If you mean the Remington New Model Army, it wouldn’t actually be produced for several more years. 1858 is just the patent date.

They would have been carrying Colt Navy’s most likely, or Dragoons.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

Imagine having to do 10-20 takes of a scene with multiple ML's. They would need an entire crew just to reload.

I was impressed with the French skirmish line. They had to have scrounged several hundred guns for that scene.

 

[Coinneach]

Barry Lyndon is, arguably, the most beautiful movie ever "painted". Every shot is a masterpiece. It's a slow movie but, it was a "slow" century. It was the last "handmade" century. Every item, of everyday life was made by hand. 18th century Britons moved at the same speed as 1st century Britons. They travelled as fast as they could walk, run, ride or sail. No bicycles, locomotives, cars or planes. It was a slow century. It would be tough to make a "fast moving" flick about a slow historical period. It's not a Hollywood western, or a Spielberg spectacular. It's a very beautiful movie about unlikeable people behaving badly...while maintaining a facade of fashionable etiquette. The duels and battle scenes are great and the concert brawl is fascinating, not least because it illustrates that beneath the fine clothes and manners, you've got some passionate flesh and blood people who can't always behave like ladies and gentlemen. The movie does a great job of illustrating the convenient fictions that holds society together, and ultimately the futility of all human activity. As stated in the films epilogue:
"It was in the reign of George III (and 2nd) that the aforesaid personages lived and quarreled; good or bad, handsome or ugly, rich or poor, they are all equal now."

Much like muzzleloading, Barry Lyndon is an acquired taste. Muzzleloading isn't ultimately about speed, or accuracy but of taste. I like muzzleloaders because of their style. Muzzleloaders are the least accurate and least efficient firearms I own, but they are also the most stylish. I can't explain muzzleloading to someone who doesn't appreciate it, any more than I can explain the beauty of Barry Lyndon. You either love them or you don't. Unfortunately, we live in an age that no longer accepts dueling as an acceptable means of conflict resolution, otherwise I'd be happy to settle the matter with sword or pistol.

Thank you sir for an excellent synopsis and rationale, one of my long term friends here is a retired Army Aviation Pilot who flew Blackhawk choppers, he's also a ML disciple.
Ol Petes explanation was that in this era we're overdosed on high tech and the insistence on faster, bigger bang; increased performance etc; but it can only be addictive for a finite period in our lives, before a reasonably intelligent guy steps back and readjusts his mindset.
Thats when Pete, I and others of our ilk discovered the secret of simplicity and aesthetics in old world Firearms, our beloved ML's have the warmth and hand craved intimacy of natural Wood, the metal fittings are married into it for both visual effect and practical use.

Everything has to be carefully hand done in loading for the long arm to operate, there's only 1 shot fired before it all has to be loaded again (often swabbed out every couple of shots or so).
The sound, sight and smell of BP smoke and our dirtied hands, are a relationship intimacy with what is an artistic creation, no less than a Violin player but decisively deadly in the right hands; can there ever be such a more unique harmony of sorts ?

It demands a personal readjustment both in time and commitment, contrary to the throw away "I want it to work now" society we're forced to tolerate nowadays.
I've come to believe that those of us who've adopted those wonderful "primitive" instruments of powder and ball, have realised a primeval truth affecting our existence. There are some "things" that personally enrich us with their honest simplicity requiring slow time, and hands on effort.
For me personally its the escape and haven I need these days.

 

[Coinneach]

Ryan O’Neal was far too ‘nice’ and colourless for the role of a rogue. Now Leonard Rossiter as Captain John Quin was outstanding. As usual.

Agreed, O'Neal was always the pretty boy in movies and miscast in Barry Lyndon, IMHO O'Neal like T Cruise could only ever "act" himself in any role.