This may be a testament to the small number of anti-war films I have watched, but this is the only film (I can't think of a broad enough term) I have ever watched where I truly felt at the visceral, emotional level that war is evil and insane. Most anti-war movies I have seen leave me thinking "Yeah, war is stupid", but they don't make me feel that way - emotionally I feel nothing. After watching Goodbyeee, however, that is exactly how I felt.
Satire has long been the most effective way of conveying a political message. Certainly, this episode pulls out all the stops, from its comical depiction of Field Marshal Haig to Lieutenant George's inability to present a case for the war. Remarkably, despite being absolutely hilarious, these do not really contribute to the pacifist message of the episode.
Rather, it is the honest and simple characterisation of the protagonists as they prepare for their end that really builds the case against the insanity of war. Lieutentant George's simple but heartfelt admission that "I'm scared" and Blackadder's parting comment about nobody noticing "another madman around here" - these are the simple but surprisingly effective elements that prepare the viewer for the final (and again, surprisingly touching) sequence as the men go over the top.
I think that this truly shows the brilliance of the cast and producers - their ability to effectively combine comedy, sarcastic wit, snide asides, and a serious message into an effective episode that succeeds both at making people laugh and feel the horror of war. The final scene, with the men fruitlessly charging and the sombre adaptation of the theme song playing over it, remains the only depiction on screen I have ever seen that made me feel the real futility of war.
I'm not a pacifist, and never have been - but I've always known that war is a foolish and insane thing. Goodbyeee didn't have to convince me of that on an intellectual level - but it did convince me of that truth on an emotional level, and for that alone, it is the best episode of the Blackadder series. (Oh, and did I mention that it's absolutely hilarious as well?) Ten out of ten, and a job well done, with brass knobs on, as Lieutenant George might say.
Satire has long been the most effective way of conveying a political message. Certainly, this episode pulls out all the stops, from its comical depiction of Field Marshal Haig to Lieutenant George's inability to present a case for the war. Remarkably, despite being absolutely hilarious, these do not really contribute to the pacifist message of the episode.
Rather, it is the honest and simple characterisation of the protagonists as they prepare for their end that really builds the case against the insanity of war. Lieutentant George's simple but heartfelt admission that "I'm scared" and Blackadder's parting comment about nobody noticing "another madman around here" - these are the simple but surprisingly effective elements that prepare the viewer for the final (and again, surprisingly touching) sequence as the men go over the top.
I think that this truly shows the brilliance of the cast and producers - their ability to effectively combine comedy, sarcastic wit, snide asides, and a serious message into an effective episode that succeeds both at making people laugh and feel the horror of war. The final scene, with the men fruitlessly charging and the sombre adaptation of the theme song playing over it, remains the only depiction on screen I have ever seen that made me feel the real futility of war.
I'm not a pacifist, and never have been - but I've always known that war is a foolish and insane thing. Goodbyeee didn't have to convince me of that on an intellectual level - but it did convince me of that truth on an emotional level, and for that alone, it is the best episode of the Blackadder series. (Oh, and did I mention that it's absolutely hilarious as well?) Ten out of ten, and a job well done, with brass knobs on, as Lieutenant George might say.