Beyond the Lines
The opening sequence of this film swoops across an old am and students studying World War II may recognise the names of the Normandy landing beaches.
It is to here that we are taken, first we see the eye of a scared soldier and then a group of soldiers huddled together on transport vessels ready for battle. Once discharged they race up the beach – it is at this point that we realise that something isn’t quite right.
Two young boys are caught up in the battle surrounded by pale, paper-faced soldiers.
There are clues for the viewer to hint that the war is not actually being played out for real as there are artefacts which jar with the setting.
They race towards him and take cover before witnessing the horrors of war at close hand.
Papers flutter to the ground around the fallen men, are these the letters to their loved ones? More death and destruction is witnessed before a figure swoops across the boys and the scene fades to black.
We soon realise that the boys are safe and in the attic with their grandfather. They had been alone reading letters.
There are some possibilities here about the significance of the letters:
It is to here that we are taken, first we see the eye of a scared soldier and then a group of soldiers huddled together on transport vessels ready for battle. Once discharged they race up the beach – it is at this point that we realise that something isn’t quite right.
Two young boys are caught up in the battle surrounded by pale, paper-faced soldiers.
There are clues for the viewer to hint that the war is not actually being played out for real as there are artefacts which jar with the setting.
- The paper soldiers,
- Grammarphone,
- Child’s trike,
- Toy truck,
- Television
- Playing cards,
- Garden furniture
- Suitcase.
They race towards him and take cover before witnessing the horrors of war at close hand.
Papers flutter to the ground around the fallen men, are these the letters to their loved ones? More death and destruction is witnessed before a figure swoops across the boys and the scene fades to black.
We soon realise that the boys are safe and in the attic with their grandfather. They had been alone reading letters.
There are some possibilities here about the significance of the letters:
- They are the grandfather’s letters showing what he witnessed during the war;
- His chest says that he was the quartermaster. Perhaps these letters were left with him whilst their owners went off and were killed. All that is left of them is the letters. Is this why they are portrayed as paper men in the animation?
Teaching Ideas
- Discuss how the men on the boat would have been feeling as they huddled on the boat on their way to their impending doom.
- Think about how to develop a piece of writing that reveals that all is not what it seems; introducing the boys and giving clues about the soldiers.
- Create setting descriptions of the battleground and also of a contrasting place and compare the use of specific vocabulary such as colour and mood.
- Write a first person narrative through the eyes of one of the children, one of the unknown soldiers or 'young' Grandad.
- Create a third person narrative retelling the story as we see it on the film.
- Discuss the meaning of the paper men.
- Write letters home from the front to their loved ones. (Doesn't need to be a sweetheart)
- The film allows for discussion about the impact of war over time.
