06 Feb The Brylcreem Boys
The Brylcreem Boys, WWII Movie
(1998) During World War II neutral Ireland interned both Allied and Axis servicemen who happened to land in their country. The term “Brylcreem Boys” was a nickname given to the members of the Royal Air Force because of their neat slick hairdos. The product “Brylcreem” is Britain’s own.
What interested me most was that unlike the internees in Sweden, the Allies and the Germans were housed in the same camp. The Swedes discovered very quickly that this was not a good idea and provided totally separate accommodations.
Much like the Swedish internees, these men were let out during the day to go to town and participate in whatever activities were going on. They had to promise not to try to escape, but there were attempts especially by the British who didn’t have to go far.
This movie has been called a romantic comedy. Well, there were many lighthearted moments but the beginning wasn’t funny at all. All in all, I enjoyed watching it.
What was true about the story is that there was a Curragh Camp for internees. That camp is today a training center for the Irish Army. I found an excellent summary of the film and how close the story came to actual events.
There is a beautiful young woman of course. She happens to be Jean Butler who was the original lead dancer in the Irish dance company Riverdance when it opened in Dublin in 1995.
Jean Butler reminded me of Nicole Kidman. And yes, she danced.
The Brylcreem Boys at amazon.com
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