
I know that some people get really annoyed by mis-representation by American film-makers of the British. I can see if you're a veteran then it's a bit insulting. However, stuff like getting the places wrong in London or giving us bad accents really doesn't worry me. In fact, I tend to find it amusing. However, that changed this weekend when I watched Finding Neverland.
There is a brief cricket scene in it, the wrongness of which really annoyed me. J.M. Barrie is at a cricket match. Part way through the scene, the film shows a shot of the action where the batsman is clean bowled. The bowler appeals "Howzat!!!" and the umpire shakes his head no. Everyone celebrates and the batsman is out.
It's so friggin' stupid because:
1) If a player is clean bowled, you don't have to appeal. He's out.
2) Even if you do make some ironic appeal, maybe to rub it in to the hapless batsman, the umpire isn't going to say not out.
3) If the umpire does give him not out, why does the fielding team still celebrate and the batsman still walk?
I'm guessing that most people watching won't understand cricket (or, more likely, care), but may be able to gather that if the ball hits the stumps, the batsman is out. In addition, the "Howzat" cry is perhaps a quirk of the game that is also recognisable. Therefore the filmakers have included this sporting anomaly to satisfy the perception of the game of cricket. It's rubbish.
Thankfully I had calmed down enough to watch a second DVD this weekend, the superb City of God. Mrs P gave up after 1min 23 seconds due to the cutting of heads off chickens, which is a new record for her.
2 comments:
Seeing that sport rarely rears it head on this blog, can I just say "Well Done" Everton on beating Arsenal - that was some result. And I think you'll agree that if Utd had to beat anyone in the last minute, it's best that that someone is Liverpool.
A superb set of words, GP...
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