STEPHEN FRY

Hi, this subject has caused a bit of a stir in my home town of Grantham. Richard Todd has voiced some strong opinions about the remake! Guy Gibson was stationed locally at Scampton during the dambuster raids and it was organised in Grantham at St Vincent's, which still stands. I work in a library so 'historical fact' is something I firmly believe in - and it should not be changed. The dog's name should not be changed as it was not aimed at being racial at that time. The racial undertones came much later when society would no longer tolerate these terms used to hurt and offend. I very much doubt the name meant anything other than an endearment in its day. The remake is unacceptable if it messes with fact and personally it will never be as good as the original. If they omit the dog's true name I will boycott the film!!!

Is there any news about The Dambusters? Some reports suggested that it would start filming in 2009, then 2010 and then 2011.

If you are going to change the dog's name where will you stop? Might as well make Guy Gibson and American with a B-17 with an All American crew.

Dog's name is the dogs name. Its on his grave. Now you'll get people visiting Scampton asking for to see Diggers grave and it doesn't exist.

Where does it stop? What if people don't like the name Attila the Hun are we going to change it to Attila the gentleman from Eastern Europe and beyond.

History is fact it's happened and just because we don't like the dog's name does not give us the right to alter history just to be PC.

I believe that "Nigger" was one of the code words for a dam breach so in changing the dog's name you are altering historical fact or are we now having scripts written and approved by the Ministry of Truth?

Don't do it. History is history and altering bits of it to be PC is a downward slippery slope.

I'm a Sqn Ldr in the RAF, have been to war twice and am very sad that our history is considered so shameful that Mr Fry feels he must rewrite it. I once spent an afternoon in the company of David Shannon, one of the raid's pilots; a humbling afternoon likely beyond the understanding of those so feeble of mind that they are offended by the word nigger when used *in context*. It isn't a trivial part of the story, it's not just a dog's name'; 'nigger' was also the code word for the breaching of the mohne. It is **the** climax of the story. I am sorry that some people are offended by the language of 70 years ago. Now dry 'em, princess and watch the film - you might learn something. Unless the idea that hundreds were killed offends someone and SF decides it will be more politically correct to deliberately miss the target altogether and just fly home for breakfast. Better not make the film at all than discredit one of my Service's finest hours.

I'm all for telling history like it was - warts & all, besides we all know what the dog's name was by now, surely?

But since we obviously have to walk on eggshells these days for fear of causing irreparable psychological damage to namby-pamby tree-hugging PC shrinking violets, how about this as a workaround?

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(Through all the build-up, the dog is referred to as 'Niggsy' - allegedly Guy Gibson's nickname for the dog - or not called by name at all; "Here Boy" or "Hello You" would probably suffice.)

Station Commander:

'The Code-word for the Möhne Dam being breached will be "Trigger", and "Dinghy" for the Eder Dam'

Gibson:

'What about using my dog's name Sir?'

S. Com:

'Hmmmm.... Yes, Why not?'

(Some Time Later...)

Scene: Ops room, everybody v. quiet & tense, pall of fag smoke, tea cups everywhere. Close-up of W/T officer. His expression suggests too many dried eggs, that or intense concentration)

Audio: Faint Morse code for N - I - G - G

W/T: (tears off headphones & leaps out of chair)

'It's GONE Sir!!! Look!!' (holds up transcription pad)

Cue general jubilation.

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P.

I have lead such a sheltered existence that M is my first experience of a Troll: a waste of my time.
I have two thoughts: one is that any change of historical or technical fact makes me wonder what else is changed for narative joy. Appollo 13 had the whole #Swaggart has to prove himself: "Well done Jack"# and the #harse words in the LEM# which never happened, as Swaggart was an outstanding pilot who had written most of the emergency procedures for the command module. Sigh. I know: lets allow Elrond to teleport around middle earth to deliver a sword but not to distroy the ring. big SIGH.
My second point is the major: today the idea of deliberately killing factory workers is not PC, and yet Bomber Command made that decision with its saturation bombing. Barnes Wallis offered the 6 and 10 ton bombs and 617 and her sister squadrons showed sufficient accuracy could be achieved to destroy the foundations of a factory. Command's response was that they could not train sufficient crews to such accuracy and that killing workers was more effective than destroying factories. Hmm, this might be taken, wrongly, as an attack on the aircrews. This ability to target just the factory was used in France and since WW2 leading to smart munitions etc.
I would have thought this may, if the positives are displayed in the movie, show the link to modern concerns about collateral damage inaugurated by Barnes Wallis and demonstrated by 617 et al and prove a good reason to refilm an excellent story that does not need a modern version. The SEGWAY would also include the point that 617 were called the 'one mission squadron' until they started flying large bombs. Maybe this would allow for a two part movie that Jackson seems to love.
Third, last minute, point (sorry): a prayer that we dont have 'boy makes good' sub-scripts, Gibson's fiancee is dying etc. Lets hope it is just 'wow these guys are good!'
Ian

The problem is that the original film made such a deal with the dog. People comment on the film rather than on the events at RAF Scampton in 1943. Another concern is will the producers rely on this name-change to promote the film and will it overshadow the true heroics of No.617 Squadron. I fear they will. I would suggest is that instead of changing the dog's name - they simply omit it. I'm happy with that and so will the 1% of the population who might be offended by a dog who died in 1943.

Regarding "speculation", Mr Fry has already stated that there will be a name change. Hopefully he and the producers will see sense. Don't give the dog a name, give him a bone instead.