Making Movies

Since first hearing the story of HMS India and then reading Arnold’s letters, I have felt that there was not only a book to be written but also a movie in it. The story seems to have so many areas of interest. It has war and the emotional and personal stories attached to it. There is a torpedo attack and a shipwreck in the treacherous North Sea. There are sad losses but triumphant survivors. There is the heart-breaking decision of what to do with the rescued men and the subsequent interment. But the stories don’t stop there. Once the men are interned there are the positive stories of love, there are amusing scenes of the internees putting on variety nights and dances and sports days. The stories of life inside the camp also include a daring escape, a man’s descent into madness, conflict between guards and interned men and conflict between officers and men. There are also scenes of men building railways in the Norwegian mountains and the stories of them trying to live with Norwegian families. There were men who met the loves of their lives and those who had wartime romances. There were the men who were pining for the women and families that they had left behind. And all of this in the picturesque setting of Gudbrandsdalen valley in Norway.

And the wonderful thing is that not only do we have photographs, formal reports, and word of mouth stories but we also have Arnold’s amazing letters that tell of the smaller details of 39 months of internment. I can see the pictures in my mind however I am no script writer! I have done the years of research but not the specific talent to turn the wealth of information I have into a script. I also have no idea how to find someone to help me! I have no connections in the movie business. So, for now, I will keep plugging my book and trying to get the story told and maybe, just maybe, somewhere along the line, I will meet the right person and Arnold’s and the crew of HMS India’s story will make it to the big screen!

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