My favorite scene!! Watch it over and over.

Me too and the poster.

This scene is THE moment of the film. I sincerely wish Nolan would do a sequal about the Air Battle of Britain.

Not on your own NeilPower!

I wish they didnt paint it as the civilian sailors going 100%, irl mostly didnt the civilian boats get requisitioned instead?

Well said.

It wasn't just French and German.

The irony being that if large portions of France hadn't refused to fight or been awaiting the germans arrival it would never have got that bad

@@scrubsrc4084 That's easy to say when you live at peace 80 years after the facts. 100K French soldiers died in 1940 trying to fight the Germans, that's 1/3 of the American casualties throughout all the War, just for a month of fighting. Please don't make strategies from the bottom of your couch, war is not only mere attack, defensive strategies are known since the Greek and Romans, & don't forget that they knew in 1940 what blind attacks meant, and it reminded them of Verdun and all the butcheries of WW1. You also don't know what would have happened if the French army had fought until the end (and here "end" is synonym of "death"). It's also probable that the entire army would have been destroyed, the whole country invaded, possibly no back up for the English flight across the Channel, and it would have changed all the events of 44-45. Many more people would have died for probably the same results.

@@d_y4998 having 30% more available troops would make a hell of a difference. I'm making statements from a few of education not my arm chair

And the fact that many of these amateurs sacrificed their lives in the effort makes the whole thing heroic.

I expect relief was the most important feeling at that point - pride would come later.

Hell 3 Luxury liners even participated

Most of the Little Ships were actually crewed by Royal Navy sailors during Operation Dynamo. Some, such as fishing vessels, were crewed by their owners, but most were not.

@@brycepatties this was one part of the film where I wish it would have been more accurate. Almost all of the vessels were crewed by Royal Navy sailors or Royal Fleet Auxiliary sailors. Even the fishing boats that participated the crews were immediately sworn in as RFA sailors.

You can still take a boat ride on one of them, the Yorkshire Belle

I believe. that the New Britainic is also available for rides....

This movie was that chance for them 😭

They're also the only vessels permitted to fly a certain version of the St George's cross flag, indicating they took part in the the evacuation process.

I went on a boat tour around the Docks in Portsmouth a few years ago, after a few minutes i noticed a plaque on the cabin door of this little boat, it said this tiny boat had taken part in the Dunkirk evacuations, this little boat had about twenty people onboard and it was crowded, and yet it went over to help out, i was stunned, and then i cried.

I wonder how many in that audience could say that their grandparent took part?

@@toddkes5890 my grandad was there. Royal Scots Fusiliers. my mum still has the medal on her wall. update: actually found out recently that not only was he there but he was also a member of the garrision at Le Paradis. the garrison told to stand and fight in the face of the german advance. they held for three days, buying enough time for operation dynamo to come into effect. if i could even be half the man he was i would be more than content

There is something incredibly moving and wonderful about the quiet, silent bravery and courage that the most common of people have, in that they will step up to help in a time of need. They aren't soldiers, sailors, or trained emergency responders, but they step forward selflessly anyway, because they know it's the right thing to do, and they want to help.

I´m a German and it allways brings tears to my Eyes to see how brave those civillians were. Thank God that the Allies won the war!

@@thomasdietz6954 Now we may have to fight a new one...and this time America will be the enemy emerging. At least I hope not.

You only say that because we've lived through decades of good times. People are soft, selfish, and look for small things to offend them. Now that they've brought on the hard times, we'll soon see men of character again. A lot of them will be KIA, but we'll soon see men of character again.

During the 9/11 attack in NYC, many people who owned boats in both New York and New Jersey sailed over to evacuate people. It looked very similar to what happened at Dunkirk. Despite how different we may be today from 80 years ago, we are still human and we will always come together in times of crisis

we did. the doctors and nurses during Covid. all our troops fighting in Afghanistan e Falklands. I was a Police officer. retired now. loads of character in our young, dont you worry about that.

@@stevenschnepp576 no women of character then? I beg to differ.

@@mariahoulihan9483 Not amongst the women getting snippy about English's use of the plural masculine to refer to both genders. I'm sorry language isn't "inclusive" enough for you. Might I suggest you pick a different one and stop bothering those of us who couldn't care less about your feelings?

Also just the community, caring about the guys

to be fair this scene is kinda bs since almost all the boats were commissioned and piloted by the navy there were hardly any civilians involved in this operation

so patriotic they ran away from the germans and endangered all of England

@@logana1999 What the F**K are you talking about - that was the entire British Army. Saving them was vital to the survival of Britain and to taking the war back to Germany in the future. The navy was going to be occupied keeping food supplies coming in, the air force to keeping the enemy air force and bombers at bay. If the British army had been lost then pressure in parliament and abroad means we would have had to surrender. The miracle of Dunkirk mean't we stayed in the war - we also rescued over a hundred thousand French soldiers as well

@@logana1999 yeah, it is patriotic to be cornered and let the Germans slaughter or capture the only hope for Europe at the time. You are an idiot and thankfully not a military strategist.

I saw some Mothers on those little ships. Awesome.

@@julieenslow5915 Yes and almost certainly that's genuine, the ladies of Britain at the time were a hard breed, many had lost brothers, fathers, or husbands just 20 years before and the great depression had hit Britain as hard as anywhere. The line I used however is a quote, from a biography on Churchill call "The Last Lion" that I read a long time ago

@@Gabryal77 It did sound like a quote and a beautiful one. Thanks for the information I will add that book to my list.

For the children. No higher duty.

Grace Skerp Perfect

That story always makes me quite tearful, particularly as a sailor. What Lightoller did, I can think of no greater example of an act of atonement.

thanks for the information, it gives a powerful new light to the story. Imagine how they must have been terrified all the civilians.... this is the same Sea that sunk the Imperial Spanish Fleet on its way to invade England...(the biggest fleet ever assembled until WW2 Day)

“Let it never be said that I do not know how to fill a boat.”

@@Dan3million I believe he also did a little spying before war broke out.

@@anthonybanchero3072 Correct, he used the Sundowner for espionage operations

it takes a special kind of courage for a civilian to sail towards danger and horror while everyone else is sailing away

Absolutely brilliant and true words, Kim.

Most of the little ships of Dunkirk were crewed by Royal Navy sailors, though some were piloted by civilians.

@@AnikaJarlsdottr if I were one of the soldiers, there is nothing that would boost my morale more than seeing literally what I'm fighting to protect

That is why those men and all those people you listen to me did what they did. Those were their sons their brothers their husbands their nephews and they knew they HAD to do it.

What happened_

@@bradywilliams9924 They were sunk by bombers, minefields, German Army long range artillery, etc....

Brave civilians, God rest their souls.

@@geoffreymowbray6789 dam.

Amazing acts of bravery....

Respect!

@tincho He was one of the soldiers on the beach. He knew that as long as they got to Dunkirk the Royal Navy would get them home to safety.

That is beautiful.

@oneraceonedestiny you live in denial. Your soldiers died so your country could be handed away to foreigners. Pathetic.

Respect

Mine to mister

I hear you. My grandfather was liberated from Bergen Belsen concentration camp, he was a POW there. I didn’t know him. I feel a deep gratitude for the liberating troops and feel emotional if I hear references to it. I wouldn’t be here.

My great great grandfather survived as well, he helped the wounded get out, after he came back he didn’t speak much of it

Same mate 🇬🇧

Some of his surviving compatriots attended the premiere. They said it was louder than the real thing.

The smallest recorded of the "Little Ships" was the fishing boat *Tamzine* at fourteen feet, seven and a half inches; she looks like a stereotypical rowboat, but did in fact have a sail. She is preserved in the Imperial War Museum at Duxford to this day.

Desiree Arceneaux debunked

The West is the Best it shows you the determination us Brits we’re willing to go to bring our men home

The West is the Best Damn, that shows how dedicated they were to get their men home, the Brits are amazing

Folks, whatever the size of the little ship - it was an awesome moment, one we can all admire and the Brits can be proud to have done. I knew the history, but seeing this brought me to tears. This was real.

Because it was. The man who planned the Dunkirk evacuation back in Dover Castle was an Royal Navy by the name of Bertram Ramsey.... Ironically he had retired a couple years earlier but Churchill called him back and installed him at that headquarters. He and his staff ran that evacuation I believe for 9 days and 9 nights without with very little rest or sleep. If I remember the story correctly after they completed everything and got everyone back he went to report to the prime Minister and the King. King George VI himself said to Admiral Ramsey that he had delivered a miracle to England. Sadly Admiral Ramsey did not live to see the end of the war he died in a plane crash about 8 months before the end just after D-Day.

I was impressed at the fact Christopher Nolan used very little dialogue. With the superb actors, there was no need for lots of dialogue. Kenneth Brannagh was superb

You can see tears in his eyes, i don't believe they were there because he was acting, i think his emotions kicked in, as they would for many of us Britons. And for many of us it wasn't just Mr Brannagh saying, "Home". Up until then you could hear a few notes from Nimrod, It was when he said Home it became unmistakable. Nimrod. That is when i lost it in the cinema, i admit, i cried.

Its Hans Zimmer. Did you expect any less? 😁😁

@@dwisetyogustiarilaksono1160 Elgar probably deserves some thanks also?

@@dwisetyogustiarilaksono1160 It's NIMROD from Elgar's Enigma variations :)

@@jodaandjedi And just about destroyed as it's SO slow.

At least he got to rescue at least some brits from the water in his life

@@randomzville9662 His son, the one on the boat with him, died in 1945, during a German raid from the Channel Islands.

The yacht that the movie follows was inspired by his story interestingly.

Lightoller an often forgotten hero. Man was a legend

When some of those he rescued found his claim to fame there was an amount of negative muttering. THe majority reply being .- "Well you're always welcome to swim back to Blighty!"

You're right. That's the beauty of being a human. We make mistakes and something beautiful comes from them.

Not sad. Hopeful. When times are darkest, people will still light a candle.

The best and worst of humanity was on display for the world to see during the Second World War.

always

It needs to be night for stars to shine

No, you mean you're not English.

@@davidhumphrey2593 i'm ukrainian. And that did

As a German I only shread a tear about Hitlers naivety to stop the tanks before Dunkirk

No, he is a German lol

@@davidhumphrey2593 I'm not english and I cry every time I watch this scene.

Agreed my friend agreed.........btw rip to all those 450,000 British and 1,000,000 French soldiers protecting their homeland

No, it's misleading and very confusing: It switches from day to night and back without rhyme or reason and one character appears to be in two places at once. Plus apparently the RAF consisted of two spitfires.

sandra wise directors make movie the way they want to.

sandra wise two spitfires with the unlimited ammo cheat switched on

@@maggiesmith856 cinematic masterpieces don't really appeal to simpletons

Fictional though, what a shame

@@peterdemkiw3280 what do you mean fictional Dunkirk happened during ww2 or are you referring to something else

@@lunabobles4526 it is true there was an evacuation of 26,000 men a day (1/3 of them French) from the port of Dunkirk, but this film is almost entirely fictional.

@@lunabobles4526 150 German bombers bombed the beach every 20 minutes from drawn to dusk weather permitting every day.. where was that? Over 5,000 ships were fighting a naval battle, including anti submarine warfare from aircraft. The complete town of Dunkirk was on fire with only the town hall still standing.. Do you see where I'm going with this?? The film called Dunkirk has the dates and the name of the post correct almost everything else is fictional.

@@lunabobles4526 no French soldiers were dressing up as British to escape, 1/3 of the men taken off the beach were French so the story of the French guy.. fictional. Germans snipping soldiers.. fictional, the Germans never got close enough to have direct fire onto the beach, so that little story was fictional.. Spitfire landing on a clean beach, No wire or anti landing craft obstacles.. What part of the west coast of fortress Europe was that little bit of fiction supposed to have happened?

That is legendary.

Lovley place aswell Looks over all of dover

Looking back, it seems incredible that this war happened without computers. Yes, there were clunky lever and pulley adding machines and more sophisticated versions based on the same lever and pulley design ... but no digital computers. I was born in 1952. WW II was still "THE WAR". It might, just barely, have been fought with the same soldiers of the Normandy Invasion by William the Conqueror. Updating weapons, and train, no substantial difference. No more.

I quite agree even though I was a little underwhelmed by the film in general, an opportunity missed to tell this story. The soundtrack held the film together for me.

The movie was "dislocated" and jerked from place to place. Until this scene. When Zimmer used Elgar...with the chords stretched out, he captured the moment. The use of Nimrod was perfect. Most people who watched the movie probably never heard that magnificent music. It belongs there. Elgar would have approved. Sanjosemike (no longer in CA)

Hans Zimmer is the greatest

Exactly. When I recognized Nimrod at first viewing it ripped me apart.

????? You want to give him credit for a transposition of a masterpiece of classical music??!! I'll grant you it works well in the scene - but for the same reason it has always worked - merely fiddling about with the tempo or key of such a thing is no great achievement, that goes to Elgar. Not to mention the "reference" you speak of is done on every Remembrance Day in Britain - so he hardly takes credit for pulling those particular heart strings when such a precedent has been well laid down for many years now. That's not to say that the rest of the soundtrack is not well done, but you are really stretching hero worship beyond the pale to credit him with something he clearly did not write.

Proud to be British 😊

Late to the party eh?

@@thelastboyscout6100 What party? I don’t understand

@@Bandstand " Late to the Party " , a British under statement for the hell of battle .

@@shane-irish You silly twisted boy, you. Have a gorilla?

Amen

*Sons. Let’s not let the modern times and the PC-era mangle history.

@@drnkinirish Those sons were still their parents’ kids at the end of the day.

@@drnkinirish Sons are still kids you pleb.

@@drnkinirish​women of the ATS and nurses were also at Dunkirk. Many evacuated successfully but some not.

Try the scene of the mother in Saving Private Ryan. I was in the service and we were watching that and I can tell you right now I saw men that served in Iraq and Afghanistan weep at that scene.

@@navblue20 I made it though that whole movie stone faced, but then at the very end when Matt Damon says "tell me i'm a good man" i became a blubbering mess

The brass in their balls had to be extracted to help replace all the lost equipment, perfect balance

Cuz the french army saved your a**** it was far lighter then

@@brieuclef calm down. unhistoric boio

Daniel Prado was it a worthy sacrifice? Yes it was

@@thesedreamsarefree well considering that the british soldiers shoot at the french one because they needed to win some time, I don t thinks this is disrespecting, just someone who is pissed off that this part has been forgoten

Watch the funeral planning scene in Tunes of Glory for a tear jerker.

The transition from the depths of despair to the greatest ray of hope...a flawless transition. No wonder why this scene was the signature scene of the movie.

I would rather support the germans than these brits

Humans also start world wars like this.

If it weren’t for the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers I wouldn’t live a free life thank you. You fought for freedom as well as us despite the fact we occupied your country. We owe India a huge debt

@@sapm9368 Ye, i wish there were a film about the Burma campaign, the Indians fought very well there

@@sapm9368 though our forefathers hated british rule. They admired Britan and it's culture a lot. Our freedom fighters Gandhi, Nehru and Ambedkar are huge anglophiles.

Thomas Lawson Shut up

you will be more than welcome I am retired and had the pleasure of visiting your country

And you will be most welcome....

Or just visit it now? Why visit the UK when retired as opposed to now.

I feel you. My ancestry is split pretty evenly with England and Scotland. I would love to visit the UK and learn more about my heritage.

I'm not British, but this is awesome

And boy, do we need it now.

We need that spirit, now more than ever.

Patay, Austerlitz, Verdun we do thank the French. But then the French act like they are completely responsible for the evacuation taking place ignoring the British rear guard,royal navy and RAF.

"Despite our overwhelming numerical and material superiority, French troops counter-attacked in several places. I can't understand how such brave soldiers, fighting in various places at one against ten (sometimes even one against thirty), still manage to find enough strength to go on the assault: it's simply amazing! I find among the French soldiers of Dunkirk the same ardour as that of the poilus of Verdun in 1916. For several days hundreds of bombers and guns have been pounding the French defences. However, it is still the same thing, our infantry and tanks cannot break through, despite some ephemeral local successes. The French command has very skilfully installed its troop and artillery. I fear that Dunkirk will be a failure for us: almost the entire British expeditionary force and most of the 1st French army will escape us, because a few thousand brave people are blocking our access to the sea. It's appalling, but that's the way it is." "Dunkirk proves to me that the French soldier is one of the best in the world. The French artillery, so feared in 14-18, once again demonstrated its dreaded effectiveness. Our losses are terrifying: many battalions have lost 60% of their strength, sometimes even more! “ "By resisting about ten days to our forces, which were significantly superior in terms of numbers and resources, the French army achieved a superb feat in Dunkirk that is to be commended. It certainly saved Britain from defeat, by allowing its professional army to reach the English coast." General Von Küchler commandant of the XVIII army during the last stand of the french army to cover the british at Dunkirk.

@@commando4481 the British promised to Engage 30,000 soldiers to defend the Dunkirk perimeter until all non-combatants are completely evacuated. The goal was to delay the Wehrmacht as long as possible to give the French as much time as possible to organize their defensive front line further south. The British will not honour their commitment. Only 2,500 to 6,000 soldiers will fight, and they will fight less and less until they definitively abandon their combat position on the night of May 30, 1940. The French found themselves alone with 30,000 against 130,000 Germans and had to hold a frontline that was planned for 60,000.

If Britain had fallen America could not have invaded mainland Europe. They would also not have been able to adequately supply the USSR with vital war material. The two acts that lost Germany the war were failing capitalise in May 1940 and the USSR winning the battle of khalkhin gol.

Amen to that.

Most historians agree than the US would have won the war with Germany even without the Russians, but it would have taken a lot more years and a lot more soldiers would have died. The US was just an industry juggernault. They would have probably used atomic bombs in Europe too. Now. If Russia stayed neutral in WW2, would the americans won the Cold War? The Russians lost a lot of men power during WW2, Moscow was burned down, etc. History would have been VERY different lol

@@KingZercules Moscow was burned down during WW2?

@@stevenguild2707 No you're right, I got mixed up with Napoleon when the russians burned down Moscow instead of surrendering it.

I can't listen to Nimrod without tearing up so to hear it incorporated into this beautiful scene..well it's overwhelming to say the least.

@@AlisonBryen there are a few really "perfect'' pieces of music but Nimrod is certainly one of them.

Same

I can't watch it without tears coming to my eyes.

no one cares

@@biscuitbeef4062 well arent you just a lovely person

@@nightmare22c16 Its an inspiring great story but like stop it with the boomerness

@@biscuitbeef4062 its not being a boomer its called having respect for some of the most courageous people of all time

@@nightmare22c16 See I understand and respect that but the talk of greatest generation is just annoying and stupid, in my generation we haven't had a world war but we still face other things, My og comment was kinda stupid but still my point stands ig.

Many left behind were the British also.

@@alanandconnielast Correct RIP the Royal Yorkshire regiments to a man, massacred by the SS at La Paradis.

Well . This is the story of those who were rescued .

In russia : we come to your home

The truth is that most of the civilian boats used to transport more than 350,000 British, French, Dutch, Belgians as well as other nationalities soldiers to England are crewed by the Royal Navy servicemen and experienced volunteers after the boats are requisitioned by the British government. Some boats are crewed by their owners.

David Carr The people of the United Kingdom will never forget the contribution of the Canadian Armed Forces, and civilians that helped us out in those terrible times, Canada is a true friend.

canada supplied us with our wheat throughout the war, in silence.. brothers will always look out for one and other. glory to canada 🇬🇧🇨🇦

The Movie sucked. The beach was clean, tidy and empty, 4 planes in the air, and one ship at sea . The movie "Troy" bad a much more crowded beach.

@Heather Stephens mixed bag of history we have...but a horrible last 1000 years...any case ,,how are things at your end in these times?things pretty bad in my nation due to coronavirus

We will fight them on the beaches......on the landing grounds in the fields and streets....

The Scots and the Irish only fought because they were told they'd get a shot at the Saxons once their German cousins were crushed.

I think it’s bred within us generations and generations even before ww2 stood to defend this island

No other piece of music would have suited this half so well.

I have the diary my grandfather kept as an infantryman in Europe during the war. He came home for X-mas, left the diary, then went back to war. He didn't make it home again. It's one of my most prized possessions, and my young nephew, who just joined the US Marines will be the eventual inheritor.

100% agree

My grandfather was as well. I for one am extremely grateful for the civilians who willingly went unarmed into combat. I am also grateful to all of the soldiers (irrespective of nationality) who gave up their lives so that he had the chance to come home.

Same.

And her cardie.

A turely humble man.. who I in this life time would fight for all over again.. for the rest of you arrogant bastards.. it's a good job my opinion is swept under the mat

I think what happened in Dunkirk is much worse than what you can see in the film as 90% of Dunkirk was destroyed.

They are all over 100 years old now for the most part.....DDay 80th anniversary this year....never forget..remember their sacrifice...celebrate their lives.