MovieChat Forums > When the Wind Blows (1988) Discussion > Their son had the right idea....

Their son had the right idea....

posted 12 years ago by Drewboy-2
9 replies | jump to latest

From watching this, I assume their son and his family lived in London or another large UK city.

It was obvious that said city would be a prime target and that this family could not survive a direct hit, so they spent the time leading to the attack in enjoying what time they knew they had left.

The old man in this film was so preoccupied with past glories of his WW2 service, he spent the time just scurrying about to prepare for something he and his wife could not ultimately survive, but die a slow, painful death rather than a quick end.

Sounds like the son had the right idea about what was ultimately important.

[–] foebane72 12 years ago

I agree, no-one can survive a nuclear attack. In the long run, at least.

I'd so the same as the son as well, make the most of the time I had left and just let the blast take me. I'd even MOVE to a primary target if I wasn't in one already.

www.foebane.co.uk

[–] runner-15 10 years ago

I know this is a old post, but you can survive a nuclear attack if you use your head. http://www.oism.org/nwss/s73p912.htm

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Arthur C. Clarke

[–] Sean-Furlong-1989 12 years ago

If nuclear war happened I know I would be killed instantly as I lve in Manchester.

Mrs Voorhees is watching you!

[–] Prof_Lostiswitz 11 years ago

They would want to bomb important places... you'd be safe.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] novastar_6 10 years ago

I think he had the right idea too. I guess it's an obvious implication though, everybody says the same thing, he's had a nervous breakdown because of the impending war and THAT'S why he's acting goofy when his dad calls, either way I think he was in his right mind.

[–] Erik-Bloodaxe 10 years ago

I would go to Australia. There's nothing there worth nuking.

"Knowledge is cheap at any price"

[–] glhs0075 9 years ago

I've seen "On the Beach" and "Mad Max: The Road Warrior". Australia... No thanks!!!

[–] jay_guevara-1 8 years ago

Yeah, he was informed enough to know what was in store wasn't something he wanted to try and live through.

As most fans of this film will already know, the son is based on Raymond Briggs (with the married couple drawing inspiration from his parents) and at the time of the film's release, IIRC, Briggs appeared in a documentary that was shown on C4 (I think the same one is included on the Blu-Ray/DVD) to promote and discuss WTWB, during which he stated that in the event of a nuclear war, he would travel to a city/location that is likely to be targeted for destruction, in order that he can experience a quick death.

Along with The Day After, Threads, Testament and The War Game, WTWB illustrates through the suffering of its characters, why you would never, ever want to survive a nuclear war. Regardless of whether you die slowly from the ensuing effects or you manage to eke out some Mad Max style existence in the nightmarish scenario that would follow. As we are shown, if anything, James and Hilda were unlucky enough to have survived the attack and what we see unfold is exactly what their son had no desire to go through.