PRESENTS

PRIVATE PEACEFUL

BASED ON THE BEST-SELLING BOOK BY

MICHAEL MORPURGO

SCHOOL’S KIT

Starring Jack O’Connell, Richard Griffiths, John Lynch, George Mackay and Frances de la Tour.

IN CINEMAS FROM JULY 18

Private Peaceful tells the story of two brothers and the exuberance and pain of their teenage

love for the same girl, the pressures of their feudal family life, the horrors and folly of war

and the ultimate price of courage and cowardice.

It is a gritty and realistic tale of love and death set in the fields of Devon and the First World

War battlefields of Flanders, giving us a heartbreaking glimpse of the way we once lived –

and still die.

CONTACT: Caroline Whiteway Publicity & Marketing Manager +61 3 9682 2944 +61 419 389 454 caroline@rialtodistribution.com

LOCATIONS SHOWING PRIVATE PEACEFUL FROM JULY 18

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Bridgeway Cinema Auckland Auckland Monterey Howick Auckland Rialto Cinemas Auckland Auckland Academy Gold Class Cinema Chch Christchurch Hollywood Sumner Christchurch Christchurch Metro Cinema Dunedin Dunedin Rialto Cinemas Dunedin Dunedin Cinema Gold Havelock North Hawkes Bay Civic Waipukurau Hawkes Bay Capitol Cinema Te Puke Tauranga Rialto Cinemas Tauranga Tauranga Lighthouse Cinemas Pauatahanui Wellington Lighthouse Cinemas Petone Wellington Penthouse Wellington Wellington Basement Rotorua Provincial Cinema Gold Palmerston North Provincial Dorothy Browns Arrowtown Provincial Embassy 3 Wanganui Provincial Focal Point Cinema Fielding Provincial Gecko Theatre and Café Motueka Provincial Geraldine Cinemas Provincial Hawera 2 Cinema Harewa Provincial Majestic Cinema Taihape Provincial Matakana Cinemas Provincial Movie Max 5 Timaru Provincial Movieworld 3 Oamaru Provincial NBS Theatre St James Westport Provincial Odeon Cinema Gisborne Provincial Opotiki De Luxe Provincial Picton Cinemas Provincial Regent Greymouth Provincial Regent Hokitika Provincial Rubys Wanaka Provincial Shoreline Cinema Waikanae Provincial State Cinemas Nelson Provincial Whangamata Cinemas Thames Provincial

July 25 Cinema 5 Whakatane Provincial

Cinema Gold Paraparaumu Provincial

Aug 1 Village Theatre Takaka Provincial

Regent Pahiatua Provincial Regent Te Awamutu Hamilton Finn's Paekakariki (Kapati Coast) Provincial

FOR TEACHERS Designed for students of English and history ages 11-14, the resource focuses on the film’s

representation of war, and how the novel has been adapted to film. Offering a range of

activities based on the film and original interviews with author Michael Morpurgo and

screenwriter Simon Reade, these materials provide students with engaging ways into

understanding this representation of the First World War. As well as reflecting on the style

and purpose of this adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s novel, students are invited to

consider how useful the film text is in understanding the period in history. English activities

develop students’ skills of close reading and critical analysis whilst the history tasks

introduce students to concepts of historical enquiry and authenticity.

FOR ENGLISH STUDENTS

VIEWPOINT

The novel Private Peaceful is told in the 'first person', narrated by one of the characters,

Tommo, who plays a central role in the story. We have a strong affinity with Tommo's point-

of-view on events. What happens on screen, in terms of action and dialogue, is the main way

in which a story is told on film. The way in which film can show us different characters'

viewpoints, and encourage us to have sympathy for certain characters, is the focus of this

activity.

TASKS

1. Watch the trailer then discuss the extent to which Tommo's perspective is central to

this filmic portrayal of the story. How has his viewpoint been conveyed in this

trailer? Is Tommo's perspective as central in the trailer as it is in the novel?

2. The way each shot is created will impact on how the audience views the characters

and mood of the story. For example, a low angle shot looking up at a character

might make them appear powerful whilst a high angle shot looking down upon them

might make them seem more vulnerable. Describe what you see in the shots

opposite, including what type of shot it is, and then explain how the shot type and

camera angle encourages the audience to react to the characters portrayed at that

moment.

3. To what extent do you think the images prioritise Tommo's view of the world? Can

you match some of these stills with specific moments from the novel? What

information from the image helped you do this?

ADAPTATION Adapting a novel into a screenplay is a challenging task. Working closely with Michael

Morpurgo, Simon Reade wrote the screenplay for Private Peaceful.

TASKS

1. Watch this interview with Simon Reade. As you watch, try to listen out for Simon

mentioning the following points about the adaptation process:

o Increasing dramatic tension

o Entering the world of the characters

o Keeping true to the spirit of the novel

o Re-ordering the narrative

o Extending the stories of some of the characters

o Creating some backstories

o Making Tommo more active and less passive

2. After watching this interview, place the points above into an order of priority putting

the one you believe to be the most important at the top and the least important at

the bottom. Give reasons for the order you've created.

3. In the interview, Simon Reade mentions several moments from the screenplay that

he feels are particularly significant, one of which is the scene where Tommo's and

Charlie's father is killed by the falling tree. Read the shooting script for this episode

and the relevant paragraphs from Chapter 1 of the novel. Simon explains how he

tried to keep the scene very faithful to the novel. Look closely at both texts: in what

ways are they similar and different?

4. Now choose an episode from the novel that you think is an important moment in

the whole story. When filmmakers plan how to shoot different scenes, they set out

their ideas visually using a storyboard, which shows what every frame will look like

through the camera lens. Using a storyboard template (last page of this document),

show the camera shots you would use to portray events or re-write the episode as a

scene from a screenplay. Copy the same layout as in the extract from the screenplay

above. If you choose to write the scene as a screenplay, remember that film is

essentially a visual way of communicating so try not to use too much dialogue.

AUTHOR’S QUESTIONS In this interview, Michael Morpurgo explains four questions he would like to ask a class of

children who have read Private Peaceful. Watch the clip carefully – be aware that this is a

task for those who know how the novel ends. After watching, in pairs discuss your answers to

his questions. Then, as a class, write a letter or email to Michael explaining you have

watched his interview on this Film Education website, and giving your answers to his

questions, making sure you give clear reasons for each response. You can send your

correspondence via his website or to the contact information below:

Laura West

David Higham Associates

5-8 Lower John Street

Golden Square

London W1R 4HA

laurawest@davidhigham.co.uk

Here is a reminder of the questions he asks:

1. Which part of the story could you see most clearly in your mind’s eye as you were

reading?

2. Do you think it would have been better to have the other brother tell the story, the

one who is going to get shot, might that have been better?

3. How relevant is the book for today? Is there anything you can connect with in the

story like Big Joe's learning difficulties?

4. Is there anything about society today which you think is unfair, as things clearly were

then?

HISTORY

A film set in the past is designed to create the illusion that events within the frame are realistic shots of what life was like during the period. For students of history, it is important to learn to ask questions about such film texts in order to work out if they are reliable historical sources.

The patriotic call to arms by the Sergeant Major in the chapter 'Twenty eight minutes past one' and the description of life in the trenches later on in the novel are vividly shown in the film and based on well researched information about this period.

TASKS

Look closely at some of the propaganda posters on the next 5 pages. How would you

describe the message of these posters and how authentically do you think this

message is represented in the novel and (if you have seen it) the film?

Look closely at these stills from the film portraying trench warfare in the image

gallery opposite. The fact that these stills are in colour will make them look different

from original archive photographs from the period.

Take a closer look at some of this source material then with a partner discuss how

the images from the film reflect some of the details included in the primary sources.

After you have compared these stills with the original source material, try to prepare

a short presentation about life in the trenches during the First World War. You can

use the still images in your presentation.

OBEYING ORDERS

A central theme of Private Peaceful is the British army's attitudes towards discipline and justice during the First World War. The story culminates in the execution of Private Peaceful at dawn, by firing squad; the soldier’s crime was to stay with his injured brother and to question his sergeant’s order to go out from the trench whilst the Germans were still firing at them.

During this period, the British army killed over 300 of its own soldiers in this way for a range of reasons including desertion, alleged cowardice and in two cases for falling asleep whilst on guard. Despite a campaign by the families of those killed, it was not until 2006 that the British government granted posthumous pardons to those executed.

TASKS

Watch Michael Morpurgo talk here about how he hopes Private Peaceful can

contribute to young people’s general knowledge and understanding of this historical

period and in particular what happened to soldiers like Private Peaceful.

After viewing, use the links opposite to start a historical enquiry about real soldiers

who were condemned to death by their own military superiors during this period. As

you begin your research, try to find out the following information:

What were the reasons given by the British army for shooting their own

soldiers?

What evidence can you find about the people who were shot?

Why did it take so long for the British government to pardon those killed

years after their death?

STORYBOARD DIALOGUE/SFX

NOTES