When the BBC want to be daring and be uncompromising and have the nerve to do it they do it very very well.I last saw this in 1988 and remembered aspects of it, it was shown on BBC4 (27092012) I had the pleasure of again viewing this docudrama of Robert Laurence's time in the Falklands campaign and the consequences of the aftermath.It shows in my view how hard it was in the Falklands, as Laurence's says it wasn't all about yomping, there were some hard battles fought, his descriptions of killing made me think about things, Robert is a hard man, he is a soldier and he loves his job, he is uncompromising in his recovery, with pure determination he shows that despite the sniper injury he isn't beaten, in a film with few laughs there is a "humourous" scene on the Uganda when he has his BO since tumbledown, but it shows that despite these men doing the jobs the polictians send them too they were soon forgotten, what do we do with them, what are my next moves now I'm battle injured, it asks the questions that are relevant today as they were in over 30 years ago.... I don't know of any other films that has dealt with the Falklands like this has, the Falklands was wet, cold and was a hard fight, Tumbledown shows this, as Laurence himself says there is some artistic dramatic licence , "he never shouted isn't this fun". For a unique insight in to one mans actual view of his battle on and off the battlefields Tumbledown is a superb narrative and i would recommend it watched for its modern history aspect, and as it was politically the thatcher eras finest hour !!

"Tumbledown" is yet another film in the list of some of Colin Firth's early works that needs to be made available for viewing in the US, in some fashion, now. I was able to get a copy and it was a revelation to me. Various reviewers here have given excellent account of the entire film and its historical context, so I would like to zero in on the acting of Firth, as Robert Lawrence. Anyone who has an image of Firth only as Mr. Darcy, both "Pride and Prejudice" and "Bridget Jones" versions, being the essence of his acting really needs to try to see this amazing early work of this actor. There are plenty of other examples of the great potential that led to the pinnacle of his success as an actor in "A Single Man" and "The King's Speech", but in this film, he is simply a force of nature. You forget completely that he was not actually a partially paralyzed man. The viewers also need to have conveyed to them the emotions and feelings that can only be done so through the eyes and facial expressions of the actor, and not every actor is as accomplished as Mr. Firth in this regard. He showed, even in his twenties, that not just a great actor was in the making, but was already fully formed.There are wonderful supporting performances in this as well, particularly the Lawrence parents, played by David Calder and Barbara Leigh-Hunt. Their love for their son, mixed with the emotions of needing to let him be in his life, along with the frustration at his circumstances, is beautifully and poignantly portrayed. Note must also be made of a fine performance by Paul Rhys as the good friend of Lawrence, often helpless in the hurricane of emotions that make up his blustery, gung-ho, and eventually badly damaged friend and fellow officer.If one is any sort of fan of Colin Firth, "Tumbledown" is a must-see. Simple as that.I believe this film is still available in the UK on DVD, and US Region copies exist. This viewer is wishing this, along with several of Firth's other films, could be made available in the US. The deeper talents of this actor need to be on equal display with to the lighter fare that originally brought him success in the US.

This was a TV movie done by the BBC in 1988, aired in the UK in 1989 that stirred all sorts of attitudes and drew a lot of flak within the UK. Yet it sticks to the memories of Lt. Lawrence, the Scots Guards officer who came to fight for the Queen and for his country, contributed to final victory at the summit of Mount Tumbledown in the Malvinas (Falklands) Islands, but paid a price higher than being killed: to stay alive, but critically wounded, useless for the Army, and not able to return to the only job he could work in. It showed crudely that 1. The victors did not handle their wounded well, hiding them in indifference and with shame 2. War is war, and far from romantic. The most controversial scene (that the Ministry of Defense tried to delete from the movie by putting pressure on the BBC) shows Lt. Lawrence mercilessly bayoneting a wounded Argentine marine on the hillside. The soldier groans "don't kill me, don't kill me, please.. please... while the killer pushes the bayonet several times, almost sadistically. For the British viewers this was hard to see, as it also portrayed their soldiers as evil in combat with fallen enemy soldiers. 3. It is one of the few movies that recreates faithfully how the Falklands war was fought. Until 2005, there were only two movies with this war as a background. The other one was "Resurrected". In 2005 the movie "Lit by fire" (Iluminados Por El Fuego") told form the Argentine side the way its vets were neglected from society). "Tumbledown showed that the Argentines did fight well despite their limitations (18-year-old draftees with inadequate clothing and shaky morale).

This is a movie not often shown or seen. It is a gripping study of the aftermath of war and battle. Filmed in a realistic fashion, with dream-like flashback sequences, it keeps the viewer deeply enmeshed in the struggles of the principal hero. It is an adept adaptation of a particular battle fought in the Falkland Islands, 1982. If you are looking for immense battle scenes or action, it will not be found here. Instead brace yourself for a realistic portrayal of the ravages of war, the apathy of governments and personal strength and heroism.