A question for you Brits

[dinkydow]

I watched "The Darkest Hour" last night a new release. A couple of questions.

The producers said that the government allowed them the use of the House of Commons chamber but told them, "you cannot sit on any of the seats."

So the production co constructed an exact duplicate of the chamber to have the actors etc., "act in"...as the chamber would have appeared in May of 1940.

Several times "N. Chamberlain (what a rectal squeezing) and then W. Churchill as the new PM... stepped up to a center island in the HoC's...with some items placed upon it. There were books...which I assumed were reference works on Parliamentary procedures, Laws of the land, etc. There was also a massive golden object that resembled an oversized scepter...which I assume represents the Crown. Directly adjacent to THAT was a wooden, brass bound chest...on which the PM's placed their notes for their speeches.

Q: What did/does that wooden chest represent? Why is/was it there?

Several times W.Churchill, etc., is seen walking into a large building through an entryway that is/was large enough for a motorcar to also enter. Armed British Army MP's were inspecting passes there...on either side were sand-bagged emplacements. Entering the courtyard...it was large and round...an apparent ariel view showed the building surrounding that round courtyard ...to also be circular. Then it seemed to be surrounded by buildings that were oblongs. Apparently the war offices were in bombproofs in the basement spaces of THAT building.

Q: What was/is that building?

It also seemed that the official residence of the PM, at 10 Downing, in 1940 was ...ummmm...quite shabby and common.

Pounding whisky while determining the fate of GB...and the military orders of the RAF, the RN, and the BEF....that ended up trapped at Dunkirk....and smoking BIG cigars and EVERYONE smoking cigs...sure seems out of place in 2018.

I enjoyed the movie a lot and would never have realized what a bastard Winston's first weeks/ month or two. in office were for him and Great Britain.

Kinda reminds me of all the fucking kommies, faggots, lying MSM, RINO's and surrender munkeys we have here, that are trying to ass fuck Trump.

Some things never change.....

[mr-ak-47]

....this is all you need to know about Britian now....one picture says it all....

[Driswalds]

That looks photo shopped.

[The Lurker]

Come on you Spurs!

[mr-ak-47]

Originally Posted by Driswalds

That looks photo shopped.

Sadly it is not......

.

[Rick-a-Roo]

Mr. Dow some answers (swiped from Wikiwotsit, etc. as they are more literate than me):

The 'massive golden object'
In the Houses of Parliament, two ceremonial maces represent the monarch's authority.
The monarch is referred to as the "third part of Parliament" and signs into law the Bills
which are voted on and passed in Parliament. Parliament cannot lawfully meet without
the Mace, representing the monarch's authority, being present in the chambers.

The 'brass bound wooden chest'
If you follow this link https://www.google.com/search?q=Hous...GGQC9xFgcq05M:
you will spot two of 'em, at the near corners of the large table. I believe they are the
dispatch boxes used to convey documents between Parliament and the
monarch. But thy look awfully big and heavy for that. I'll dig a little deeper.

The 'building'
Being old and feeble-minded, I cannot recollect the building from the movie -
and it's only a few weeks since I saw the movie myself - but if this is the place you mean
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4555426/...?ref_=tt_ov_vi (at the beginning of the trailer),
that's Buckingham Palace, but that is square, not round).

On second thoughts, that's not the place. Oh, fuck it...my memory's drawing a blank.

No. 10 Downing Street is a rather unpretentious place built in a mews, now gated off
from the common folk, the hoi-poloi, and the riff-raff such as you and me. It certainly
would have looked a lot shabbier in the war years.

If I can find anything better than the little I've been able to offer, I'll get
back to ya.

[Rick-a-Roo]

Originally Posted by mr-ak-47

Sadly it is not......

.

Not shopped...staged.

[aviator]

remember you can not believe the movies, they'll shoot on a green screen and use a photo for background and you'll never tell the difference.

[Bluntforce]

Watched a Russian vid last night while trying to get phone to behave. The Russians think Churchill ordered the poisoning of Stalin after the hoped for destruction of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany didn’t happen.

Why he cleverly waited eight years after WWII ended and several hundred Commonwealth soldiers and pilots were captured by NORKS and interrogated by Soviets was never explained.

The same archivist also contended the Soviets knew the German plan was originally for May but postponed so the Russian fields would be sowed first. Why the Red Air Force was brilliantly left in range of the Luftwaffe and thousands of Red Army paratroopers were instantly converted to leg as well as leaving the skies open as Ned Beatty’s bung hole was also never explained.

No wonder these assholes believe in unicorns.

[4thIDvet]

watch the live parliament sessions in England on one of the damn channels I get. The Brits are a rather classy lot with a stiff upper lip. But as soon as someone in parliament says something they are a bit against?
Holy sheet the whole lot turns into the storming of Frankenstein's castle yelling and hooting the poor fellow down. I am waiting for chairs to fly.

[dinkydow]

Originally Posted by Rick-a-Roo

Mr. Dow some answers (swiped from Wikiwotsit, etc. as they are more literate than me):

The 'massive golden object'
In the Houses of Parliament, two ceremonial maces represent the monarch's authority.
The monarch is referred to as the "third part of Parliament" and signs into law the Bills
which are voted on and passed in Parliament. Parliament cannot lawfully meet without
the Mace, representing the monarch's authority, being present in the chambers.

The 'brass bound wooden chest'
If you follow this link https://www.google.com/search?q=Hous...GGQC9xFgcq05M:
you will spot two of 'em, at the near corners of the large table. I believe they are the
dispatch boxes used to convey documents between Parliament and the
monarch. But thy look awfully big and heavy for that. I'll dig a little deeper.

The 'building'
Being old and feeble-minded, I cannot recollect the building from the movie -
and it's only a few weeks since I saw the movie myself - but if this is the place you mean
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4555426/...?ref_=tt_ov_vi (at the beginning of the trailer),
that's Buckingham Palace, but that is square, not round).

On second thoughts, that's not the place. Oh, fuck it...my memory's drawing a blank.

No. 10 Downing Street is a rather unpretentious place built in a mews, now gated off
from the common folk, the hoi-poloi, and the riff-raff such as you and me. It certainly
would have looked a lot shabbier in the war years.

If I can find anything better than the little I've been able to offer, I'll get
back to ya.

The round building was not Buckingham palace. THAT I do know. BP did not have the war rooms in the basement and in the...preview...where Winston get out of his official car and went in to meet with King George VI...the front gate of BP can clearly be seen.

Where is Whitehall? What is THAT? Admiralty Only?

[dinkydow]

Originally Posted by aviator

remember you can not believe the movies, they'll shoot on a green screen and use a photo for background and you'll never tell the difference.

The producers had many shots conducted inside the actual places where it all happened... My understanding is that public tours are conducted through the WWII underground war rooms. In fact I had a link to it once. Lots of views of the historical place.

[dinkydow]

Originally Posted by 4thIDvet

watch the live parliament sessions in England on one of the damn channels I get. The Brits are a rather classy lot with a stiff upper lip. But as soon as someone in parliament says something they are a bit against?
Holy sheet the whole lot turns into the storming of Frankenstein's castle yelling and hooting the poor fellow down. I am waiting for chairs to fly.

I have often watched as the ministers yelled and raised hell with each other across the "aisle" of Parliament. Them guys sometimes seem right on the edge of kicking each others asses. Wish I could have done that when Margret Thatcher was PM.

[Bluntforce]

There’s a large white Dome with Justice blindfolded holding a sword in one hand and a scale in the other. I think it is the Ministry of Justice. Until the camera pans up and the statue is revealed it looks just like the dome of St. Paul’s (IIRC), the church movie makers are so fond of putting in panoramic shots of London ablaze during the war.

The MOJ or whatever it is with the female statue on top is the only round government building I see in shows set in London.

[Rick-a-Roo]

Where is Whitehall? What is THAT? Admiralty Only?

Whitehall is a street that connects Parliament Square with Trafalgar Square. It's
rife with all sorts of guv'mint offices. The entrance to Downing Street is off
Whitehall. Whitehall is considered to be the center of British government and
radio and TV people will refer to guv'mint as 'Whitehall' much the came as
the say 'Scotland Yard' for the Metropolitan Police.

The map at this link https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lo...9!4d-0.1277583 will
show you the whereabouts of Whitehall. Off to right you will see a reference to the
Old War Office Building, but that doesn't appear to be the place you described. Open
the satellite view, and you'll get a better idea of what the area looks like.

There’s a large white Dome with Justice blindfolded holding a sword in one
hand and a scale in the other.

That's the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales a.k.a. The Old Bailey.
All the major criminal cases are held there.
https://www.google.com/search?q=The+...vuxOsw6k9WpLM: