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ON THE SET OF LEGENDS OF THE FALL
WITH "G" COMPANY
ALL SMALL PHOTOS ARE THUMBNAILED - CLICK TO ENLARGE
In July and August of 1993, a "cattle call" went out in Calgary for extras to participate in the filming of LEGENDS OF THE FALL. Little was known about the project, except that it was to be directed by Edward Zwick ("Glory") and star Anthony Hopkins, Brad Pitt, Aidan Quinn and Henry Thomas. Word made the rounds of the sizable military community in Calgary that not only would several hundred extras be needed for a variety of "war scenes", but a cadre would be selected from serving military members. Wanderer Productions, a local film company, put out word that 3,000 extras would be required, and on the 9th and 10th of July, 1993, applicants presented themselves. The casting director admitted to "embellishing" the actual required number of extras (1,000) in order to attract enough suitable applicants. While most of the extras would only be involved in a small number of shooting days, a core group, or "cadre" of extras with military experience was sought to provide leadership on the set and ensure high standards of safety, conduct and appearance among all the extras.
At that time, two full time military bases operated in Calgary. CFB Harvey housed the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians), an armoured regiment, and CFB Calgary housed the First Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Other lodger units in Calgary included 1 Field Ambulance, 1 Service Battalion, and the headquarters of 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group.
As it turned out, few full time military personnel could get the requisite time off of work to participate in the filming; shooting was planned for a two week period in August. Therefore, military reservists got the call, from a variety of units such as HMCS Tecumseh (Naval Reserve), The King's Own Calgary Regiment, The Calgary Highlanders, 746 Communications Squadron, and 14 Service Battalion.
After discussions between the film company and the reservists, one of the units of re-enactors were to wear Highland uniforms. The film company wanted to add some visual interest to the screen. The members of the Calgary Highlanders were pleased to provide the cadre of the Highland company.
Then they were told to march. |
While the cadre was being selected, all prospective extras arrived for the cattle call, where photos were taken and extras were assigned to their respective nationalities; either German, regular infantry or Highland infantry. As was the case for much of the filming, whatever "looked right" was the impetus for action. Those who "looked German" were assigned to the German extras. The Canadian extras were divided into "companies," eight in all. Each was to be led by an officer, also selected according to physical appearance. The cadre for "G" Company, the only company to appear in Highland uniforms, came from serving members of The Calgary Highlanders, the majority from the Regimental Pipes and Drums. Corporal Michael McAdam was selected to be the company's officer. Due in large part, it was felt, to his handsome handlebar mustache! |
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SATURDAY 24 JULY 1993 |
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The cadre was to undergo training on their own,
with instruction in drill and company tactics, as well as in wearing the uniform.
The extras were under the overall command of a local historian, Simon Sherwood, who acted
as a liason between the film company and the extras. One of the first steps in
preparing the extras was period haircuts. The barbers were a little overeager to
please, and after a few complaints from those who were shorn of their facial hair, it was
confirmed that Canadian Army dress regulations did indeed permit mustaches!
Sideburns were cut irregularly, to simulate the effects of shaving with a straight razor. The cadre was next fitted for uniforms, which consisted of a kilt (of lighter weight than actual military kilts, they were at least in |
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a recognizable tartan, though they were covered with wrap around kilt aprons in any event.) Jackets were for the most part post WWII Service Dress Jackets, with real brass buttons, though the buttons were British General Service Pattern. CANADA shoulder titles and maple leaf collar badges were fitted to the jackets. This insignia was not real brass, but rather low quality reproductions which did not require polish. Headdress consisted of floppy tam o'shanters. The cap badges, oddly enough, were low quality castings of the Calgary Highlanders cap badge. This insignia did not exist until 1921, but the film company insisted no one would see the badges on film in any event. Foot gear consisted of khaki hosetops, wool puttees, red hosetop flashes, and authentic black "ammunition boots" shod with hobnails. The extras in the other companies wore post WWII Service Dress trousers, long puttees, ammunition boots, and Service Dress Caps with reproduction maple leaf cap badges of the same poor quality as the collar badges. |
| The web gear was a re-enactors dream, being 1908 Pattern Web. Many of the pouches were blancoed green, and some were treated with a rubber compound which made the pouches stiff. Some of the ammunition pouches were modern (and poorly done) reproductions made from dark green cotton. Most sets of webbing were mismatched and represented a sergeant-major's nightmare. The extras were counselled not to, under any circumstances, use the water bottles for drinking water from. Haversacks were stuffed with rags. Real bayonets, dulled, were issued to all extras as well |
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No specific Canadian unit was being portrayed in the film, though the main characters were said to be from Montana. One line in the film, a voiceover, informs the audience that the three brothers portrayed by Aidan Quinn, Brad Pitt and Henry Thomas went to Calgary to enlist. By coincidence, in 1993 the real-life Calgary Highlanders had just adoped a sporran badge that was identical to the collar badge adopted by their predecessor unit, the Tenth Battalion, CEF, which was formed from a Calgary regiment in 1914. It was therefore suggested that some of these badges be provided to the principal actors and extras. The time period for the film was early 1915, and research indicated the C over 10 badges that were adopted may or not have been in general issue at that time; but the change was made. Henry Thomas shows up on film clearly wearing the Tenth Battalion badges. |
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The time frame of the film is problematic with regards to the other costumes; Canadian boots, web gear, weapons and uniforms were all much different in 1915 than the British items portrayed on screen, which reached Canadian hands well after the timeframe of the film. The film company was not interested much in that aspect, though some Ross rifles did appear on the set. In fact, in the final product, the "war scenes" are introduced with a dialogue saying "February 1915" despite the fact that Canadians saw no major action until April at Second Ypres. |
| The Highland Company, wearing Cameron of Erracht tartan, found that one company of the 16th Battalion (Canadian Scottish) did in fact come from the Cameron Highlanders of Winnipeg. Some of the cadre were able to bring old black glengarries from Calgary Highlanders stores onto the set, and several pipers brought instruments out. Modern Legato drums were converted to resemble rope tension drums, but unfortunately the anticipated "pipe band" scene never materialized. |
| Within G Company, four NCOs
were designated, including this author. Their task would be to teach drill to the
extras assigned to the company, most of whom would be civilians from off the street.
First, however, the cadre had to be instructed themselves. While most of the cadre
had military experience, foot drill in 1915 was different from modern drill.
"Guards" drill, as practiced by the Canadian Army today, was not practiced in
1915, and the foot stamping and arm swinging drilled into modern day soldiers had to be
unlearned. A route march from the warehouse that stored all the uniforms was led by Mister Sherwood, who led several choruses of "It's A Long Way To Tipperary" along the way. The cadre only marched a few blocks to a vacant field, where company tactics were taught. The cadre formed up into companies, and, led by their officers, practiced the tactics of the time, described later on this page. |
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For practice, rifles were issued, though bayonets were never fixed, and ammunition was never issued. Many of the rifles, while of the proper SMLE manufacture, were marked with yellow paint, indicating "Drill Purposes Only." Many were of New Zealand manufacture and were post World War One dated. In fact, many were dated as late as the end of the Second World War, as New Zealand never switched production to the Number 4 Mark I as Canada and Britain did. Officers were all armed with Webley pistols. |
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SATURDAY 31 JULY 1993 The next Saturday, the cadre assembled again, this time to teach the new extras. The first lesson was in how to get dressed, and for G Company, that also involved teaching newcomers how to test the kilt for length. It also involved advising newcomers what real Highlanders wore underneath the kilt. |
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While training in the field, I became reacquainted with a gentleman whom had attended the same Junior and Senior High School as I did, Chan Knull, who it turned out was a member of the Naval Reserve. Not having spoken much, if at all, with him in school, it was interesting to compare notes with him on the set later on, one rainy night, when several dozen extras were huddled in a small marquee tent fighting for folding chairs and trying to stay warm and dry. He is the one in shorts in the picture to the left. Mister Sherwood is standing behind him, wearing the glengarry. |
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Teaching drill to the new recruits was no different from being on a
regular Canadian Forces basic training course, and most of the extras, though coming from
civilian backgrounds, picked up on it quickly As always, there were one or two who
did not seem to know right from left. More interesting was company tactics. Each company was formed up in a single line, spaced half an arm's length apart. On the officers command, the entire company moved forward at a walk with bayonets fixed. When within charging distance of an enemy position, the officer gave a blast on the whistle, and all ranks moved in shoulder to shoulder. On the next command, all ranks fired two shots in rapid succession from the hip, and then charged home with the bayonet. Once on the movie set, the film-makers decided the actual tactics employed in 1915 looked "silly" and "unrealistic" and they were never used in any scenes. |
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END PART ONE
Movie stills through the kind courtesy of Apache Bear's
Legends of the Fall page -
The first Legends of the Fall Movie Website on the World Wide Web
