John Bull links the familiar image of continual futile attacks to Blackadder Goes Forth and Alan Clark's 1961 writing. He admires the comedy while rejecting it as a representative account of how the war was fought. Alex singles out the final scene as useful in teaching, provided the surrounding comedy is clearly identified as such. A memorable scene can be useful in a history lesson while the surrounding story still requires scrutiny as a portrayal of military life.
Notable Point · 36:57-38:03
Blackadder and Alan Clark shaped the image of World War I
The popularity of Blackadder Goes Forth helped carry an older interpretation of soldiers and generals into cultural memory.