The Lion and the Mouse: The Story of America and Bermuda, narrated by Michael Douglas, is a series of three hour-long documentary films that tell the story of Bermuda’s role in American history, and the conflicts and characters that shaped the relationship between the little Atlantic island and the great nation that dates back four centuries.
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Details
LENGTH: 3 x 60 Minutes
FORMAT: Mini-series
CAMERA: HDCAM
INTERNATIONAL TRACK: Yes
TEXTLESS: Yes
CLOSED CAPTIONS: No
PRODUCTION YEAR: 2009
RELEASE YEAR: 2010
PRODUCER: Afflare Films Ltd.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Bermuda
RIGHTS TERRITORY: Worldwide
Bermuda found itself caught up on both sides in a succession of wars between the continents. Isolated by location, the island reinvented itself, adapted, and prospered in a changing Atlantic world, from saving the colonists of Jamestown, to smuggling gunpowder stolen from the British armory on the island to George Washington’s revolutionary army, to launching the fleet that burned Washington, DC in the War of 1812, to running the Union blockade in the Civil War, or on the other side, as soldiers fighting for “Glory.”
Right or wrong, Bermuda has played an instrumental role in the history of America, continuing through two World Wars and the Cold War, as the island nation evolved from a center of counter-espionage, to the front line of U.S. coastal defense. From its central location in the Atlantic, Bermuda became a strategic lynchpin for the United States. The island overcame insignificance in size, and maximized its mid-Atlantic location for both military and trade pursuits. Bermuda became the place that U.S. President William Howard Taft would immortalize in his now famous words, “Never in global history has such a small country played such a large role in International Affairs.” The moral of the story is that “Little friends can make great friends.”
The Lion and the Mouse was produced to commemorate the 400-year birthday of Bermuda in 2009. On July 28th, 1609 the Sea Venture flagship of the third supply, bound for Jamestown, was shipwrecked on the island. Thus began English settlement of the island, and a significant relationship between the two countries, bound by the early struggles of colonial times through slavery, trade, and all of the wars that marked four centuries of American and British history.
The film series is constructed in Seven Acts, each act represented by a period dramatization, with the main actors portraying different characters in every era as a creative device to give the film continuity and explore the idea of history as a continuum. The film is a mix of interviews with historian, descendants of historical figures and witnesses to history, extensive period dramatizations, battle recreations of the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War, archival footage of the 20th century, animations, and contemporary footage. This dynamic mix of content and pacing tells an epic story of a little known relationship between the tiny British Island, Bermuda, the Mouse, and the great continent of America, the Lion.
Awards
Audience Choice Award, The Bermuda International Film Festival 2009Golden Reel Award, The Nevada Film Festival 2009
Award of Excellence, The Indie Fest 2009
The Doreen Lightbourn/Lionel Pearman Award 2009
National Trust Awareness Award 2009
Reviews
“A rare perfect craft” Emmanuel Itier, Buzzine Review
“The Lion and the Mouse demonstrated Ms. Spurling’s talent for filmmaking” Jessie Moniz, The Royal Gazette
“It is easy to imagine watching The Lion and the Mouse on the History Channel.”Jessie Moniz, The Royal Gazette.
“The largest historical documentary ever to be made about Bermuda” Helen Jardine, Bermuda Sun
“ Bermuda’s 400-year history brought vividly to life” Sarah Lagan, Bermuda Sun
“Film maker Lucinda Spurling does our fascinating 400 year history complete justice” Sarah Lagan, Bermuda Sun
“Meticiously researched” Sarah Lagan, Bermuda Sun
“Ms. Spurling does not hold back … contributions are cleverly weaved together to make an engaging story.” Sarah Lagan, Bermuda Sun
“Narrated by Michael Douglas, this three-part series chronicles the historical relationship between North America (first the English colonies, and then the United States) and the British island group off the North Carolina coast, using Aesop’s titular fable as a metaphor for the ways in which the great and small powers have interacted. The series covers Bermuda’s initial settlement by a group of Brits headed for Jamestown and its significance in trade and tourism, while also emphasizing its role in abolitionism; but most of the story—understandably, given Bermuda’s strategic location in the Atlantic—focuses on wars. The involvement of islanders on both sides of the American Revolution is followed by an account of Bermuda’s central importance in the War of 1812 and its role during the Civil War (with residents once again divided), as well as the two world wars (particularly intriguing are episodes dealing with spies and top-secret naval missions). Filmmaker Lucinda Spurling mixes conventional documentary techniques—narration, archival footage/stills, artwork, and interview excerpts—with somewhat stilted dramatic reenactments. A valuable treatment of a significant but largely ignored sidebar to both U.S. and British history, this is recommended.” Video Librarian
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