Mission: Get Girlfriend to watch Das Boot

Chad · 02-05-10, 01:05 AM

We have all tried it, few have succeeded, it is now my turn. The weather outside is cold, there's nothing going on around campus, and my girlfriend wants me off the computer to spend time with her, and she used the term, I'll do anything. So, I suggest we watch my full-length copy of Das Boot. She agrees.

The first attempt didn't last long, she fell asleep while they were still in the bar/brothel. But this was before I could really grasp her attention to the setting. I stopped it and waited for a better day, another day when she wasn't so tired and really wanted to give it a try. Enter Today.

My second futile attempt to get my girlfriend, herein known as Jessica, to watch Das Boot seems to be looking brighter. We skipped the first 15 minutes, or the bar scene, and I discussed and shared with her the main characters that would interest her the most. These are:

The Captain aka the Old man
The Chief aka Black slicked back hair guy
The War Correspondent aka Red Hair guy who narrates the story
The IWO aka Nazi dude from Mexico
Thompsen aka red haired drunk
The young guy with the prego girlfriend aka the young guy with prego girlfriend

She loves behind the scenes stuff, so I had to inform her that though U-96 is a real boat, and some of the events are true, it's really a fictional story. I showed her various amounts of information concerning the specific boat U-96, about the Captain, and the ways of the German U-boat force in this time period.

I have to help explain a lot about how a U-boat operates. For example when they did the practice crash dive, I explained that all the available men running to the front of the boat will make the boat bow heavy, and thus make it slip under faster, theoretically. I also had to explain why aircraft were so dangerous to U-boats. She seems, mildly interested in the characters more than the plot or technical information given to us. Of course, being an English major will influence this kind of behavior.

Whenever the crew has discussions of girls, I try to extend it a bit from what I remember from the book. I also try to go into more detail why Ulmann and his girlfriend, Francois were so upset as he was leaving, that being the French resistance. She found it interesting about the anti-Facists aboard the boat, namely, the Captain. I tried to explain it as such:

He's an old man compared to the rest of the crew. He was an old sailor and loves the sea, and as such he loves beautiful ships that sail on it. It breaks his heart when he hears of destruction and sinking of ships. The old man doesn't believe in the war, much less Hitler. He knows now, that the war is lost. He isn't married, but is seeing an ex-Luftwaffe pilot's wife. “Why remain single and not womanize like the rest of his men?” she asked me. Perhaps it's the Officer and Gentleman example. Being an officer is a privilege for him, and he treats the uniform with respect. But with his love of the sea, perhaps Poseidon is keeping him and his crew safe for a greater purpose.

Of which I didn't tell her anything else. I'll disclose this reason to anyone who's interested but if she looks this up I don't want to spoil it for her.

We watched thirty minutes of it tonight. She started getting tired around the time the Captain starts making fun of Churchill and Goebbels, describing Churchill as a, “rotten pig, fat ball, paralytic.” I don't want her to miss anything so of course I offered to stop it for tonight so we can go to bed and watch some more tomorrow or another time.

I'll update this more as we watch more of it. And in the end, if this English-majored, hard headed, spoiled little girlfriend of mine likes it, I'll be a happy camper. Then maybe she can understand the brotherhood we have as subsimmers, and understand why visiting these antique ships is so important as not pieces of metal, but for the men who served on them, and should forever be remembered as heroes, no matter what side of the war they fought on, nor whether it was in a ship or a plane, a tank or a foot soldier.

All gave some, some gave all.

This is Chad signing out.

Dowly · 02-05-10, 01:19 AM

I tried it with one of my GF's, she fell asleep before the bar scene was over.

kiwi_2005 · 02-05-10, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad

The first attempt didn't last long, she fell asleep while they were still in the bar/brothel.

We watched thirty minutes of it tonight. She started getting tired around the time the Captain starts making fun of Churchill and Goebbels, describing Churchill as a, “rotten pig, fat ball, paralytic.” I don't want her to miss anything so of course I offered to stop it for tonight so we can go to bed and watch some more tomorrow or another time.

Falling asleep not once but twice, that right there is signs she's bored sh*tless with Das Boot. Tis far better for a couple to be different in some ways as it keeps the relationship going otherwise if you both like the same things there's no longer any surprises and when there's no surprises the relationship becomes boring. Good luck anyways.

Professor Kiwi PHD in the opposite sex signing out.

August · 02-05-10, 08:38 AM

Knowing the movie i'd say that if she isn't interested in the beginning she isn't going to like the middle or end any more.

You are going to have to pay for making her watch that war movie at some point.

frau kaleun · 02-05-10, 08:49 AM

Quote:

my girlfriend wants me off the computer to spend time with her, and she used the term, I'll do anything.

And you picked... watching a movie?

I don't know whether to be impressed or very, very sad.

(Just kidding. Sort of.

)

If she's an English major, how about giving her a copy of the book and let her get started on reading it? She may get more into the characters that way.

Being female, hardheaded, and something of an English lit geek myself, I can tell you that these things do not predispose one to a lack of interest in or appreciation of Das Boot. It was the human element of the story that first captured me when I watched it, as well as the fine performances of the actors and the overall quality of the film as work of art.

Of course being something of a military history geek as well as an "oooh shiny how does it work?" geek didn't hurt either.

NeonSamurai · 02-05-10, 09:00 AM

Personally I recommend rope and a riding crop.

Wait wrong forum

SteamWake · 02-05-10, 10:07 AM

My wife saw Das Boot as a child with her father in the theater.

In german

She vividly recalls him covering her eyes at the fireboat drill

Das Gespenst · 02-05-10, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad

The Captain aka the Old man
The Chief aka Black slicked back hair guy
The War Correspondent aka Red Hair guy who narrates the story
The IWO aka Nazi dude from Mexico
Thompsen aka red haired drunk
The young guy with the prego girlfriend aka the young guy with prego girlfriend

How could you forget everyone's favorite diesel mechanic?

GoldenRivet · 02-05-10, 06:35 PM

Dear Chad,

You have a beautiful girlfriend who has said she will do anything.

Avoid Das Boot.

as Kiwi said... some differences are just fine... best leave it at that.

best of luck

John

bookworm_020 · 02-05-10, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeonSamurai

Personally I recommend rope and a riding crop.

Wait wrong forum

My wife watched Das Boot, because I had watched her favorite film, Butterfly effect. I still believe I got the worst end of the deal!

Ishmael · 02-05-10, 10:47 PM

My wife called it:

"The only war movie longer than the actual war."

But she still calls me Herr Kaleun on occasion. Das Boot's effects ARE insidious.

breadcatcher101 · 02-05-10, 11:00 PM

Well, my wife loves that movie, cries at the end when the captain dies.

I got my daughter to watch it and explained the history of it, she also got a bit tearful at the end.

When it was time for her to get up and get ready for school, I would always stick my head in the door and yell at the top of my lungs "AALLAARRMM!!!"

Never failed. Today we still laugh about it. She still watched the movie whenever she can and tells her friends about her "arlarm clock dad".

I-25 · 02-06-10, 04:50 AM

3 weeks into my relationship with my girlfriend i got her to watch the directors cut non stop in one session, amazingly she did not fall asleep and actually paid attention to it! i was explaingin the tecnical odds and ends to keep her entertaind but not even i could believe it

limkol · 02-06-10, 08:13 AM

I told my girlfriend that it was a film about shoes. After only 2 hours, she realised that I was not quite telling the truth......

martes86 · 02-06-10, 11:04 AM

Good luck Chad!
I doubt that I could get a girl (any girl) to watch the movie, the funnies thing for them to do would be to go party, go out with their friends and walk around, go shopping, or chat via MSN or whatever stuff like Facebook and the likes. And play The Sims game. Having sex is also included, though not as much as the previous items. I've found out that most girls operate this way (not all of them though), at least in Spain (maybe they are more accesible in other countries). And this is the reason why there are as few girls in the subsimming world.

Hope no girl gets offended.

02-05-10, 01:05 AM	#1
Chad ACE Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,274 Downloads: 60 Uploads: 0	Mission: Get Girlfriend to watch Das Boot We have all tried it, few have succeeded, it is now my turn. The weather outside is cold, there's nothing going on around campus, and my girlfriend wants me off the computer to spend time with her, and she used the term, I'll do anything. So, I suggest we watch my full-length copy of Das Boot. She agrees. The first attempt didn't last long, she fell asleep while they were still in the bar/brothel. But this was before I could really grasp her attention to the setting. I stopped it and waited for a better day, another day when she wasn't so tired and really wanted to give it a try. Enter Today. My second futile attempt to get my girlfriend, herein known as Jessica, to watch Das Boot seems to be looking brighter. We skipped the first 15 minutes, or the bar scene, and I discussed and shared with her the main characters that would interest her the most. These are: The Captain aka the Old man The Chief aka Black slicked back hair guy The War Correspondent aka Red Hair guy who narrates the story The IWO aka Nazi dude from Mexico Thompsen aka red haired drunk The young guy with the prego girlfriend aka the young guy with prego girlfriend She loves behind the scenes stuff, so I had to inform her that though U-96 is a real boat, and some of the events are true, it's really a fictional story. I showed her various amounts of information concerning the specific boat U-96, about the Captain, and the ways of the German U-boat force in this time period. I have to help explain a lot about how a U-boat operates. For example when they did the practice crash dive, I explained that all the available men running to the front of the boat will make the boat bow heavy, and thus make it slip under faster, theoretically. I also had to explain why aircraft were so dangerous to U-boats. She seems, mildly interested in the characters more than the plot or technical information given to us. Of course, being an English major will influence this kind of behavior. Whenever the crew has discussions of girls, I try to extend it a bit from what I remember from the book. I also try to go into more detail why Ulmann and his girlfriend, Francois were so upset as he was leaving, that being the French resistance. She found it interesting about the anti-Facists aboard the boat, namely, the Captain. I tried to explain it as such: He's an old man compared to the rest of the crew. He was an old sailor and loves the sea, and as such he loves beautiful ships that sail on it. It breaks his heart when he hears of destruction and sinking of ships. The old man doesn't believe in the war, much less Hitler. He knows now, that the war is lost. He isn't married, but is seeing an ex-Luftwaffe pilot's wife. “Why remain single and not womanize like the rest of his men?” she asked me. Perhaps it's the Officer and Gentleman example. Being an officer is a privilege for him, and he treats the uniform with respect. But with his love of the sea, perhaps Poseidon is keeping him and his crew safe for a greater purpose. Of which I didn't tell her anything else. I'll disclose this reason to anyone who's interested but if she looks this up I don't want to spoil it for her. We watched thirty minutes of it tonight. She started getting tired around the time the Captain starts making fun of Churchill and Goebbels, describing Churchill as a, “rotten pig, fat ball, paralytic.” I don't want her to miss anything so of course I offered to stop it for tonight so we can go to bed and watch some more tomorrow or another time. I'll update this more as we watch more of it. And in the end, if this English-majored, hard headed, spoiled little girlfriend of mine likes it, I'll be a happy camper. Then maybe she can understand the brotherhood we have as subsimmers, and understand why visiting these antique ships is so important as not pieces of metal, but for the men who served on them, and should forever be remembered as heroes, no matter what side of the war they fought on, nor whether it was in a ship or a plane, a tank or a foot soldier. All gave some, some gave all. This is Chad signing out. __________________

02-05-10, 08:38 AM	#4
August Wayfaring Stranger Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 23,197 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Knowing the movie i'd say that if she isn't interested in the beginning she isn't going to like the middle or end any more. You are going to have to pay for making her watch that war movie at some point. __________________ Flanked by life and the funeral pyre. Putting on a show for you to see.

02-05-10, 09:00 AM	#6
NeonSamurai Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Socialist Republic of Kanadia Posts: 3,044 Downloads: 25 Uploads: 0	Personally I recommend rope and a riding crop. Wait wrong forum __________________ SH3 Newbie Guide Links and other helpfull stuff

02-05-10, 10:07 AM	#7
SteamWake Rear Admiral Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 13,224 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	My wife saw Das Boot as a child with her father in the theater. In german She vividly recalls him covering her eyes at the fireboat drill __________________ Follow the progress of Mr. Mulligan : http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=147648

02-05-10, 06:35 PM	#9
GoldenRivet Subsim Aviator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 8,726 Downloads: 146 Uploads: 0	Dear Chad, You have a beautiful girlfriend who has said she will do anything. Avoid Das Boot. as Kiwi said... some differences are just fine... best leave it at that. best of luck John __________________

02-05-10, 01:19 AM	#2
Dowly Lucky Jack Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 25,052 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	I tried it with one of my GF's, she fell asleep before the bar scene was over.

02-05-10, 10:47 PM	#11
Ishmael Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Morro Bay, Ca. Posts: 659 Downloads: 79 Uploads: 0	My wife called it: "The only war movie longer than the actual war." But she still calls me Herr Kaleun on occasion. Das Boot's effects ARE insidious.

02-05-10, 11:00 PM	#12
breadcatcher101 Captain Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Southeastern USA Posts: 546 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Well, my wife loves that movie, cries at the end when the captain dies. I got my daughter to watch it and explained the history of it, she also got a bit tearful at the end. When it was time for her to get up and get ready for school, I would always stick my head in the door and yell at the top of my lungs "AALLAARRMM!!!" Never failed. Today we still laugh about it. She still watched the movie whenever she can and tells her friends about her "arlarm clock dad".

02-06-10, 04:50 AM	#13
I-25 Commodore Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Bavaria, Germany Posts: 629 Downloads: 27 Uploads: 0	3 weeks into my relationship with my girlfriend i got her to watch the directors cut non stop in one session, amazingly she did not fall asleep and actually paid attention to it! i was explaingin the tecnical odds and ends to keep her entertaind but not even i could believe it

02-06-10, 08:13 AM	#14
limkol XO Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: looking in the bilge for a bottle opener Posts: 416 Downloads: 210 Uploads: 0	I told my girlfriend that it was a film about shoes. After only 2 hours, she realised that I was not quite telling the truth......

02-06-10, 11:04 AM	#15
martes86 Grey Wolf Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: The Colourful Seville - Spain Posts: 971 Downloads: 18 Uploads: 0	Good luck Chad! I doubt that I could get a girl (any girl) to watch the movie, the funnies thing for them to do would be to go party, go out with their friends and walk around, go shopping, or chat via MSN or whatever stuff like Facebook and the likes. And play The Sims game. Having sex is also included, though not as much as the previous items. I've found out that most girls operate this way (not all of them though), at least in Spain (maybe they are more accesible in other countries). And this is the reason why there are as few girls in the subsimming world. Hope no girl gets offended.