Bomb Girls

Set in the 1940s, Bomb Girls' show on Global was based on the women who "risked their lives" in a munitions factory in Canada (!!) building bombs for the Allied forces fighting the European front. (I put it in inverted commas because there were also men at the front risking their life too, and that's two different kind of "risks".) As the world around themselves changes profoundly, these girls also find themselves changing, wanting more of life than any girls before. They find themselves free, liberated, in a world in war, where social restrictions are lowered, but death and sorrow are also never far. Global has tested this show: will it have the same success as other American shows? The answer is inconclusive: new shows entered the game and Bomb Girls closed... However, before to leave all its fans, the production made a movie! Yeah!

When I first came across this show, it was my boyfriend who told me we absolutely have to watch it together. Hasn't he great taste?! Well... I've truly fell in love with this show, and all the girls, Lorna, Marco, and Ivan. Let me tell you why: they are lovely.

The girl completely at the left is called Kate Andrews. She is the daughter of a street-preacher who is completely scaring and, who beats her. One day, helped by her mother, she ran away and hide under another name. She is hired in the munitions factory, and became best-friend with Betty (the woman in white at the front of the picture). At one moment, she is engaged to Betty's ex-boyfriend, Ivan (the boy at the right of Betty in the picture). By the way, she is also a great singer. Through out the show her passion for singing is represented as a gift from God that can change lives.

Lorna Corbett (the woman in blue) is the floor matron of Victory Munitions. Her two sons are at the war, her daughter is a nurse's aide, and her husband was mutilated in the Vietnam war. She is a very sensible person, and has strong moral and traditional values. However, like everybody, she has weaknesses. She is like a mother for the girls working at the factory.

The chic girl at the center is called Gladys Witham. She is born in a rich family of Toronto. She is originally supposed to work in the office of the factory, but 'miss' wants to change the world, so she starts to work on the floor with the other girls even if they are making fun of her. Betty, for example, will never stop calling her "princess": at first as an insult, and later on as a friendly nickname. Although Gladys has a strong personality and that I easily accepted the transition from rich girl to bomb-maker, I wasn't fond of her turned over in a spy. I did not quite believe in it... The movie deceives me, because it was based on her mission as a spy. She is also depicted as having libertine values, which are also not really believable. I think I am severe about this character because I had strongly relate to her at the beginning of the show; now that she has become a spy, she is the number one liar in the world while I can't even say a lie without reddening! Whatever!

Marco Moretti (the man who resembles to a Greek) is an expatriate man from Italy. He is living with his mother. His father has been sent away to an internment camp. He is often incriminate due to his heritage. Gladys will often help him (using her connections) to put him out of some bad luck. However, at a certain point, Marco becomes a real bad-ass, but he's having an affair, a truly lovely affair, with Vera, and she puts him back to his place, i.e. a munitions factory worker of Canada. Their love is so so so so cuuute. I just fell in love with the two of them. 

Vera Burr (the cute blond girl at his left side) is disfigured in an accident at the factory. At a certain point, she wants to give up with life... Her story is so inspiring that I cannot believe what had happened in the movie (yes the film follows the series). Brief, I don't want to give away more information about her: just say that she is a veteran even if she doesn't have the badges.

The last girl completely at the right of the picture is the most sexy butch I've never seen on TV: Betty McRae. She's the best worker at the factory, and she is in charge of training the new girls. She always takes everything so deeply personal that her friends often have to stop her from becoming a boxing player (which is quite ironic as she would become one in the movie). Well, even if her lesbianism is hidden, let me tell you that the most erotic lesbian scene of all TV can be found in the second series (between her and Teresa, not Kate, sorry). 

Last, but not the least, Ivan Buchinsky is an engineer at Victory Munitions who works during the Blue Shifts (as all the other characters named here). He will first fall in love with Betty who is trying to be "normal," but who will finally put an end to this relation going nowhere. He will turn to Kate... and ask her to marry him! Sincerely, this character is a sad one. It seems like the director was trying to tell us: "this is what you will get if you are to sweet, to gullible". Poor guy seriously. Always with some sort of double-life-girls who will lie to him and abuse him. However, he is the incarnation of the perfect man: sweet, cute, dedicated to love... (He is not bad ass, but I'll tell you what, girls: never let go a guy like this. He will do anything to make you smile. Forget the bums: they are a waste of time and energy.)

Well, this show was amazing. I'm sad it is finished. However, you can see all episodes on Global for free. To know more, check on the National Post's article on Bomb Girls' series and the website created to save them.

Have you seen the series or the movie? Did you like it? Why? Don't be shy: let me a comment!