This article contains spoilers for Blitz.
The absence of George’s father and the mystery behind it are felt throughoutBlitz, speaking to the child’s dislocated state in the world he inhabits. Steve McQueen’s movie follows a biracial boy’s journey across a 1940s United Kingdom at the mercy, not only of the World War II blitz, but also of palpable racism. As the city’s children are sent to the countryside for protection,theBlitzcharactersets out on a solo trip back to his mother and grandfather. Overcoming bombings, disasters, and thieves,reviews forBlitzconfirm George’s biggest battle is the one inside himself.
ByBlitz’s ending, George has claimed his story and gained a sense of self that had been taken from him at birth. Through key flashbacks, McQueen reveals a second narrative that tells the hardships of a black boy in a white family. Mixing the point of view of a nine-year-old child with that of his mother,Blitzanswers its pressing mysteries in subtle and nonlinear fragments. One of the most revealing discoveries is that ofwhat happened to George’s father, as the incident continues to provide parallels between racism and war.
George’s Father Was Deported In Blitz
Rita’s POV Reveals Michael’s Dark Fate In Blitz
Having said goodbye to George at the train station, an afflicted Rita (Saoirse Ronan) struggles to cope with the uncertainty of their separation. More than war,she fears what’s going to happen to her son, and if it might repeat his father’s fate. One of her memories reveals that, after they went dancing one night, a group of men harassed a pregnant Rita and her partner outside a bar. As Michael defended himself against the aggressive men, a group of police officers targeted him as the sole culprit and arrested him.
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George gives voice to the event’s outcome when he talks to Ife. He tells the friendly officer his father was from Grenada, andhis grandfather said he was deported. Although George’s perspective is at the forefront of the movie, his mother’s experience is just as important for fully understanding thecharacter’s true WW2 journey inBlitz. Mother to a Black boy, and former partner to a Black man, Rita’s character possesses a unique vision, one that words can’t express, but which emanates a deep pain.
Rita’s continued fear for her son is echoed in the ambiguity of his father’s ending. Her view of the incident opens the way fora second interpretation of Michael’s disappearance, heavily hinting that he did not survive the night. The last image of the doomed character is him being led toward darkness by the police officers, suggesting a murder that was hidden and which went unpunished. Notably, Rita refers to Michael for what he was, not what he still is.
Did George Ever Meet His Father Before The Events Of Blitz?
George Grew Up Without A Connection To His Black Ancestry In Blitz
George’s detachment from his identity throughoutBlitzresponds tohis family’s reluctance to address the circumstances surrounding his father’s absence. No doubt, Rita kept her son from other Black connections to keep him safe. However, without that important reference, George had no way of navigating his Black heritage, resulting in his denying it. Upon meeting Ife, the kid is quick to claim he is not Black, but his father was — demonstrating his confusion regarding what it means to have a father who is Black.
AsMichael was taken before his son was born, George didn’t get a chance to recognize himself in his dad’s appearance. The youth carries the mystery behind who his father was, and what led to his separation from his family as he learns to walk as a young Black man in war-stricken Britain.Blitz’s real inspirationinforms George’s return home, not only to his mother but to himself. In gaining a role model in Ife, theBlitzprotagonist becomes proud of his identity and embraces his black ancestry, honoring where he comes from and understanding what it represents.
Blitz
Cast
During the London Blitz of World War II, a diverse group of Londoners navigates the chaos and destruction of the German bombardment. Their intertwined stories of survival, resilience, and camaraderie capture the spirit of a city under siege.
