As a tribute timed to coincide with Remembrance Day, English filmmaker Guy Ritchie and actor Hugh Grant, among others, got together to recreate an old photo of their fathers back when they were soldiers in Singapore.
Remembrance Day, on Nov. 11, is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth nations since the end of World War I to honor the memory of soldiers who died in the line of duty. Ritchie’s dad, John Ritchie, and Grant’s dad, James Grant, served in the same regiment in Singapore, the filmmaker said on Instagram, where he posted a portrait taken of their dads and three others in the Lion City 65 years ago.
The Sherlock Holmes director also included a photo of himself, the younger Grant, and two others recreating the image on a film set in London, as well as a photo of his father and grandfather, Stewart Ritchie, who died during World War II in France.
“This first picture was taken 65 years ago in Singapore where my dad — Captain John Ritchie — and Hugh Grant’s dad —Captain James Grant — were stationed in the same regiment, the Seaforth Highlanders,” the 51-year-old wrote.
He didn’t reveal who the other two men in the original portrait were, but did reveal that the recreated image featured their grandsons. What’s more, one of the grandsons, as it turned out, just so happened to be working for Ritchie on his upcoming gangster flick The Gentlemen, in which Grant is also appearing.
“The second picture — taken on a film set in London 65 years later, has one grandson and two sons recreating that original image,” Ritchie wrote.
“We’d discovered by coincidence that Rory Gibb, our Production Assistant on the film‘s grandad was in that same original picture. You can see the resemblance.”
He added: “Spare a thought today for the men and women in uniform who have fallen in defence and service of others.”
More news from the Little Red Dot at Coconuts.co/Singapore.
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