Do you agree with Rita’s decision to make Lest We Forget? Was it cathartic for her or more of a publicity grab? Why do you think Rita agreed to the government’s request that she travel around the country to speak about the sinking while selling Liberty Bonds, even though it caused her anguish?
I think making Lest We Forget was healing for her. And to get people to understand how awful it was. So the World would not forget who was lost on that ship. She did the Liberty bonds because people recognized her, respected and admired her, and though it was hard, helped fight the Germans who took so much from her.
I agree with Kimberly. It was healing for her and she did not want people to forget. She not only lost friends and her brother in law with the sinking of the ship, but because of the tragedy also her beloved sister.
I also agree with Kimberly. Though the sinking of the Lusitania was a major event many people just forgot about it soon after the incident so Rita’s decision to make Lest We Forget was her way to remember the people lost.
I also agree with Kimberly. Rita needed to make the movie to help heal and to remember and honor her friends and loved ones. I think she would have done almost anything to help with the war effort. Her brother was still fighting, and she knew the devastating loss that so many had suffered. She cared about others.
1 Like
I agree too. Now that I know it was real I admire her courage to put herself back in the same situation (even with people standing by). That must have been terrifying. All of her life she lived true to her convictions (even when it meant saying no to her love). I admire her for this.
I admired her for making it. Perhaps she saw the importance of making documentaries for future generations.
1 Like
Wow, she was so brave! I do understand that it could also have been healing for her. But most of all by reminding others of the sinking and selling Liberty Bonds, she was able to honor the memories of her friends and loved ones. Simply put, she was a witness and by talking about it she made others a witness. Brave and so very important.
1 Like
Yes, I do agree with her decision. She was actually a survivor of the sinking and I am sure others were creating art about it, why shouldn’t a more likely accurate depiction be made . Also, she had an opportunity to bring attention to the sinking and help people remember it. I would be curious to know if she cast the other actress she met on board in the movie. I think she wanted to do her part to fight the war her brother was serving in and also find a way to strike back at those who had caused such horrible losses to her friends, family and fellow shipmates.
1 Like
I do agree with Rita’s decision to make the film, as well as her travel to sell Liberty Bonds. Both actions were therapeutic for her and allowed her to use her talent and celebrity to both aid in the war effort and to remind the public of the tragedy of the Lusitania and of the betrayal of those who had pledged to protect her.
I felt like this part of the book was an afterthought. There was so much detail leading up to the Lusitania crossing and then the after part was crammed into 30 pages. It made it hard to get into that part - for me at least.
In my opinion, both contributed to spreading a message that was critical to Rita. She wanted the world to know that she survived and so would America & its allies. PTSD had not been defined at that point and would not be understood for decades, although Rita knew she had been traumatized. But she refused to let her experience define or defeat her. I can’t imagine how much strength it must have taken to report to that set every day, play the part of a fictional woman on the ship, and re-enact the sinking. But she did it. Hopefully, it was cathartic. And telling her story to support the war effort was a selfless act of patriotism, loyalty, and defiance, as well. I didn’t see her behavior as a “publicity grab” at all, especially given how infuriated and disgusted she was when the media reported on Inez’s suicide in a sensational manner.