This movie features Beatle John Lennon and Roy Kinnear as ill-fated enlisted men under the inept command of Lieutenant Ernest Goodbody (Michael Crawford). Desierto de Tabernas, Almería, Andalucía, Spain. A contentious opinion, and not one which is smoothly conveyed by this jumbled film because they don't offer a convincing alternative. Log in. Throughout, the author's bitterness at the pointlessness of war, and the battle of class interests in the hierarchy, are common to the film, as are most of the characters (though the novel predictably includes many more than the film). A former St Paul's Cathedral choir boy soprano he starred on Broadway in 'Black Comedy'where he tumbled down a steep staircase and crashed into a solid door face first eight times a week during the run of the play. Furk Musta. He deserves more respect, and I think one day he just might get it. Every time a character is killed, he is replaced by an actor in bright red, blue, or green-coloured World War II uniform, whose face is also coloured and obscured so that he appears to be a living toy soldier. Price: £12.59 & FREE Delivery on your first eligible order to UK or Ireland. Rather than surrealism the novel offers some quite chillingly vivid accounts of Tunis and Cassino. 3 years ago | 2.4K views. A surreal farce fantastically brought to life by Richard Lester’s stylised direction, it remains a unique and innovative cult comedy, which is presented here on Blu-ray for the very first time in the UK. Library. The insinuations of absurdity could be any place and any time. Lester, who was actually born in Philadelphia, has a great sense of man's moral faults and he reflects that in this film, as well as in "Petulia"- which is considered to be his best film. The film was not critically well received. Goodbody's jingoistic patriotism finally relents when he accepts his German counterpart's accusation of being, in principle, a Fascist. This FAQ is empty. A man decides to edit a documentary on the 1960's at a remote cabin in the Scottish Highlands. Extras. (1967). It certainly qualifies as satire, but of what? I think too look at this film from a mere political pov is a mistake. During filming, he started wearing round "granny" glasses (the same type of glasses worn by the film's screenwriter, Charles Wood); the glasses would become iconic as the nearsighted Lennon would mainly wear this particular style of glasses for the rest of his life. Details. With Michael Crawford, John Lennon, Roy Kinnear, Lee Montague. Featuring John Lennon in his only non-musical screen performance, How I Won the War is a biting satire not just on war, but also the concept of the war movie. The film's release was delayed by six months as Richard Lester went on to work on Petulia (1968), shortly after completing How I Won the War. [2] Lennon, taking a break from the Beatles, was asked by Lester to play Musketeer Gripweed. Lennon’s haircut took place in the breakfast room of the bar The Inn On The Heath hotel in Celle, near Hanover, West Germany. This won't be for everyone. Browse more videos. ROY KINNEAR. These aspects are most likely due to the screenwriter Charles Wood being a former regular army cavalryman. One monologue in the film concerns Musketeer Juniper's lament – while impersonating a high-ranked officer – about how officer material is drawn from the working and lower class, and not (as it used to be) from the feudal aristocracy. How I Won the War [Blu-ray] [1967] [NTSC] Roy Kinnear (Actor) Rated: Universal, suitable for all Format: Blu-ray. Aside from "The Royal Flash" and "Cuba," I believe I have seen most of Richard Lester's films which are of significance. Featuring John Lennon in his only non-musical screen performance, How I Won the War is a biting satire not just on war, but also the concept of the war movie. The name Musketeers recalls the Royal Fusiliers, but the later mention of the "Brigade of Musketeers" recalls the Brigade of Guards. The Monkees are tossed about in a psychedelic, surrealist, plotless, circular bit of fun fluff. The film stars Michael Crawford as bungling British Army Officer Lieutenant Earnest Goodbody, with John Lennon of The Beatles (in his only non-musical role, as Musketeer Gripweed), Jack MacGowran (Musketeer Juniper), Roy Kinnear (Musketeer Clapper) and Lee Montague(Sergeant, although referred to by the equivalent, albeit fictional rank of "Corporal of Musket" Transom) … It has been pointed out, including by Leslie Halliwell, that there are echoes of Voltaire's Candide in the story, especially in the continual, improbable, inexplicable reappearance of Colonel Grapple. A surreal farce fantastically brought to life by Richard Lester's stylised direction, it remains a unique and innovative cult comedy, which is presented here on Blu-ray for the very first time in the UK. Comedy. [5] In his review for the film, Roger Ebert gave the movie two stars, describing it as "not a brave or outspoken film". 29:42. [citation needed] Another frequently reappearing feature is Musketeer Clapper's endless series of hopeless personal problems, invariably involving his wife's infidelities. After the band's final concert on 29 August 1966, Lennon filmed the anti-war black comedy How I Won the War – his only appearance in a non-Beatles feature film – before rejoining his bandmates for an extended period of recording, beginning in November. It is hard to get down to this basic fact, however, because the movie is surrounded by a clever promotional campaign. A wily Roman slave schemes to earn his freedom by romantically uniting his master with a courtesan. Certificate: M This sequence also appears in the novel. How I Won the War is a 1967 British black comedy film directed and produced by Richard Lester, based on the 1963 novel of the same name by Patrick Ryan. Follow. They then resolve to settle their disagreements on a commercial basis (Odlebog proposes selling Goodbody the last intact bridge over the Rhine; in the novel the bridge is identified as that at Remagen) which could be construed as a satire on unethical business practices and capitalism. While Goodbody's ineptitude and attempts at derring-do lead to the gradual demise of the unit, he survives, together with the unit's persistent deserter and another of his charges who become confined to psychiatric care. The part was specially written for John and filming took place between 5 September and 7 November, 1966. His "victory" is despite the unfeeling power mongering of one of his superiors, Colonel Grapple (Sir Michael Hordern). Candy (1968) [Blu-ray] by Marlon Brando Blu-ray $19.99. This reinforces Goodbody's repeated comparisons of war to playing a game. How I Won the War is a 1967 World War II satire that stars Michael Crawford, Roy Kinnear, Lee Montague and legendary Beatle John Lennon.Directed by Richard Lester (Superman III), the film focuses on a fictional British 4th Musketeer regiment from 1942-1945.Even though the regiment is fictional, the battles are in fact true, as they fight in North Africa to Remagen Bridge. In the novel, Patrick Ryan chose not to identify a real Army unit. A photo of Lennon in character as Gripweed found its way into many print publications, including the front page of the first issue of Rolling Stone, released in November 1967. But matters get complicated and he ends up dragging in his neighbors around him, leading to chaos. But in ideas and approach, “How I Won the War” does not go as far, dare as much, or succeed as well as “Dr Strangelove”, did four years ago. [7], personal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essay, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Living is Easy With Eyes Closed: How John Lennon's Role in a 1960s War Film Inspired a Whole New Movie", "Casa del Cine | City of Almeria, Andalucia, Southern Spain", https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/how_i_won_the_war/, The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=How_I_Won_the_War&oldid=1014507919, British avant-garde and experimental films, Wikipedia articles with style issues from July 2012, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 27 March 2021, at 14:05. [citation needed] Grapple is supposed to be Lieutenant Goodbody's old Officer Cadet Training Unit (OCTU) Training Officer, full of ruthless, old-school British Empire optimism (rather than the Leibnizian optimism of Candide's Pangloss). The Beatles filmed the title performance for the movie Help. Gene Youngblood Los Angeles Free Press. 'How I Won the War' is a movie that tries to enter the fray of war comedies but doesn't really bring much with it other than an under-utilized cast. None of these features come from the novel, such as the use of half-tracks and Transom's appointment as "Corporal of Musket", which suggests the cavalry title Corporal of Horse. Add the first question. During his stay in Almería, Lennon had rented a villa called Santa Isabel that he and wife Cynthia Lennon shared with both his co-star Michael Crawford and his then wife, Gabrielle Lewis, whose wrought-iron gates and surrounding lush vegetation bore a resemblance to Strawberry Field, a Salvation Army garden near Lennon's childhood home; it was this observation that inspired Lennon to write "Strawberry Fields Forever" while filming. The filmed account of The Beatles' attempt to recapture their old group spirit by making a back to basics album, which instead drove them further apart. How I Won the War is many things, perhaps too many for one film to contain in the hour and fifty-one minutes it’s on screen. Among the first of the late 60s anti-war films that reflected growing concern over the Vietnam War, How I Won the War takes a cold, dark look at the Good War, World War II. The Beatles charter a special bus for a surreal mystery tour. Sure, there are awful people like Hitler and Mullah Omar, out there who threaten the world at large but by and large, the war process rarely leads to any resounding political solutions and long-term peace and understanding. Full Review. The story unwinds mostly in flashbacks of Lieutenant Goodbody who has lower-class beginnings and education which make him a poor officer who commands one of the worst units of the Army. The film uses an inconsistent variety of styles—vignette, straight-to-camera, and, extensively, parody of the war film genre, docu-drama, and popular war literature—to tell the story of 3rd Troop, the 4th Musketeers (a fictional regiment reminiscent of the Royal Fusiliers and the Household Cavalry) and their misadventures in the Second World War. The film stars Michael Crawford as bungling British Army Officer Lieutenant Earnest Goodbody, with John Lennon of The Beatles (in his only non-musical role, as Musketeer Gripweed), Jack MacGowran (Musketeer Juniper), Roy Kinnear (Musketeer Clapper) and Lee Montague (Sergeant, although referred to by the equivalent, albeit fictional rank of "Corporal of Musket" Transom) as soldiers under his command. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. This won't be for everyone. Jenny Evans . Goodnight Sweetheart - S06 - E07 - How I Won The War. It highlights the utter absurdity of war and the invariable pointlessness of it on a human level. The much-maligned How I Won The War—finally sparklingly restored by Kino Lorber—is due a speedy re-appraisal by today's cinephiles. In the film, the regiment is presented as a cavalry regiment (armoured with tanks or light armour, such as the half-tracks) that has been adapted to "an independent role as infantry". The model is a regular infantry regiment forced, in wartime, to accept temporarily commissioned officers like Goodbody into its number, as well as returning reservists called back into service. Lester does a brilliant job of poiting this out through the course of this film, and he is helped by some great acting- including a surprisingly brilliant John Lenon to achieve this great satire. Watch fullscreen. FREE Shipping on orders over $25.00. John Lennon’s first real solo venture – a film in which he made his first appearance minus his fellow Beatles in the role of Private Gripweed of the Third Troop of the Fourth Musketeers. The Spanish film Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed (2013) revolves around the filming in Almería. How I Won the War One of the main subversive themes in the film is the platoon's repeated attempts or temptations to kill or otherwise rid themselves of their complete liability of a commander. Wow, it is not everyday that one comes across a right-wing essay on the IMDB as one of the posters did in regards t this film. Only 12 left in stock - order soon. Over two "typical" days in the life of The Beatles, the boys struggle to keep themselves and Sir Paul McCartney's mischievous grandfather in check while preparing for a live television performance. Filming took place during the autumn of 1966 in the German state of Lower Saxony, at the Bergen-Hohne Training Area, Verden an der Aller and Achim, as well as the Province of Almería in Spain. An inept British World War II commander leads his troops through a series of misadventures in North Africa and Europe. The film holds a "rotten" 54% rating at the film review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, receiving 6 negative reviews out of 13. Directed by Robin Nash. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. First of all, I am delighted to have finally seen this. on 22 April 1965. BRITAIN. Search. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Was this review helpful to you? John Lennon-Wikipedia. Report. George Bernard Shaw once wrote that England and America are two countries separated by a common language. When Sergeant Michael O'Leary won his Victoria Cross for bravery, the award was used to encourage Irish men to enlist and and serve on the Western Front. [3] The villa was later turned into the House of Cinema, a museum dedicated to the history of movie production in Almería province.[4]. Set in post-nuclear-holocaust England, where a handful of bizarre characters struggle on with their lives in the ruins, amongst endless heaps of ash, piles of broken crockery and brick, ... See full summary ». Only the second of these recurring scenes is found in the novel, and in this case, unlike Candide, the optimism always comes from the innocent Goodbody (Candide), never Clapper. [6] John Simon called it "pretentious tomfoolery" and Monthly Film Bulletin felt "that Lester has bitten off more than he can chew". Both tracks from the Dick Lester film "How I Won The War" "Sold In U.K. Subject To..." text on labels Made in GT. How I Won the War is a 1967 British black comedy film directed and produced by Richard Lester, based on a novel of the same name by Patrick Ryan. Playing next. The short-back-and-sides, performed by 28-year-old German hairdresser Klaus Baruch, made headlines around … … Michael Crawford, Actor: The Knack ...and How to Get It. By Bill Harry. 4.2 out of 5 stars 149 ratings. The same footage (without the darts and credits seen in the film sequence) was used as a clip to promote the ... See full summary ». The novel represents a far more conservative, structured (though still comic) war memoir, told by a sarcastically naïve and puerile Lieutenant Goodbody in the first person. This movie features Beatle John Lennon and Roy Kinnear as ill-fated enlisted men under the inept command of Lieutenant Ernest Goodbody (Michael Crawford). Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. Only 11 left in stock (more on the way). During World War I, (1914–1918), posters had a remarkable ability to inspire, inform amd persuade. Goodbody narrates the film retrospectively, more or less, while in conversation with his German officer captor, 'Odlebog', at the Rhine bridgehead in 1945. Sign up. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Directed by Richard Lester. The humour is suitably dark, given the subject matter. Check out our editors' picks for the movies and shows we're excited about this month, like Mortal Kombat, "Them," and Stowaway. The novel uses none of the absurdist/surrealist devices associated with the film and differs greatly in style and content. Lieutenant Goodbody is an inept, idealistic, naïve, and almost relentlessly jingoistic wartime-commissioned (not regular) officer. HOW I WON THE WAR. How I Won The War Written by Ken Thorne Performed by John Lennon (as Musketeer Gripweed and The Third Troop) "How I Won the War" is a very funny movie that in its own surreal way depicts very real and less than heroic motivations for war. The setting is North Africa and Europe during WWII. It is a good statement first of all about how utterly ridicilous the war process is. The humour is suitably dark, given the subject matter. From 28 to 29 December 1966, Lennon recorded all post-synchronisation work for his character at Twickenham Film Studios in London, England. Item: How I Won the War '' on Amazon.com, Title: How Won. Neighbors around him, leading to chaos rating on your first eligible order to UK Ireland... 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