War > Mills, John War

Advantages: Family film with limited violence
Disadvantages: None

One of the all time great British war films. Sir John Mills plays Pat Reid and the film is based on Pat Reid's real wartime experiences as noted in a couple of published books from the 1940's/50's. As such the events from the arrival of British POWs at the Colditz prison camp, Mill's character was one of the first of the British to be incarcerated in Colditz Castle. Colditz is the unescapable prison camp for all POWs who have escaped from other Stalags. ...
...the allied nations, how the Poles and French help the British in the early day, and how the friendships develop. As such the film focuses on all nationalities escape attempts be they succesful or unsuccessful, with perhaps the most unusual escape coming from a game of leap frog. The film also unusally manages to show that all German guards and officers were not Nazi tyrants. The Colditz Story is a feel good film intermixed with some sadness but ... Read review

Advantages: Accurate, quality actors
Disadvantages: Black and White then its an old film

A truly excellent film which depicted the role of a relatively unknown actor, M E Clifton-James in impersonating Field Marshal Montgomery during the Second World War. The usual cast of British wartime actors appear including John Mills, Sid James and Leslie Phillips. Dont be deceived, although humurous in places, it is a serious film and accurate bearing in mind that the actor in the film was the actual actor who impersonated Monty! The tells the ...
...playing Monty on stage, the subsequent forming of the idea in the 'Boffins' heads and the process to for Clifton James to observe Monty at close quarters without attracting suspicion. A wonderful film of a truly amazing wartime ploy by the allies. The perfect film for those wet Sunday afternoons and child friendly too. My kids love it. ... Read review

Advantages: The cast is remarkable
Disadvantages: nothing

...Japanese POW camp in 1965's King Rat, based on a novel by James Clavell. As Corporal King, Segal swaggers and schemes, running his little corner of the black market with help from a ragtag group of soldiers willing to do anything for a few bucks. King befriends Brit officer Peter Marlowe (James Fox), who speaks the local language and can translate for King when he sells off watches and jewelry for other desperate prisoners (for a sizable fee, of ...
...(Tom Courtenay), whose loathing of King borders on the pathological. The prisoners in King Rat aren't plotting to make a run for it, a la The Great Escape - it's established early in the film that such is not an option, as there's literally nowhere for escapees from the Singapore camp to go. The movie instead explores the day-to-day life of these beaten-down men, starving and sick, as they scrape together the best sort of life they can under the ... Read review

Advantages: Simply a great film
Disadvantages: Cant really think of any

Another outstanding piece of British Cinema. John Mills plays a Captain charged with getting his ambulance through enemy held desert to Alexandria. He is joined by his Sergeant Major and a couple of female nurses. During the trip they pick up a 'South African' Officer (Anthony Quayle) left behind by his unit during the retreat. The story outlines the trials and hurdles the hardy group face in getting their ambulance back to Alexandria all the while ...
...Matters are complicated by John Mills alcohol problem and Anthony Quayle's seemingly endless supply of Gin. Some of the highlights of the film include the dramatic attempt at 'cranking' the ambulance up a steep slope (makes you sweat just watching it) and the subsequent release of the crank handle by the nurse (not even going to mention women drivers). You can almost see their hearts break as the ambulance hurtles down the slope. Anthony Quayle's ... Read review

Advantages: good old fashioned Britsh humour
Disadvantages: I really cant think of any

This film has to up there with the classics, because it really is a good bit of cinema. It follows the story of a British crew that attempt to destroy a German warship known as the 'Tirpitz'. They use 1-2 man-operated sub's to carry out there mission. If you look at war films of this time, you have two categories. The first is War films that were made during the war, where you had to bare witness to all the injected propaganda, such as 'Millions ...
...The Wave’ falls into the post-WW2, which means it focuses more on the front line war hero. It has a well mixed blend of humour and entertainment, when the crew train and banter each other, as well as having some very dark and suspenseful scenes, particularly when the mini sub's are in action. All in all I loved this, even if it is an old film. ... Read review