IMDb > King Rat (1965)
King Rat
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips
Photos (see all 10 | slideshow)

IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
7.6/10   1,519 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Down 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Bryan Forbes

Writers:

James Clavell (novel)
Bryan Forbes (written for the screen by)

Contact:

View company contact information for King Rat on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

27 October 1965 (USA) more

Genre:

War | Drama more

Tagline:

He entered WWII a soldier... and left a King. more

Plot:

The Japanese prisoner-of-war camp Changi in Singapore, which houses Allied POWs, is a living hell. The... more | full synopsis

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 nomination more

User Comments:

Clavell's most researched work more (23 total)


Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

George Segal ... Corporal King: The American Hut
Tom Courtenay ... Lt. Robin Grey: The Provost Staff
James Fox ... Peter Marlowe: Hut 16
Patrick O'Neal ... Top Sgt. Max: The American Hut
Denholm Elliott ... Lt. G.D. Larkin: Hut 16
James Donald ... Dr. Kennedy: The Hospital Staff
Todd Armstrong ... Tex: The American Hut

John Mills ... Col. George Smedley-Taylor: The Senior Officers
Gerald Sim ... Lt. Col. Jones: The Senior Officers
Leonard Rossiter ... Maj. McCoy: Hut 16
John Standing ... Capt. Daven: Hut 16
Alan Webb ... Col. Brant: The Senior Officers
John Ronane ... Capt. Hawkins: Hut 16
Sammy Reese ... Kurt: The American Hut
Michael Lees ... Stevens: The Hospital Staff
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Company:

Coleytown more


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

Both Paul Newman and Steve McQueen were offered the chance to star in the film. They both turned it down and the role went to George Segal. more

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: After Maj. McCoy and the others have been arrested for possessing a radio, and Col. Smedley-Taylor is waiting outside for news, the shadow of the boom mic being lowered is cast over the actors in the background. more

Quotes:

Lt. Robin Grey: Why do you think it is, Corporal, that you have so much and the rest of us so little? One day, Corporal, you're going to make a slip. All this wealth you've got isn't going to check against my list. And when you do; when that happens... I'll be ready. And you'll be in there...
[points to the bamboo cage]
Lt. Robin Grey: in my cage. I'm not playing at being provost marshall, you know. And I've never yet heard of a run of luck that didn't run out. And yours will - depend on it - because you're like all criminals: you're greedy.
[...]
more

Movie Connections:

Featured in A Walk on the Moon (1999) more


FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
19 out of 20 people found the following comment useful.
Clavell's most researched work, 25 March 2002
Author: Jeff Hill (jeffhill1@hotmail.com) from Sapporo, Japan

I saw "King Rat" on television shortly before going to Vietnam. A few months later I was reading the James Clavell novel while serving on DaNang Air Base with air force communications intelligence. It struck me that this book and this movie, which was "researched" by James Clavell when he was a POW in a camp near Singapore during World War II, have the real feel of what it is to be surrounded by enemy forces one almost never sees while being kept isolated on a hot, humid, dusty encampment It's an environment that brings out the best and the worst in mankind. The novel, the movie, and my own war zone experience also point out that adapting to a war zone and mastering the skills that enable one to survive and even prosper there do not necessarily mean that the individual will subsequently be adaptable to "civilization" when he returns to it. The novel, the movie, and my own experiences also raise the questions that are raised in "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit" (and even in "Rambo" for that matter): Which is more of a challenge and which is the "real" life: adapting to the war zone as a youth or the expectations by "civilization" that you readjust to life back in "the world" as if nothing had happened?

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (23 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for King Rat (1965)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Homo-erotic war film mortyt
The Book? goodthingsjohn
Why was this camp so different?? marigoldnlakie
Deleted scene? asterism2000
John Mills Shopnowandsave
James Donald - the trifecta ilikeflix
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Empire of the Sun Von Ryan's Express Hart's War The Bridge on the River Kwai Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb War section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.