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IMDb > How I Won the War (1967)

How I Won the War (1967) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
5.7/10   929 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 54% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Richard Lester
Writers:
Patrick Ryan (novel)
Charles Wood (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for How I Won the War on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
23 October 1967 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | War more
Tagline:
If You Think Richard Lester's 'How I Won The War' Is Just Another War Film, Forget It...
Plot:
An inept British WWII commander leads his troops to a series of misadventures in North Africa and Europe. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
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NewsDesk:
Lennon Snubbed 'Silly' Acting Career
 (From WENN. 26 March 2008, 12:02 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
Brilliant, gets better with age! more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Michael Crawford ... Goodbody

John Lennon ... Gripweed
Roy Kinnear ... Clapper
Lee Montague ... Transom
Jack MacGowran ... Juniper
Michael Hordern ... Grapple
Jack Hedley ... Melancholy Musketeer
Karl Michael Vogler ... Odlebog
Ronald Lacey ... Spool
James Cossins ... Drogue
Ewan Hooper ... Dooley
Alexander Knox ... American General
Robert Hardy ... British General
Sheila Hancock ... Mrs. Clapper's Friend
Charles Dyer ... Happy-Trousered Man
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Additional Details

Runtime:
USA:109 min | Argentina:109 min
Country:
UK
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Argentina:16 | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Australia:M | UK:X (original rating) | UK:12 (video rating)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
John Lennon wrote "Strawberry Fields Forever" while shooting this movie in Spain. more
Quotes:
Gripweed: And I'm not a thief, really. I've never found anything worth keeping. more
Movie Connections:
Spoofs The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful:-
Brilliant, gets better with age!, 2 January 2004
8/10
Author: Robert Braiden from Brisbane, Australia

'How I Won the War' has to be one of the most original, bizarre and imaginative war films ever made. I first saw it late one night as an impressionable kid and immediately was drawn by its unusual style and narrative. To have the film tinted in several different colours to show the stages of the war was both daring and cool. One gets the feeling of having witnessed something larger, more intimate and important than just a mere war movie.

There are no real heros in this film, certainly Michael Crawford and his troop are pretty cowardly and inept, whereas the Germans are depicted, in the raid on the fuel dump scene, as being content with religious service and a bit of soccer.

It is true that history is written by the victors and Michael Crawford's character, Goodbody, is one of only two survivers from his regiment. He proudly states at the very end of the film that he "won the war". Maybe he did, but his actions and his balmy enthusiasm show us just how idiotic war can be.

My favourite scene was the one with Goodbody and the German officer who befriends Goodbody for much of the film. Together, they talk about how cruel both the British and Germans are, and how the German officer has killed many Jews. Goodbody then talks about how he got his commission and why he is fighting. It ends with the German officer telling Goodbody that he (Goodbody) is a fascist. "Am I?", replies Goodbody, "but I don't particularly dislike Jews."

When the very affable German officer, who is attempting to surrender, is blindly run over by an advancing British tank, we know that in this war the good, the bad and the ugly become mixed up and inseperable.

I currently own a very worn out video of the film and am hoping it will be released soon on DVD here in Australia.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for How I Won the War (1967)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Funniest line in a movie...EVER! Breegha
What does he mean? beatlejovi
Creepily prophetic death scene...(Spoilers) jschillig
Oh! What a Lovely War! escalera-2
wow i havent seen a more underrated film in ages fateswarm
Could you explain? leannel_kinkopf
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