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   975 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 29% in popularity this week. See why 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:
(2 articles)
The Beatles: Four Fab Performances For Screens Large And Small
 (From MTV Movies Blog. 9 September 2009, 12:00 PM, PDT)
Lennon Snubbed 'Silly' Acting Career
 (From WENN. 26 March 2008, 12:02 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Richard Lesters forgotten gem more (23 total)

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

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
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)
Filming Locations:
Almería, Andalucía, Spain more
Company:
Petersham Pictures more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The intended concept of the film was that archival black and white footage of each battle was to be tinted specific colors. The soldiers who died in that battle continue to accompany the unit silently with their uniforms now the color of the battle they died in. However, when the final answer print was sent from the principal lab in England to the labs in Los Angeles subcontracted out to make the release prints, the LA labs assumed that the tinted footage was a mistake, and graded it back to black and white without notifying anyone until the whole batch was struck. The version of the film shown on "Retroplex" from Starz has the battle scenes tinted different colors and the soldiers who die in a battle become that color. more
Quotes:
Juniper: [enters scene dressed as a clown, pulling a hobby horse, as if acting a scene] Will you take my horse, sir?
Transom: [to Goodbody] Take no large notice, sir. He is working what is known as ticket, sir. Keeps the lads amused.
[Clapper, Drouge, and Spool join Juniper, dressed normally]
Transom: Pick those bits up, Gripweed!
[joining the scene]
Transom: Where's your tin hat gone, Juniper?
Juniper: Losing by neglect, sir!
Transom: If I catch you without your tin hat in a battle zone again, I'll ram it down your throat!
Clapper: Losing by neglect, one mess tin.
Juniper: One mess tin!
[...]
more
Movie Connections:
Spoofs The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) more

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
14 out of 15 people found the following comment useful.
Richard Lesters forgotten gem, 12 October 2000
Author: Space Oddity_2001

How I Won the War was a critical and commerical faliure upon it's initial release. The film was attacked for mocking the Vietnam conflict and dismissed by Beatle fans looking for another slapstick romp in vein of Lesters previous efforts A Hard Day's Night and Help. While both of those films are excellent in their own right, How I Won the War is far more ambitious and even funnier. Richard Lester had a knack for comic timing and staging slapstick, and it works beautifully in this film. It also bears the usual trademark Lester visuals, with some really surreal set pieces and strange imagery. British veterans Michael Crawford, the late Roy Kinnear, Michael Horden and the late Jack Macgowran give hilarious performances, although it is John Lennon as the glib and sarcastic Gripweed who steals the movie. Lester would go on to make Petulia with Julie Christie, George C. Scott and Richard Chamberlain a year later, his masterpiece and like this film sadly forgotten.

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Message Boards

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Recent Posts (updated daily)User
wow i havent seen a more underrated film in ages fateswarm
Could someone transcribe... [uh, spoilers] ginger_sling
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
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