How I Won the War (1967)

Director:

Richard Lester

Writers:

Patrick Ryan (novel)
Charles Wood (screenplay)

Release Date:

23 October 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | War

Tagline:

"There's been some marvelous advances in surgery, thanks to war!"

Plot:

An inept British WWII commander leads his troops to a series of misadventures in North Africa and Europe.

Plot Keywords:

John Lennon | British | Troop | Flashback | Army

Cast

Michael Crawford	...	Lt. 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
Bill Dysart	...	Paratrooper
Paul Daneman	...	Skipper
Peter Graves	...	Staff Officer
Jack May	...	Toby
Richard Pearson	...	Old Man at Alamein
Pauline Taylor	...	Woman in Desert
John Ronane	...	Operator
Norman Chappell	...	Soldier at Alamein
Bryan Pringle	...	Reporter
Fanny Carby	...	Mrs. Clapper
Dandy Nichols	...	1st Old Lady
Gretchen Franklin	...	2nd Old Lady
John Junkin	...	Large Child
John Trenaman	...	Driver
Mick Dillon	...	1st Replacement
Kenneth Colley	...	2nd Replacement
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Neil Aspinall	...	Death Soldier (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Lester

Writing credits
Patrick Ryan		(novel)
Charles Wood		(screenplay)

Produced by
Richard Lester	....	producer
Denis O'Dell	....	associate producer (as Dennis O'Dell)

Original Music by
Ken Thorne

Cinematography by
David Watkin

Film Editing by
John Victor-Smith

Casting by
James Liggat

Art Direction by
Philip Harrison
John Stoll

Costume Design by
Dinah Greet

Production Management
Hubert Fröhlich	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
José López Rodero	....	assistant director (as Pepe Rodero)

Art Department
José Algueró	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Don Challis	....	dubbing editor
Leslie Hammond	....	sound recordist
Gerry Humphreys	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Eddie Fowlie	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Freddie Cooper	....	camera operator

Music Department
Ken Thorne	....	conductor

Production Companies

• Petersham Pictures

Distributors

• United Artists Corporation (1967) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1967) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (UK) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (198?) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:109 min | Argentina:109 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

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

Company:

Petersham Pictures

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.

Quotes:

Grapple:That's the way to beat the Hun - dig in, then break through with sword and lance.
[slight pause]
Grapple:I think.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Claude Jutra, an Unfinished Story (2002)

Richard Lesters forgotten gem

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.