The Last Valley (1970)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

James Clavell

Writers:

James Clavell (writer)
J.B. Pick (novel)

Release Date:

28 January 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | War

Tagline:

From An Age of Conflict...A Film For The Ages

Plot:

People in a small German village in the last valley to remain untouched by the devastating Thirty Years'...

Plot Keywords:

Thirty Years War | Village | Plague | Captain | Witch Burning

Cast

Michael Caine	...	The Captain
Omar Sharif	...	Vogel
Florinda Bolkan	...	Erica
Nigel Davenport	...	Gruber
Per Oscarsson	...	Father Sebastian
Arthur O'Connell	...	Hoffman
Madeleine Hinde	...	Inge (as Madeline Hinde)
Yorgo Voyagis	...	Pirelli
Miguel Alejandro	...	Julio
Christian Roberts	...	Andreas
Brian Blessed	...	Korski
Ian Hogg	...	Graf
Michael Gothard	...	Hansen
George Innes	...	Vornez
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ralph Arliss	...	Claus
Claudia Butenuth	...	Helga
Paul Challen	...	Zollner
Chris Chittell	...	Svenson
Kurt Christian	...	Tsarus
Dave Crowley	...	Pastori
Holly du Marreck	...	Little Girl
Mark Edwards	...	Sernen
John Hallam	...	Geddes
Frazer Hines	...	Corg
Leon Lissek	...	Czeraki
Andrew McCulloch	...	Shutz
Michaela	...	Peasant Girl
Seyton Pooley	...	Nansen
Irene Prador	...	Frau Hoffman
Jack Shepherd	...	Eskesen
Vladek Sheybal	...	Mathias
Larry Taylor	...	Garnak
Edward Underdown	...	Gnarled Peasant
Tony Vogel	...	Tub
Patrick Westwood	...	Rethman

Runtime:

Canada:125 min | USA:128 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Mono (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | West Germany:18 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:18 (1971) | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | UK:AA (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating) | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Hanniford Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

ABC Pictures

Trivia:

Average Shot Length = ~5.3 seconds. Median Shot Length = ~5.0 seconds.

Quotes:

The Captain: There is no Hell. Don't you understand? Because there is no God. There never was. Don't you understand? There is no God! It's a legend!

Superb examination of the interaction between peasants and soldiers

As others have said, a really excellent film--intelligent, well-shot and acted, with historical background that mostly seems to be right on the money.

A few minor nits: I'm not sure that the Caine character, or most anyone, would be shouting "there is no God!" in the 1630's or 40's. And the humanism espoused by the Sharif character must have been quite rare in that day and age. Also, the ending is perhaps a bit heavy-handed in the way it drives home the moral of the story, about the pointlessness of warfare.

But all this is more than balanced by an intelligent screenplay and a highly engaging analysis of the dynamic between the peasants of the village and the soldiers. Reminded me quite a bit of The Seven Samurai, in fact, and compares well with the latter film (and *that* constitutes high praise).

Highly recommended.