Murphy's War (1971)

Director:

Peter Yates

Writers:

Max Catto (novel)
Stirling Silliphant (screenplay)

Release Date:

27 January 1971 (France)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

Murphy is the sole survivor of his crew, that has been massacred by a German U-Boat in the closing days of World War II...

Plot Keywords:

U Boat | Sole Survivor | Torpedo | Irishman | Crane

Cast

Peter O'Toole	...	Murphy
Siân Phillips	...	Hayden (as Sian Phillips)
Philippe Noiret	...	Brezan
Horst Janson	...	Cmdr. Lauchs, German Submarine Captain
John Hallam	...	Ellis
Ingo Mogendorf	...	Voght
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harry Fielder	...	German Sub Crewman (uncredited)
George Roubicek	...	U-Boat Crewman (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Yates

Writing credits
Max Catto		(novel)
Stirling Silliphant		(screenplay)

Produced by
Michael Deeley	....	producer

Cinematography by
Douglas Slocombe		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John Glen
Frank P. Keller

Production Design by
Disley Jones

Costume Design by
Anne Gainsford		(as Ann Gainsford)

Makeup Department
Gordon Bond	....	hairdresser
Basil Newall	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Ron Carr	....	production supervisor
Patrick Clayton	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bert Batt	....	assistant director
Colin Sherborne	....	second unit director
John Glen	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Terry Apsey	....	construction manager
Graham Sumner	....	property master

Sound Department
Robin Gregory	....	sound recorded by
Gerry Humphreys	....	dubbing mixer (as Gerry Humphries)
Rydal Love	....	sound editor
Nestor Lovera	....	sound editor
Allan Sones	....	sound editor
Gerry Humphreys	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ira Anderson Jr.	....	special effects
Roy Whybrow	....	special effects
Alan Barnard	....	special effects (uncredited)
Colin Chilvers	....	special effects (uncredited)
Martin Gutteridge	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Bob Simmons	....	stunt arranger
Joe Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ronnie Taylor	....	aerial photography (as Ron Taylor)
Chic Waterson	....	camera operator
Adrian Biddle	....	underwater assistant camera (uncredited)
Robin Browne	....	aerial photographer (uncredited)
Keith Hamshere	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Jack Hoy	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Brian Smith	....	best boy (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
James Smith	....	wardrobe (as Jim Smith)

Editorial Department
Robert Richardson	....	assistant editor

Music Department
John Barry	....	composer: musical themes
John Barry	....	music supervisor
Ken Thorne	....	composer: additional music
Ken Thorne	....	conductor: additional music
Sidney Margo	....	music contractor (uncredited)

Other crew
Jonathan Benson	....	location manager
Gilbert Chomat	....	helicopter pilot
Dimitri De Grunwald	....	presenter (as A Dimitri De Grunwald Presentation)
Susanna Merry	....	continuity (as Sue Merry)
Frank Tallman	....	aircraft and aerial sequences
Helen Whitson	....	continuity
Jonathan Benson	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Louise Stein	....	continuity: second unit (uncredited)
Frank Tallman	....	aircraft pilot (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Michael Deeley-Peter Yates Films (as Michael Deeley - Peter Yates Films Ltd) (as A Yates - Deeley Production also)
• Hemdale

Distributors

• London Screen (1971) (UK) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1971) (USA) (theatrical) (as Paramount A Gulf+Western Company)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1974) (USA) (TV)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video
• VTI Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Corporacion Venezolana de Guayana  we wish to thank: for their co-operation during the making of this film (as Corporacion Venezolana De Guayana)
• Government of Venezuela  we wish to thank: for their co-operation during the making of this film (as The Government of Venezuela)
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment (uncredited)
• N.B.C. Radio  original radio announcements by courtesy of
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC)  original radio announcements courtesy of
• Rank Film Laboratories  processing
• Tallmantz Aviation  aircraft and aerial sequences (as Tallmantz Aviation Inc.)
• Venezuelan Navy  we wish to thank: for their co-operation during the making of this film (as The Venezuelan Navy)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for war violence and brief language

Runtime:

Argentina:105 min | USA:107 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor) (uncredited)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:12 (video rating) (2002) | UK:A (original rating) (passed with cuts) | Iceland:12 | UK:12 (tv rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1972) | Sweden:15 | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Michael Deeley-Peter Yates Films

Trivia:

Apparently, despite a copyright credits statement made on this 1971 film, this movie wasn't actually registered for copyright until 30 January 1990 (copyright number PA-490-129).

Stubborn dedication to "Supreme Sacrifice"!

This movie constitutes the great and sometimes troublesome qualities that are brought out in war. The message of this movie, I feel is of total loyalty to comrades and unfailing sacrifice to redeem them. This movie is about war on the side-lines and the true and personal nature of such. The story, cast and location are simply superb. We, hopefully, will never see such days of immense hurt and anguish on such a global theater. One can only imagine now, what it must have been like to fight and die for such basic principles to be applied in the nature of friend and foe at such a period in time. Peter O'Toole pegged it perfectly.-dfm