Conduct Unbecoming (1975)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Michael Anderson

Writers:

Robert Enders (writer)
Barry England (play)

Release Date:

5 October 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Crime | Mystery

Plot:

A company of British soldiers in colonial India is shaken when the widow of their most honored hero is assaulted...

Plot Keywords:

Colonial India | Court Martial | British Army | Sexual Assault | Independent Film

Cast

Michael York	...	2nd Lt. Arthur Drake
Richard Attenborough	...	Maj. Lionel E. Roach
Trevor Howard	...	Col. Benjamin Strang
Stacy Keach	...	Capt. Harper
Christopher Plummer	...	Maj. Alastair Wimbourne
Susannah York	...	Mrs. Marjorie Scarlett
James Faulkner	...	2nd Lt. Edward Millington
Michael Culver	...	Lt. Richard Fothergill
James Donald	...	The Doctor
Rafiq Anwar	...	Pradah Singh
Helen Cherry	...	Mrs. Strang
Michael Fleming	...	Lt. Frank Hart
David Robb	...	2nd Lt. Winters
David Purcell	...	2nd Lt. Boulton
Andrew Lodge	...	2nd Lt. Hutton

Runtime:

107 min | Germany:103 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (re-rating) (1987) | Netherlands:12 | Australia:M | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Islamabad, Pakistan

Company:

Crown

Trivia:

James Donald was coaxed out of retirement to play the doctor.

Definitely Underrated Film

"Conduct Unbecoming" is a sort of thriller settled in a British regiment in colonial India. The widow of a heroic officer is assaulted by an unrevealed comrade in arms and an investigation takes place.

In my opinion, though not a classic and not even perhaps a great movie, this film is a most interesting product for those of us who enjoy "who did it?" movies. It takes place in a most original environment and its substance increases with subjects like military honor, loyalty, camaraderie and cowardice.

The cast is perfect and another highlight in the film with very convincing performances from Trevor Howard (as usual), Cristopher Plummer, Richard Attenborough, Michael York, Susanah York and always reliable James Donald in a minor role.

I'm sure that with a more imaginative and strong director than Michael Anderson (Stanley Kubrick, John Frankenheimer just to name a couple), this could have been a great film, nearly a classic).

But nonetheless, "Conduct Unbecoming" stands as a fine piece of entertainment in its genre and surely is worth a watch.