In World War II, during the Japanese invasion of Burma, the lost remnant of a British Army Brigade HQ, led by the ruthless Captain Alan Langford, escapes through the jungle toward the British lines.
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Title: Yesterday's Enemy (1959)
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Nominated for
4
BAFTA Film Awards.
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Cast
| Cast overview: | |||
| Stanley Baker | ... | Captain Langford | |
| Guy Rolfe | ... | Padre | |
| Leo McKern | ... | Max | |
| Gordon Jackson | ... | Sgt. McKenzie | |
| David Oxley | ... | Doctor | |
 |
Richard Pasco | ... | 2nd Lt. Hastings |
| Philip Ahn | ... | Yamazaki | |
| Bryan Forbes | ... | Dawson | |
| Wolfe Morris | ... | Informer (as Wolf Morris) | |
| David Lodge | ... | Perkins | |
| Percy Herbert | ... | Wilson | |
|
|
Russell Waters | ... | Brigadier |
|
|
Barry Lowe | ... | Turner |
| Burt Kwouk | ... | Japanese Soldier | |
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Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
Storyline
Cut off by the Japanese advance into Burma, Captain Langford (Stanley Baker) and his exhausted British troops take over an enemy-held jungle village. Despite the protests of an elderly padre ('Guy Rolfe (I)') and of war correspondent Max Anderson (Leo McKern), Langford orders Sergeant McKenzie (Gordon Jackson) to shoot two innocent villagers, thereby "persuading" a Japanese informer to surrender vital information. When the Japanese recapture the village, their commander uses Langford's own desperate war-born tactics in a similar effort to extract information from the British. Written by Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>
Taglines:
War Is Hell! See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
UKRelease Date:
11 July 1959 (Japan) See more »Also Known As:
Yesterday's Enemy See more »Company Credits
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Filmed entirely in the studio over the period of five weeks. See more »Goofs
There are six prisoners in front of a firing squad, but only five soldiers in the firing squad each fire one shot. See more »Quotes
Captain Langford: He knew there's only one way to fight a war, any war. With your gloves off.See more »
Crazy Credits
There is no 'The End' at the end of the film. The camera merely pans away from a memorial which reads 'WHEN YOU GO HOME TELL THEM OF US AND SAY- FOR THEIR TOMORROW WE GAVE OUR TODAY'; and silence, but with just birds singing. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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Well, I was astonished by how good this film is. Made by Hammer Films in 1959 and despite being shot entirely on set in England it has a deep sense of the grime, heat and fear of the Borneo jungle during WWII.
What really holds it together and creates the powerful generator for this film is a gritty, un-theatrical,un-sentimental performance by Sir Stanley Baker. He creates a 3 dimensional character and (Amazingly for a top ranked star) never tries to get the audience to "like him".
Other fine performances from Guy Rolfe and Leo McKern make this absorbing film seem way too short. The director Val Guest struggled to have the film released without any soundtrack music and this really helps the atmosphere and leaves it up the the actors to create tension without music bailing them out. There are quite a few unexpected twists and surprises too.
The subject matter in 1959 was rather brave and controversial so well done Hammer! It doesn't seem to be available on DVD or Blu-Ray so that goodness for Stagevu otherwise I might never have seen this little gem.