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IMDbPro

How I Won the War

  • 19671967
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 49m
IMDb RATING
5.5/10
2.4K
YOUR RATING
John Lennon and Michael Crawford in How I Won the War (1967)
An inept British World War II commander leads his troops through a series of misadventures in North Africa and Europe.
Play trailer3:15
1 Video
99+ Photos
ComedyWar
An inept British World War II commander leads his troops through a series of misadventures in North Africa and Europe.An inept British World War II commander leads his troops through a series of misadventures in North Africa and Europe.An inept British World War II commander leads his troops through a series of misadventures in North Africa and Europe.
IMDb RATING
5.5/10
2.4K
YOUR RATING
    • Richard Lester
    • Patrick Ryan(novel)
    • Charles Wood(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Michael Crawford
    • John Lennon
    • Roy Kinnear
    • Richard Lester
    • Patrick Ryan(novel)
    • Charles Wood(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Michael Crawford
    • John Lennon
    • Roy Kinnear
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 37User reviews
    • 25Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:15
    Watch Trailer

    Photos105

    How I Won the War (1967)
    John Lennon in How I Won the War (1967)
    John Lennon in How I Won the War (1967)
    John Lennon in How I Won the War (1967)
    John Lennon, James Cossins, Jack Hedley, Roy Kinnear, Ronald Lacey, and Lee Montague in How I Won the War (1967)
    Michael Crawford and Karl Michael Vogler in How I Won the War (1967)
    John Lennon in How I Won the War (1967)
    Michael Crawford in How I Won the War (1967)
    Michael Crawford in How I Won the War (1967)
    Karl Michael Vogler in How I Won the War (1967)
    John Lennon in How I Won the War (1967)
    Michael Crawford and Lee Montague in How I Won the War (1967)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Michael Crawford
    Michael Crawford
    • Lt. Goodbody
    John Lennon
    John Lennon
    • Gripweed
    Roy Kinnear
    Roy Kinnear
    • Clapper
    Lee Montague
    Lee Montague
    • Transom
    Jack MacGowran
    Jack MacGowran
    • Juniper
    Michael Hordern
    Michael Hordern
    • Grapple
    Jack Hedley
    Jack Hedley
    • Melancholy Musketeer
    Karl Michael Vogler
    Karl Michael Vogler
    • Odlebog
    Ronald Lacey
    Ronald Lacey
    • Spool
    James Cossins
    James Cossins
    • Drogue
    Ewan Hooper
    Ewan Hooper
    • Dooley
    Alexander Knox
    Alexander Knox
    • American General
    Robert Hardy
    Robert Hardy
    • British General
    Sheila Hancock
    Sheila Hancock
    • Mrs. Clapper's Friend
    Charles Dyer
    Charles Dyer
    • Happy-Trousered Man
    Bill Dysart
    • Paratrooper
    Paul Daneman
    Paul Daneman
    • Skipper
    Peter Graves
    Peter Graves
    • Staff Officer
      • Richard Lester
      • Patrick Ryan(novel)
      • Charles Wood(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      John Lennon wrote "Strawberry Fields Forever" while shooting this movie in Spain.
    • Goofs
      In the desert, Goodbody refers to Transom as "Corporal of Musket", even though he is wearing sergeant's stripes.
    • Quotes

      Gripweed: And I'm not a thief, really. I've never found anything worth keeping.

    • Connections
      Featured in Film Review: Film Review (1967)
    • Soundtracks
      Auf Wiedersehn, Sweetheart
      (uncredited)

      Written by Eberhard Storch, English language lyrics written by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons

      Performed by Vera Lynn With Soldiers and Airmen of Her Majesty's Forces

    User reviews37

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Brilliant, gets better with age!
    'How I Won the War' has to be one of the most original, bizarre and imaginative war films ever made. I first saw it late one night as an impressionable kid and immediately was drawn by its unusual style and narrative. To have the film tinted in several different colours to show the stages of the war was both daring and cool. One gets the feeling of having witnessed something larger, more intimate and important than just a mere war movie.

    There are no real heros in this film, certainly Michael Crawford and his troop are pretty cowardly and inept, whereas the Germans are depicted, in the raid on the fuel dump scene, as being content with religious service and a bit of soccer.

    It is true that history is written by the victors and Michael Crawford's character, Goodbody, is one of only two survivers from his regiment. He proudly states at the very end of the film that he "won the war". Maybe he did, but his actions and his balmy enthusiasm show us just how idiotic war can be.

    My favourite scene was the one with Goodbody and the German officer who befriends Goodbody for much of the film. Together, they talk about how cruel both the British and Germans are, and how the German officer has killed many Jews. Goodbody then talks about how he got his commission and why he is fighting. It ends with the German officer telling Goodbody that he (Goodbody) is a fascist. "Am I?", replies Goodbody, "but I don't particularly dislike Jews."

    When the very affable German officer, who is attempting to surrender, is blindly run over by an advancing British tank, we know that in this war the good, the bad and the ugly become mixed up and inseperable.

    I currently own a very worn out video of the film and am hoping it will be released soon on DVD here in Australia.
    helpful•17
    5
    • robertwb
    • Jan 2, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 23, 1967 (United States)
      • United Kingdom
      • MGM
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Carboneras, Almería, Andalucía, Spain
    • Production company
      • Petersham Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 49 minutes

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