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IMDbPro

Murphy's War

  • 1971
  • GP
  • 1h 47m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
3.5K
YOUR RATING
Peter O'Toole in Murphy's War (1971)
DramaWar

A lone survivor from a British naval ship is obsessed with getting revenge on a German U-boat crew that massacred his shipmates in the water.A lone survivor from a British naval ship is obsessed with getting revenge on a German U-boat crew that massacred his shipmates in the water.A lone survivor from a British naval ship is obsessed with getting revenge on a German U-boat crew that massacred his shipmates in the water.

  • Director
    • Peter Yates
  • Writers
    • Max Catto
    • Stirling Silliphant
  • Stars
    • Peter O'Toole
    • Siân Phillips
    • Philippe Noiret
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.8/10
    3.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Peter Yates
    • Writers
      • Max Catto
      • Stirling Silliphant
    • Stars
      • Peter O'Toole
      • Siân Phillips
      • Philippe Noiret
    • 52User reviews
    • 17Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos146

    Peter O'Toole and Philippe Noiret in Murphy's War (1971)
    Peter O'Toole and Philippe Noiret in Murphy's War (1971)
    Horst Janson in Murphy's War (1971)
    Murphy's War (1971)
    Siân Phillips in Murphy's War (1971)
    Peter O'Toole and Siân Phillips in Murphy's War (1971)
    Murphy's War (1971)
    Peter O'Toole and Philippe Noiret in Murphy's War (1971)
    Siân Phillips in Murphy's War (1971)
    Horst Janson in Murphy's War (1971)
    Murphy's War (1971)
    Peter O'Toole and Philippe Noiret in Murphy's War (1971)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Peter O'Toole
    Peter O'Toole
    • Murphy
    Siân Phillips
    Siân Phillips
    • Hayden
    • (as Sian Phillips)
    Philippe Noiret
    Philippe Noiret
    • Brezan
    Horst Janson
    Horst Janson
    • Lauchs
    John Hallam
    John Hallam
    • Ellis
    Ingo Mogendorf
    • Voght
    John Clifford
    • Submarine Crewman
    • (uncredited)
    Harry Fielder
    Harry Fielder
    • German Sub Crewman
    • (uncredited)
    George Roubicek
    George Roubicek
    • U-Boat Crewman
    • (uncredited)
    Bob Simmons
    Bob Simmons
    • member of German sub crew
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Peter Yates
    • Writers
      • Max Catto(novel)
      • Stirling Silliphant(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The part of the U-Boat was played by a Venezuelan submarine, the former USS Tilefish (SS-307). The floating crane was, itself, a former WW2 tank landing craft.
    • Goofs
      (at around 1h 17 mins) There is modern-day traffic on the far right of the screen crossing a high bridge just above the tree-line.
    • Quotes

      Brezan: Man is only truly alive when he confronts death.

      Murphy: He can also be truly dead.

    • Alternate versions
      The original UK cinema version was cut by the BBFC to remove 2 uses of the word 'fuck' and to edit shots of bloody shootings and dead bodies for an 'A' (PG) certificate. The 12-rated UK DVD release restores the gunshot scenes but also has the swear words blanked out, and an inferior 4:3 transfer.
    • Connections
      Referenced in The Flying Doctors: Million-Acre Prison (1986)
    • Soundtracks
      My Hat's on the Side of My Head
      (uncredited)

      Written by Harry M. Woods and Claude Hulbert

      Performed by Roy Fox

      Played on the gramophone

    User reviews52

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Peter O'Toole's top-notch acting as a brave seaman obsessed with getting vengeance on a German U-boat
    Two World War was just ending , a German submarine , U-Boat , commanded by a captain called Lauchs (Horst Janson) sinks an English ship and gun down most of its crew . Then , a sole survivor of the ship , the revenge-minded Murphy (Peter O'Toole) carries on his own war , no matter what the cost to himself . The Irishman survives and returns to health thanks to a nurse named Hayden (Sian Phillips , real-life O'Toole's wife) . Murphy's war is about to begin from a settlement on the banks of the Orinoco River .

    Thrilling and exciting screenplay concerning about an obsessive seaman with an eagerly determination to seek vendetta on the Germans , even after he learns the war has ended . Interesting and moving script by prestigious Sterling Silliphant , saddling some nice action scenes at the ending , when it takes place a relentless pursuit between a boat and the sub , specially in the last reel . Sensational acting by Peter O'Toole as the lone survivor from a British naval ship who seeks revenge when his ship is sunk by the Germans and gunned down most of its crew . However , his extreme obsession with desire for vengeance upon the Germans isn't believable , but the moments that click make the movie more than worthwhile . This character about an avenger who seeks revenge on those who killed his crewmates bears remarkable resemblance to ¨Moby Dick's Captain Ahab¨ by Herman Melville . Other important players are : Philippe Noiret as his supporter and sympathetic helper gives a mesmerizing acting , Siân Phillips as a good-tempered nurse and Horst Janson as a captain who massacred the Allied shipmates in the water .

    Magnificent color cinematography on tropical places by Douglas Slocombe . Adequate as well as stirring musical score by John Barry . The motion picture was compellingly made by Peter Yates and splendidly edited by film editor John Glen , subsequently director of James Bond movies . Never a prolific director, Peter Yates subsequently made only a few more films . His best films include the stylish and ingenious caper comedy Hot Rock (1972); the underwater adventure Deep (1977), based on the novel and screenplay by Peter Benchley ; and the quirky coming-of-age comedy Breaking away (1979). For the latter, Yates received simultaneous Oscar nominations as Best Director and Best Producer and the enjoyably old-fashioned comedy Curtain call (1998), starring Michael Caine and Maggie Smith as a couple of theatrical ghosts . He was nominated again for a more cerebral 'actor's piece', The dresser (1983), starring Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay , based on a play about an ageing stage actor and his long-standing assistant. It was followed by a flop titled Eleni (1985) with John Malkovich . Most memorable, perhaps, were the courtroom thriller Suspect (1987), and the political drama House de Carroll Street (1988) 2011 , following directing a few films until death in 2011 (age 81).
    helpful•8
    3
    • ma-cortes
    • Feb 15, 2017

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 15, 1971 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Languages
      • English
      • German
    • Also known as
      • Marfijev rat
    • Filming locations
      • Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela(river scenes)
    • Production companies
      • Michael Deeley-Peter Yates Films
      • London Screenplays
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $5,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 47 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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