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IMDbPro

Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall

  • 19731973
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 42m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
381
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
67,194
2,526
Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall (1973)
Comedy
London, 1940. Aspiring jazz musician and future comedy legend Terence "Spike" Milligan reluctantly obeys his call-up and joins the Royal Artillery regiment at Bexhill, where he begins traini... Read allLondon, 1940. Aspiring jazz musician and future comedy legend Terence "Spike" Milligan reluctantly obeys his call-up and joins the Royal Artillery regiment at Bexhill, where he begins training to take part in the War. But along the way Spike and his friends get involved in many a... Read allLondon, 1940. Aspiring jazz musician and future comedy legend Terence "Spike" Milligan reluctantly obeys his call-up and joins the Royal Artillery regiment at Bexhill, where he begins training to take part in the War. But along the way Spike and his friends get involved in many amusing - and some not-so amusing - scrapes. Based on the first volume of Milligan's war me... Read all
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
381
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
67,194
2,526
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Norman Cohen
    • Writers
      • Spike Milligan(based on the novel by)
      • Johnny Byrne(screenplay)
      • Norman Cohen(with)
    • Stars
      • Jim Dale
      • Arthur Lowe
      • Bill Maynard
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Norman Cohen
    • Writers
      • Spike Milligan(based on the novel by)
      • Johnny Byrne(screenplay)
      • Norman Cohen(with)
    • Stars
      • Jim Dale
      • Arthur Lowe
      • Bill Maynard
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 8User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos

    Jim Dale in Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall (1973)
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    Top cast

    Edit
    Jim Dale
    Jim Dale
    • Spike Milligan
    Arthur Lowe
    Arthur Lowe
    • Maj. Drysdale
    Bill Maynard
    Bill Maynard
    • Sgt. Ellis
    Tony Selby
    Tony Selby
    • Bill
    Geoffrey Hughes
    Geoffrey Hughes
    • Larry
    Jim Norton
    Jim Norton
    • Pongo
    John Forgeham
    John Forgeham
    • Wally
    Robert Longden
    • Heavenly
    Tony Hughes
    • Edwards
    Paul Antrim
    • Anderson
    Lionel Guyett
    • Sutton
    David Fennell
    • Neville
    David Belcher
    • Smith
    Windsor Davies
    Windsor Davies
    • Sgt. MacKay
    Stephen Yardley
    Stephen Yardley
    • Lt. Martin
    Spike Milligan
    Spike Milligan
    • Spike's Father
    Pat Coombs
    • Spike's Mother
    Bob Todd
    Bob Todd
    • Referee
    • Director
      • Norman Cohen
    • Writers
      • Spike Milligan(based on the novel by)
      • Johnny Byrne(screenplay)
      • Norman Cohen(with)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Spike Milligan was 21 when he was conscripted into the army in WW2; Jim Dale (I) was 38 when he portrayed Milligan in this film.
    • Goofs
      In the dance hall, when they start to sing the national anthem after the director's announcement, the third girl from the front clearly mouths "Queen" while the soundtrack (and historical accuracy) provide "King".
    • Quotes

      Spike Milligan: [Having spent all night on sentry duty, Spike hears footsteps] Halt! Who goes there?

      Unseen soldier: [In a broad Yorkshire accent] Adolf Bloody 'itler!

      Spike Milligan: Pass... friend.

    • Connections
      References Dad's Army (1968)
    • Soundtracks
      It's Gonna Be a Good War
      Words and Music by Ed Welch

      Sung by Jim Dale

    User reviews8

    Review
    Top review
    Occasionally touches Milligan's humour but mostly just amusing
    Young musician Spike Milligan is playing a gig when WW2 is announced. Spike is drafted into army and goes about training prior to joining action. On the way he and his squad experience plenty of amusing antics but also see the futility and losses of wartime. Based on the first volume of Spike's wartime memoirs.

    Spike Milligan was the last goon to go and his unique sense of humour will be greatly missed, although it does live on in many of today's comedians. This is a film version of his memoirs of his time in the second world war. The plot sticks close to the book, focusing on the training rather than later in the war. However the film can't completely bring out the absolute madness inherent in Spike's writing. The film does occasionally have touches of him but mostly this feels a little like a carry on film without the smut.

    The comments on the futility of war are OK but they feel like they're heavily thrown into the mix and don't sit well alongside the comedy. MASH did better than this later. This film is more like something between a Carry On film and MASH. It neither manages to do the satire well nor do the laughs as well as you'd hope. It does average with both but never feels comfortable with either.

    The characters are quite well drawn. Dale does well as Spike and manages to do a good job without doing an impression but Spike himself is given little to do as his own father. The support cast are all good but don't manage to shine as much as one would have hoped. Maynard, Lowe, Davis and Hughes are all nice surprises but all the best stuff is kept for Dale to use.

    Overall Spike fans will feel a little let down by the losses made in transition from page to screen. The comedy aspires to be Milliganesque but only occasionally does his hand shine through. The end result is still entertaining but never as funny as it should be. I suggest you all read the book rather than watching this. RIP Spike – happily your legacy is with us everyday and not just in this film.
    helpful•13
    2
    • bob the moo
    • Oct 14, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 27, 1973 (Ireland)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Ware Hitorâ tokaku tatakaeri
    • Filming locations
      • Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Associated London Films
      • Norcon
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 42 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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