Two Men Went to War (2002)

Comedy drama based on the true story of two British Army dentists who in 1942, eager to see action, go AWOL and invade occupied France on their own.

Director:

John Henderson

Writers:

Richard Everett (screenplay), Raymond Foxall (book)

Stars:

Kenneth Cranham, Leo Bill, Derek Jacobi

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kenneth Cranham	...	Sergeant Peter King
Leo Bill	...	Pvt. Leslie Cuthbertson
Anthony Valentine	...	Sergeant Major Dudley
James Fleet	...	Major Bates
Richard Sutton	...	Private Horrocks
Anthony O'Donnell	...	Chief armourer
Glen Davies	...	Corporal at bomb crater
Paul Bayfield	...	Dental trainee 1
Jason Round	...	Dental Trainee 2
Julian Glover	...	Colonel Hatchard
Tim 'Nobby' Clarke	...	Young sergeant
Nick Miles	...	Sergeant Mowat
Brian Bosley	...	Drill sergeant
Dickon Tolson	...	Bar Steward
Nick Hussey	...	Sentry

Storyline

Based on a true story, Sergeant Peter King of the Army Dental Corps, too old to fight, and Private Leslie Cuthbertson, a trainee dental mechanic in the Corps, are thrown together by their passionate desire to see active service. Armed with just two revolvers and a dozen grenades, King persuades Cuthbertson to join him on a mission to occupied France. In a letter to Winston Churchill, King explains their intention to invade France and fight the Germans. After a number of failed attempts, they finally arrive by boat and stumble across a German radar station. They succeed in blowing up what they believe to be the main Operations Room, but are soon forced to make their escape as the entire compound unexpectedly erupts with gunfire and explosions. After narrow escapes from the Germans and a stray mine in the Channel, the two men are picked up at sea and interrogated as spies. Identified as deserters, they are returned to their barracks to be court-martialed. At the eleventh hour King and ...

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Plot Keywords:

sergeant | dentist | british army | boat | soldier | 

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Taglines:

A true story . . . that no one believed

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Genres:

Comedy | War | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for language and some violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 November 2002 (UK)

Also Known As:

2 Men Went to War

Filming Locations:

Charlestown, Cornwall, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,672, 28 March 2004, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$151,133, 10 June 2018

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ira Trattner Productions,Little Wing Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Four different motorbikes and sidecars were used in the escape scene as they kept breaking down, and in one scene you can just see the rope which was towing the last motorcycle breakdown.

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Goofs

The pub, at which the two soldiers stayed prior to stealing a boat for their journey to France, had all it's lights blazing at night, even though the whole country was under blackout regulations throughout the war.

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Quotes

Sgt. Peter King: You've got a head like a toy box Cuthbertson.

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Connections

Followed by Two More Men Went to War (2003)

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Soundtracks

(We're Going to Hang Out) The Washing on the Siegfried Line
Written by Michael Carr (as Carr) and Jimmy Kennedy (as Kennedy)
Performed by Flanagan and Allen

User Reviews

Unexpected British comic delight

What an unexpected delight is this true-ish wartime tale of two army dentists determined to do something for the war effort. A grizzled WW1 Sergeant and callow private go AWOL, heading for Cornwall and then to France armed with a rucksack of grenades, a couple of pistols and the odd dental tool. Possessing a comic lightness of touch rarely seen in Britain since the halcyon days of the Ealing comedies, this wonderful tale of British eccentricity is hilariously funny mainly because it never goes for the obvious laugh. Realisitic enough that the adventure is frequently nerve-wracking, with a splendid plot that constantly wrongfoots your guesses, the mismatched comic pair of Kenneth Cranham and Leo Bill work brilliantly. Filmed in vibrant colours so rarely seen in a British film, the movie succeeds way beyond its modest ambitions. It's the rare sort of film that banishes the blues and puts you in a good mood that lasts for ages afterwards. What more can you ask from a film than that?