JohnHowardReid Photographed in black-and-white CinemaScope. Westrex Sound System. Filmed on location in Africa and at Pinewood Studios, London. Produced by George H. Brown. Copyright 3 September 1964 by 20th Century-Fox Productions. New York opening at the Coronet: 16 November 1964. U.S. release: 30 September 1964. U.K. release: September 1964. Sydney opening at the Town. 9,261 feet. 103 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Regimental Sergeant Major Lauderdale (Richard Attenborough), a seasoned soldier whose life is the Army and whose bible is the British Army Queen's Regulations, is now stationed in Batasi, a newly independent African country which has remained part of the British Commonwealth. His regiment, commanded by Colonel Deal (Jack Hawkins), consists of both native and British officers, sergeants and enlisted men. One afternoon Lauderdale and several other sergeants congregate at the mess hall. They view the evening with dismay, because they must entertain a visiting lady of Parliament, Miss Barker-Wise (Flora Robson), who is on an African fact-finding mission. At that moment, Colonel Deal is pondering a communication from the capital informing him of serious political disturbances. It orders that all British personnel within the regiment will hand over their duties to Africans and remain in their quarters. NOTES: Film debut of Mia Farrow (daughter of John Farrow and Maureen O'Sullivan).COMMENT: Hard to believe that Richard Attenborough wasn't even nominated for any Hollywood awards for this — the greatest performance of his life. Not that the other players are that far behind. Mia Farrow in her movie debut gives a remarkably skilled and moving portrayal. And there are fine studies by David Lodge, Flora Robson and Australia's John Meillon.The script comes across as taut, incisive, and full of crackling dialogue. The plot rates as off-beat, ironical, comic yet highly dramatic. Guillermin's direction is a model of fast, super-efficient staging, making the most of all his location and studio facilities. In short, this is must-see, consistently gripping entertainment. One of the best films of the year.OTHER VIEWS: Informative and diverting... Attenborough delivers a shaded performance that gives stature and meaning to what could have been a stereotyped role. — A.H. Weiler in the New York Times.A strong and frequently exciting piece of work. — Variety.Tart, tropical melodrama... Flora Robson adds snap, but the pick of the lot is Richard Attenborough. — Time."Guns at Batasi", a taut service drama, gives England's Richard Attenborough ample opportunity to prove once more what a gifted actor he is. He makes a stunning impact here... It is a performance to be reckoned with at awards time. — Robert Salmaggi in the N.Y. Herald Tribune.

Leofwine_draca A nice character-driven vehicle for Richard Attenborough, GUNS AT BATASI is a working example of the British army in its dying days of world domination. It's a warts and all portrayal of a forgotten breed of men who had words like courage, honour, and duty sewn into their uniforms and would sooner die than bring dishonour to their hallowed institution.This is basically a low budget character vehicle for an on-fire Attenborough, barely recognisable behind the facial hair. Attenborough plays an old-fashioned officer working in Africa whose outdated methods are a source of amusement for his men. However, when local political turmoil sees an attempted coup against his allies, he must spring into action, at which point his men discover that sometimes, the old ways are still the best.There's very little to dislike about GUNS AT BATASI, a delightfully old-fashioned and almost anachronistic little wartime thriller. I wonder what audiences would have made of its deliberately backward-looking ways in the progressive sixties? The sun-drenched locations ably bring Africa to life, even though the lack of budget means that this is a set-based story, and there are enough character actors around like Percy Herbert, Jack Hawkins, Flora Robson, and David Lodge to do justice to the material.

Ben Larson Wow, a 19-year-old Mia Farrow in her first credited role.But, eye-candy aside, the real stars are Richard Attenborough (Gandhi, Jurassic Park) as the Regimental Sergeant Major, and Flora Robson as MP Barker-Wise.Upheaval in Africa as a newly independent country decides to change leadership, provides a backdrop for conflict between the RSM and the mutinous Lieutenant (Errol John) who supports the new government.The stiff discipline of the British Army is on full display as the RSM tries to protect his charges.The acting by all was excellent, and the story was both dramatic and funny at times.

mphilipm Richard Attenborough gave a performance in this film worthy of an Oscar and everyone in the movie shone. The writing, the direction, the experience are what movies are all about and time has not dimmed the significance of the content. It seemed to be a lost film for many years but has come out on DVD with the usual--and in this case--entertaining extras. It is billed as a "war film" but it is much more than that, an action film in the way in which Master and Commander is an action film, exciting but significant as well, since it illustrates a point of view with which you may agree or disagree but which you will see distinctly after a viewing, comparisons and contrasts being inherent to the vehicle itself. Mia Farrow debuted in this but it is an English movie with a fine supporting cast including Jack Hawkins in a final speaking role.