L P
'How I Won the War' ('HIWtW', 1967), is a largely forgotten & maligned film that may have the distinction of being both an 'Anti-war Film' film & an 'Anti-war' film. 'HIWtW' unfolds in an unconventional plot structure formed by a series of narrated episodes/vignettes that are franticly-paced, dark, stirring, & above all surrealistic. A basic premise has Lt Goodbody (Michael Crawford) & the ever-dwindling survivors of his unit (featuring John Lennon with limited, but incredibly poignant, screen time) given orders to set a cricket pitch in open desert & behind enemy lines during the Allied invasion of North Africa. Marked by biting satire, brilliant performances, & excellent cinematography (shot in Andalucia, Spain), 'HIWtW' also boasts first rate writing, editing & cast, while experimental direction & production (the dead become tinted ghosts that continue on screen with the living & the use of authentic war footage) are dynamic. 'HIWtW' will likely be a unique film viewing experience without the gritty/gory realism of the modern day war genre films, but no less poignant. This war narrative with British humor/slapstick makes for a challenging (particularly on the opposite side of the pond), but greatly rewarding/entertaining film, & is a must for WWII genre enthusiasts & Crawford & Lennon fans. 'HIWtW' is also recommended for casual war/drama/action/humor viewers & those interested in cinematic social commentary. For similar themes consider: 'Dr Stragelove' (1964); 'MASH' (1970); 'Duck Soup' (1933); 'Catch 22' (1970); 'What Did You Do in the War, Daddy' (1966); 'Two Men Went to War' (2002); 'Kelly's Heroes' (1970); 'Castle Keep' (1969); '1941' (1979); 'Lawrence of Arabia' (1962); 'The Good Soldier Schweik', Pts 1& 2 (1956/7); & 'Sand Pebbles' (1966). Also consider: 'Signs of Life' (1968); 'Mediterraneo' (1991); 'I Was Nineteen' (1968); 'Help' (1965); 'Hell in the Pacific' (1968); 'Magical Mystery Tour' (1967); 'Big Red One' (1980); 'The Bed Sitting Room' (1969); & 'Stalag 17' (1953).
Lee Eisenberg
Taking a break from the Beatles, John Lennon starred in the zany "How I Won the War", about a wacky platoon in WWII. The movie shows that while Lennon devoted his life to political issues, he clearly had a humorous side. I guess that with all the horror in war, we have to try and keep our sense of humor somehow. There may have been some controversy about this movie when it first came out, given the Vietnam War, but there's never a dull moment anywhere in the movie. It just goes to show what a great guy Lennon was."And I'm not a thief, really. I've never found anything worth keeping." Now that's just a great line!
theslick1
I just saw this film for the first time last Friday night at an American Cinematheque screening in L.A. I had pretty low expectations for it but was curious to see John Lennon in an acting role. You could see this film as a pre-cursor to M*A*S*H, but I think that's giving it too much credit.
In short, the film succeeded in meeting my low expectations. I've seen my share of British cinema and particularly a lot of Monty Python, which this film vaguely recalls, and this was a challenging film for me to watch in terms of understanding the humor, the language, and the slang being used by the characters. The bits of slapstick are good, but there aren't enough of them to save the film. Michael Crawford is really the star of the film, and I discovered that a little of him goes a long way. Ninety minutes of him is too much. As for Lennon, he's mostly a small supporting character, although he's given virtually equal billing with Crawford. If you saw Help! or A Hard Day's Night, you know a little about John's personality, and it shines through in the same way here.I'd recommend watching this at home on video, where you can stop it and return to it if it gets tiresome, which it probably will. I understand that it's due for a DVD release sometime soon.
Patrick King
Maybe true heroism is less than heroic. "How I Won the War" is a very funny movie that in its own surreal way depicts very real and less than heroic motivations for war. The setting is North Africa and Europe during WWII. The insinuations of absurdity could be any place and any time. Aptly portraying the soldiers is a cast that includes a young Michael Crawford playing the group leader -- bumbling, patriotic, and self-possessed of a desire to be rewarded. Roy Kinnear competently plays the jolly and slightly addled, clear-thinking (albeit mumbling) realist. Michael Hordern is the Blimpo commander with the proverbial blinkers on, never letting his men down when it comes to providing them with exhortation. There is also John Lennon who renders a very capable job of portraying a naive pessimist (perhaps a reflection of his feelings at the time about his role as a member of another group). No one ever really dies in this movie; they merely change colors. And in the end, the entire experience of war is capsulated into a home movie. Look for Alexander Knox playing an American general.
AD
