990:
985:
980:
975:
543:. In particular the character of the spectral clown "Juniper" is closely modelled on the Camp Comic from the play, who likewise uses a blackly comic style to ridicule the fatuous glorification of war. Goodbody narrates the film retrospectively, more or less, while in conversation with his German officer captor, "Odlebog", at the
614:. Patrick Ryan served as an infantry and then a reconnaissance officer in the war. Throughout, the author's bitterness at the pointlessness of war, and the battle of class interests in the hierarchy, are common to the film, as are most of the characters (though the novel predictably includes many more than the film).
585:) sees nothing for Gripweed to be embarrassed about, stressing that "Fascism is something you grow out of". One monologue in the film concerns Musketeer Juniper's lament – while impersonating a high-ranked officer – about how officer material is drawn from the working and lower class, and
597:
Lester decided to make several changes from the source material. For example, the novel does not have an absurdist/surrealist tone like the film. The novel represents a far more conservative, structured (though still comic) war memoir, told by a sarcastically naĂŻve and puerile
Lieutenant Goodbody in
696:. Lennon, taking a break from the Beatles, was asked by Lester to play Musketeer Gripweed. To prepare for the role, Lennon had a haircut, contrasting sharply with his mop-top image. During filming, he started wearing round "granny" glasses (the same type of glasses worn by the film's screenwriter,
319:
While
Goodbody's ineptitude and attempts at derring-do lead to the gradual demise of the unit, he survives, together with the unit's persistent deserter and another of his charges who become confined to psychiatric care. Every time a character is killed, he is replaced by an actor in bright red,
31:
625:
regiment forced, in wartime, to accept temporarily commissioned officers like
Goodbody into its number, as well as returning reservists called back into service. In both world wars this has provided a huge bone of contention for regular regiments, where the exclusive
569:) which could be construed as a satire on unethical business practices and capitalism. This sequence also appears in the novel. Fascism amongst the British is previously mentioned when Gripweed (Lennon's character) is revealed to be a former follower of
718:, Lennon had rented a villa called Santa Isabel that he and wife Cynthia Lennon shared with both his co-star Michael Crawford and his then wife, Gabrielle Lewis. The villa's wrought-iron gates and surrounding lush vegetation bore a resemblance to
547:
bridgehead in 1945. From their duologue emerges another key source of subversion – the two officers are in fact united in their class attitudes and officer-status contempt for (and ignorance of) their men. While they admit that the question of
888:
704:
Lennon mainly wore this particular style of glasses for the rest of his life. A photo of Lennon in character as
Gripweed found its way into many print publications, including the front page of the first issue of
556:
patriotism finally relents when he accepts his German counterpart's accusation of being, in principle, a
Fascist. They then resolve to settle their disagreements on a commercial basis (Odlebog proposes
598:
the first person. It follows an authentic chronology of the war consistent with one of the long-serving regular infantry units – for example of the 4th
Infantry Division – such as the 2nd
656:, a Cavalry designation. None of these features come from the novel, such as the use of half-tracks and Transom's appointment as "corporal of musket", which suggests the cavalry rank
457:
730:" while filming. The villa was later turned into the House of Cinema, a museum dedicated to the history of movie production in AlmerĂa province. A Spanish film,
421:
1167:
1378:
1343:
316:
themes in the film is the platoon's repeated attempts or temptations to kill or otherwise rid themselves of their complete liability of a commander.
505:
1070:
621:
chose not to identify a real army unit. The officers chase wine and glory, the soldiers chase sex and evade the enemy. The model is a regular
511:
427:
1453:
1428:
1199:
1119:
1458:
1383:
1097:
1353:
1418:
1448:
1438:
1423:
1328:
874:
320:
blue, or green-coloured Second World War uniform, whose face is also coloured and obscured so that he appears to be a living
618:
262:
72:
1433:
1363:
1358:
1247:
1014:
1408:
1348:
1323:
711:
in
November 1967. Beatles friend, and soon to be head of Apple Corps, Neil Aspinall has a cameo role as a soldier.
1368:
1338:
1215:
732:
1413:
1373:
1151:
439:
128:
828:
1403:
660:. These aspects are most likely due to the screenwriter Charles Wood being a former regular army cavalryman.
1443:
1287:
1143:
1090:
811:
as "the most ruthless mockery of the killer instinct and of patriotism that has ever reached the screen".
1279:
1191:
889:"Living is Easy With Eyes Closed: How John Lennon's Role in a 1960s War Film Inspired a Whole New Movie"
1398:
1393:
1388:
677:
1005:
727:
697:
574:
536:
57:
552:
might divide them, they equally admit that it is not of prime concern to either of them. Goodbody's
280:
to tell the tale of the fictional 3rd Troop, the 4th
Musketeers and their misadventures through the
269:
1333:
1083:
744:
451:
285:
1207:
689:
1135:
791:
539:, borrowed themes and dialogue from his surreal and bitterly dark (and banned) anti-war play
961:
726:
garden near Lennon's childhood home; it was this observation that inspired Lennon to write "
740:
8:
1318:
915:
786:
681:
376:
118:
1223:
1127:
284:. The screenplay takes a comic and absurdist attitude towards the conflict through the
937:
1059:
1054:
1010:
966:
870:
798:
774:
669:
657:
637:
493:
289:
863:
Vor 50 Jahren startete im Celler Raum der Beat durch – 50 Jahre
Beatlemania in Celle
1231:
1075:
803:
719:
334:
281:
238:
90:
755:
The film's release was delayed by six months as
Richard Lester went on to work on
606:. Rather than surrealism the novel offers some quite chillingly vivid accounts of
257:
in his only non-musical acting role. The film, which was directed and produced by
1295:
1239:
1065:
942:
893:
778:
633:
628:
599:
582:
469:
364:
110:
1107:
723:
517:
415:
400:
358:
258:
242:
170:
106:
47:
1312:
707:
570:
549:
487:
475:
388:
785:
gave the movie two stars, describing it as "not a brave or outspoken film".
324:. This reinforces Goodbody's repeated comparisons of war to playing a game.
308:
Lieutenant Goodbody is an inept, idealistic, naĂŻve, and almost relentlessly
1271:
1159:
673:
433:
409:
404:
382:
352:
250:
234:
102:
1263:
1255:
957:
782:
701:
499:
481:
463:
394:
370:
346:
340:
273:
254:
246:
114:
98:
94:
36:
1048:
645:
553:
313:
277:
146:
781:, receiving 9 negative reviews out of 16. In his review for the film,
715:
30:
636:, but the later mention of the "Brigade of Musketeers" recalls the
622:
445:
321:
309:
648:) that has been adapted to "an independent role as infantry". The
632:
is highly valued and safeguarded. The name Musketeers recalls the
1183:
757:
649:
641:
611:
578:
566:
297:
603:
866:
693:
685:
653:
607:
562:
544:
293:
916:"Casa del Cine | City of Almeria, Andalucia, Southern Spain"
312:
wartime-commissioned (not regular) officer. One of the main
644:
regiment (armoured with tanks or light armour, such as the
795:
felt "that Lester has bitten off more than he can chew".
602:, including (unlike the film) the campaigns in Italy and
1105:
668:
Filming took place during the autumn of 1966 in the
288:
in mid-late 1942 to the crossing of the last intact
565:; in the novel the bridge is identified as that at
261:, is based upon the 1963 novel of the same name by
773:The film holds a "rotten" 44% rating at the film
739:From 28 to 29 December 1966, Lennon recorded all
1310:
736:(2013), revolves around the filming in AlmerĂa.
589:(as it used to be) from the feudal aristocracy.
1168:A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
640:. In the film, the regiment is presented as a
1120:The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film
1091:
972:
1032:Before My Eyes Film Criticism & Comment
1379:British avant-garde and experimental films
1098:
1084:
1034:. Harper & Row Publishers. p. 14.
268:The film uses a variety of styles such as
29:
1029:
833:British Film Institute Collections Search
561:Goodbody the last intact bridge over the
1344:1960s avant-garde and experimental films
821:
852:Robert Hardy, 16:23-16:29 (DVD version)
789:called it "pretentious tomfoolery" and
1311:
1002:
355:as Sergeant/Corporal of Musket Transom
1079:
956:
886:
700:); the glasses became iconic as the
1454:English-language black comedy films
1429:Western Front of World War II films
535:In writing the script, the author,
16:1967 British film by Richard Lester
13:
1248:Butch and Sundance: The Early Days
14:
1470:
1459:English-language war comedy films
1042:
974:
887:Aftab, Kaleem (18 October 2013).
1384:Films directed by Richard Lester
988:
983:
978:
973:
761:(1968) shortly after completing
733:Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed
1354:British political satire films
1152:The Knack ...and How to Get It
1023:
996:
950:
930:
908:
880:
855:
846:
592:
337:as Lieutenant Earnest Goodbody
1:
1419:Films based on British novels
1009:(9th ed.). p. 574.
814:
525:
1449:Films about the British Army
1439:1960s English-language films
1424:North African campaign films
1329:1960s political satire films
1288:The Return of the Musketeers
768:
7:
1030:Kauffmann, Stanley (1979).
303:
10:
1475:
1434:Films scored by Ken Thorne
1364:British World War II films
1359:British black comedy films
750:
743:work for his character at
678:Bergen-Hohne Training Area
663:
652:of the novel has become a
530:
1114:
728:Strawberry Fields Forever
575:British Union of Fascists
218:
210:
200:
185:18 October 1967
176:
166:
152:
142:
134:
124:
86:
78:
63:
53:
43:
28:
23:
861:Comp. Blazek, Matthias:
418:as Mrs. Clapper's Friend
1349:British satirical films
1324:1967 black comedy films
745:Twickenham Film Studios
424:as Flappy-Trousered Man
373:as Melancholy Musketeer
327:
286:Western Desert Campaign
1369:Military humor in film
1339:1960s war comedy films
1006:Halliwell's Film Guide
1414:Films shot in Germany
1409:Films shot in AlmerĂa
1374:Anti-war comedy films
1136:The Mouse on the Moon
1003:Walker, John (1993).
792:Monthly Film Bulletin
472:as Soldier at Alamein
454:as Old Man at Alamein
1404:Films set in Germany
1200:The Three Musketeers
1192:The Bed Sitting Room
1071:Feature at Britmovie
747:in London, England.
741:post-synchronisation
550:the massacre of Jews
403:as American General
1444:1960s British films
1216:The Four Musketeers
962:"How I Won the War"
938:"How I Won the War"
865:, bpr-Projekt GbR,
829:"How I Won the War"
714:During his stay in
690:Province of AlmerĂa
682:Verden an der Aller
581:Grapple (played by
377:Karl Michael Vogler
119:Karl Michael Vogler
1144:A Hard Day's Night
1106:Films directed by
960:(7 January 1968).
520:as 2nd Replacement
514:as 1st Replacement
460:as Woman in Desert
412:as British General
274:straight-to-camera
233:is a 1967 British
161:Petersham Pictures
1399:Films set in 1945
1394:Films set in 1942
1389:Films set in 1939
1306:
1305:
1176:How I Won the War
1061:How I Won the War
1050:How I Won the War
967:Chicago Sun Times
918:. 13 January 2017
875:978-3-00-041877-8
809:How I Won the War
799:Stanley Kauffmann
775:review aggregator
763:How I Won the War
688:, as well as the
658:corporal of horse
638:Brigade of Guards
494:Gretchen Franklin
230:How I Won the War
226:
225:
138:John Victor-Smith
68:How I Won the War
24:How I Won the War
1466:
1232:Robin and Marian
1100:
1093:
1086:
1077:
1076:
1036:
1035:
1027:
1021:
1020:
1000:
994:
993:
992:
991:
987:
986:
982:
981:
977:
976:
971:
954:
948:
947:
934:
928:
927:
925:
923:
912:
906:
905:
903:
901:
884:
878:
859:
853:
850:
844:
843:
841:
839:
825:
804:The New Republic
720:Strawberry Field
442:as Staff Officer
335:Michael Crawford
282:Second World War
239:Michael Crawford
192:
190:
91:Michael Crawford
33:
21:
20:
1474:
1473:
1469:
1468:
1467:
1465:
1464:
1463:
1309:
1308:
1307:
1302:
1280:Finders Keepers
1128:It's Trad, Dad!
1110:
1104:
1066:Rotten Tomatoes
1045:
1040:
1039:
1028:
1024:
1017:
1001:
997:
989:
984:
979:
955:
951:
943:Rotten Tomatoes
936:
935:
931:
921:
919:
914:
913:
909:
899:
897:
894:The Independent
885:
881:
860:
856:
851:
847:
837:
835:
827:
826:
822:
817:
779:Rotten Tomatoes
771:
753:
666:
634:Royal Fusiliers
629:esprit de corps
600:Royal Fusiliers
595:
583:Michael Hordern
533:
528:
523:
496:as 2nd Old Lady
490:as 1st Old Lady
484:as Mrs. Clapper
470:Norman Chappell
452:Richard Pearson
365:Michael Hordern
330:
306:
300:in early 1945.
203:
196:
188:
186:
179:
162:
157:
155:
117:
113:
111:Michael Hordern
109:
105:
101:
97:
93:
70:
39:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1472:
1462:
1461:
1456:
1451:
1446:
1441:
1436:
1431:
1426:
1421:
1416:
1411:
1406:
1401:
1396:
1391:
1386:
1381:
1376:
1371:
1366:
1361:
1356:
1351:
1346:
1341:
1336:
1334:1967 war films
1331:
1326:
1321:
1304:
1303:
1301:
1300:
1292:
1284:
1276:
1268:
1260:
1252:
1244:
1236:
1228:
1220:
1212:
1204:
1196:
1188:
1180:
1172:
1164:
1156:
1148:
1140:
1132:
1124:
1115:
1112:
1111:
1108:Richard Lester
1103:
1102:
1095:
1088:
1080:
1074:
1073:
1068:
1057:
1044:
1043:External links
1041:
1038:
1037:
1022:
1016:0-00-255-349-X
1015:
995:
949:
929:
907:
879:
854:
845:
819:
818:
816:
813:
770:
767:
752:
749:
724:Salvation Army
665:
662:
617:In the novel,
594:
591:
532:
529:
527:
524:
522:
521:
518:Kenneth Colley
515:
509:
503:
502:as Large Child
497:
491:
485:
479:
473:
467:
461:
458:Pauline Taylor
455:
449:
443:
437:
431:
430:as Paratrooper
425:
419:
416:Sheila Hancock
413:
407:
401:Alexander Knox
398:
392:
386:
380:
374:
368:
362:
359:Jack MacGowran
356:
350:
344:
338:
331:
329:
326:
305:
302:
259:Richard Lester
243:Jack MacGowran
237:film starring
224:
223:
220:
216:
215:
214:United Kingdom
212:
208:
207:
204:
201:
198:
197:
195:
194:
182:
180:
177:
174:
173:
171:United Artists
168:
167:Distributed by
164:
163:
160:
158:
153:
150:
149:
144:
140:
139:
136:
132:
131:
126:
125:Cinematography
122:
121:
107:Jack MacGowran
88:
84:
83:
82:Richard Lester
80:
76:
75:
65:
61:
60:
55:
51:
50:
48:Richard Lester
45:
41:
40:
34:
26:
25:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1471:
1460:
1457:
1455:
1452:
1450:
1447:
1445:
1442:
1440:
1437:
1435:
1432:
1430:
1427:
1425:
1422:
1420:
1417:
1415:
1412:
1410:
1407:
1405:
1402:
1400:
1397:
1395:
1392:
1390:
1387:
1385:
1382:
1380:
1377:
1375:
1372:
1370:
1367:
1365:
1362:
1360:
1357:
1355:
1352:
1350:
1347:
1345:
1342:
1340:
1337:
1335:
1332:
1330:
1327:
1325:
1322:
1320:
1317:
1316:
1314:
1298:
1297:
1293:
1290:
1289:
1285:
1282:
1281:
1277:
1274:
1273:
1269:
1266:
1265:
1261:
1258:
1257:
1253:
1250:
1249:
1245:
1242:
1241:
1237:
1234:
1233:
1229:
1226:
1225:
1221:
1218:
1217:
1213:
1210:
1209:
1205:
1202:
1201:
1197:
1194:
1193:
1189:
1186:
1185:
1181:
1178:
1177:
1173:
1170:
1169:
1165:
1162:
1161:
1157:
1154:
1153:
1149:
1146:
1145:
1141:
1138:
1137:
1133:
1130:
1129:
1125:
1122:
1121:
1117:
1116:
1113:
1109:
1101:
1096:
1094:
1089:
1087:
1082:
1081:
1078:
1072:
1069:
1067:
1063:
1062:
1058:
1056:
1052:
1051:
1047:
1046:
1033:
1026:
1018:
1012:
1008:
1007:
999:
969:
968:
963:
959:
953:
945:
944:
939:
933:
917:
911:
896:
895:
890:
883:
876:
872:
868:
864:
858:
849:
834:
830:
824:
820:
812:
810:
806:
805:
800:
796:
794:
793:
788:
784:
780:
776:
766:
764:
760:
759:
748:
746:
742:
737:
735:
734:
729:
725:
721:
717:
712:
710:
709:
708:Rolling Stone
703:
699:
695:
691:
687:
683:
679:
675:
671:
661:
659:
655:
651:
647:
643:
639:
635:
631:
630:
624:
620:
615:
613:
609:
605:
601:
590:
588:
584:
580:
576:
572:
571:Oswald Mosley
568:
564:
560:
555:
551:
546:
542:
538:
519:
516:
513:
510:
507:
506:John Trenaman
504:
501:
498:
495:
492:
489:
488:Dandy Nichols
486:
483:
480:
477:
476:Bryan Pringle
474:
471:
468:
465:
462:
459:
456:
453:
450:
447:
444:
441:
438:
435:
432:
429:
426:
423:
420:
417:
414:
411:
408:
406:
402:
399:
396:
393:
390:
389:James Cossins
387:
384:
381:
378:
375:
372:
369:
366:
363:
360:
357:
354:
351:
348:
345:
342:
339:
336:
333:
332:
325:
323:
317:
315:
311:
301:
299:
295:
291:
287:
283:
279:
275:
271:
266:
264:
260:
256:
252:
248:
244:
240:
236:
232:
231:
221:
217:
213:
209:
205:
199:
184:
183:
181:
175:
172:
169:
165:
159:
151:
148:
145:
141:
137:
133:
130:
127:
123:
120:
116:
112:
108:
104:
100:
96:
92:
89:
85:
81:
77:
74:
69:
66:
62:
59:
56:
54:Screenplay by
52:
49:
46:
42:
38:
32:
27:
22:
19:
1294:
1286:
1278:
1272:Superman III
1270:
1262:
1254:
1246:
1238:
1230:
1222:
1214:
1206:
1198:
1190:
1182:
1175:
1174:
1166:
1158:
1150:
1142:
1134:
1126:
1118:
1060:
1049:
1031:
1025:
1004:
998:
965:
958:Ebert, Roger
952:
941:
932:
920:. Retrieved
910:
898:. Retrieved
892:
882:
862:
857:
848:
836:. Retrieved
832:
823:
808:
802:
797:
790:
772:
762:
756:
754:
738:
731:
713:
706:
698:Charles Wood
674:Lower Saxony
670:German state
667:
627:
619:Patrick Ryan
616:
596:
586:
558:
540:
537:Charles Wood
534:
440:Peter Graves
434:Paul Daneman
422:Charles Dyer
410:Robert Hardy
405:Omar Bradley
383:Ronald Lacey
353:Lee Montague
318:
307:
267:
263:Patrick Ryan
251:Lee Montague
235:black comedy
229:
228:
227:
202:Running time
178:Release date
129:David Watkin
103:Lee Montague
73:Patrick Ryan
67:
58:Charles Wood
18:
1264:Superman II
1224:Royal Flash
783:Roger Ebert
702:nearsighted
646:half-tracks
593:Development
512:Mick Dillon
500:John Junkin
482:Fanny Carby
478:as Reporter
466:as Operator
464:John Ronane
428:Bill Dysart
395:Ewan Hooper
371:Jack Hedley
347:Roy Kinnear
343:as Gripweed
341:John Lennon
322:toy soldier
255:John Lennon
247:Roy Kinnear
206:109 minutes
115:Jack Hedley
99:Roy Kinnear
95:John Lennon
79:Produced by
44:Directed by
37:film poster
1319:1967 films
1313:Categories
1208:Juggernaut
922:25 January
815:References
807:described
787:John Simon
554:jingoistic
526:Production
436:as Skipper
379:as Odlebog
367:as Grapple
361:as Juniper
349:as Clapper
314:subversive
310:jingoistic
278:docu-drama
189:1967-10-18
154:Production
147:Ken Thorne
900:4 January
877:, p. 5–6.
838:14 August
769:Reception
676:, at the
577:, though
508:as Driver
397:as Dooley
391:as Drogue
270:vignettes
193: (UK)
135:Edited by
1296:Get Back
1240:The Ritz
777:website
623:infantry
573:and the
446:Jack May
385:as Spool
304:Synopsis
219:Language
143:Music by
87:Starring
64:Based on
1184:Petulia
758:Petulia
751:Release
716:AlmerĂa
664:Filming
650:platoon
642:cavalry
612:Cassino
579:Colonel
567:Remagen
559:selling
531:Writing
448:as Toby
298:Remagen
292:on the
222:English
211:Country
187: (
156:company
1299:(1991)
1291:(1989)
1283:(1984)
1275:(1983)
1267:(1980)
1259:(1979)
1251:(1979)
1243:(1976)
1235:(1976)
1227:(1975)
1219:(1974)
1211:(1974)
1203:(1973)
1195:(1969)
1187:(1968)
1179:(1967)
1171:(1966)
1163:(1965)
1155:(1965)
1147:(1964)
1139:(1963)
1131:(1962)
1123:(1959)
1013:
873:
869:2013,
604:Greece
290:bridge
276:, and
253:, and
1160:Help!
867:Celle
694:Spain
686:Achim
654:troop
608:Tunis
563:Rhine
545:Rhine
541:Dingo
294:Rhine
1256:Cuba
1055:IMDb
1011:ISBN
924:2020
902:2017
871:ISBN
840:2024
722:, a
684:and
610:and
328:Cast
1064:at
1053:at
801:of
692:in
672:of
587:not
296:at
71:by
35:US
1315::
964:.
940:.
891:.
831:.
765:.
680:,
272:,
265:.
249:,
245:,
241:,
1099:e
1092:t
1085:v
1019:.
970:.
946:.
926:.
904:.
842:.
191:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
