The Long and the Short and the Tall (1962)

Good movie but grossly overrated

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

The studio sets at Elstree don't convince for a moment, but this soon ceases to matter as you get drawn into the drama; it certainly made me very relieved indeed that I've never had to take part in jungle warfare. Few actors divide opinion more than Laurence Harvey, and the fact that he took over a part created on the West End stage by Peter O'Toole hasn't helped estimations of this film. But I personally have always found Harvey compulsive viewing, and the fact that he was apparently a pain to work with on the set simply heightens the tension.

What at first seems to be your typical British war film about a squad of soldiers behind enemy lines in Burma actually turns out to be something far, far different - and better. THE LONG AND THE SHORT AND THE TALL is actually a morality play about the importance of human life, the nature of warfare, and mankind's humanity towards his own kind. It was based on a play and occasionally feels very staged and studio-bound, but it overcomes these flaws to become something very compelling.What's especially good about this film is that it takes careful time to develop each of the main characters in turn. So we get Richard Todd as the tough, incredibly ruthless sergeant, and Richard Harris as his volatile corporal. Ronald Fraser does well as a man conflicted between kindness and brutality, and David McCallum is a delight as the coward of the group. Best of all is Laurence Harvey, who plays a racist on the outside but at the same time becomes the most humane one of the lot.THE LNG AND THE SHORT AND THE TALL doesn't pack a great deal of action into the running time, but when it does occur it's incredibly hard-hitting due to the aforementioned characterisation. Kenji Takaki also deserves kudos for playing the Japanese soldier; without a single word of English, he manages to create a thoroughly sympathetic character. Less is more, and this underrated war movie is a great example of that ethos.

The Long and the short and the tall is a stage adaptation but was also a set text for English exams for 16 year olds.The film is during Burma in 1942 which is occupied by the Japanese. A group of seven soldiers expert in sonic deception take refuge in an abandoned hut in the jungle because the Japs are nearby.When a lone Japanese soldier is captured tension rise further. Sergeant Mitchem who is in command wants to take the prisoner back to HQ for interrogation. However the soldiers argue amongst each other, even if it concerns a seemingly innocent item such as a cigarette pack that the Japanese soldier has amongst his possession.Gruff Private Bamforth a barrack room lawyer who dislikes authority also becomes becomes the conscience of the platoon as the others wish to kill the captured soldier.I read the play for my English exams and also watched the film at the time. I recently rewatched it after almost three decades. Its a low budget affair directed by Leslie Norman (father of famed film critic, Barry Norman.)You can tell that it is a studio bound production, the jungle scenes look very fake and its also too brightly lit. The film also has a lot of shouting which indicates its stage origins. You would have thought that with all the shouting the Japs would have discovered the soldiers much earlier.The cast is very much a who's who of 1960s British cinema. Laurence Harvey is the standout in a film that also contains Richard Harris, David McCallum, Ronald Fraser and Richard Todd. It examines the morality and psychology of war but looks rather dated.

I saw the original stage play from which only Mr Kenji Takaki survived intact to reprise his role as the captured Japanese soldier whose presence presents a moral dilemma to a retreating British Army patrol in the Burmese jungle. The play was a cause celebre at the time because of its use of "barrack room" language,most of which except for the racial slurs you can now here on CBBC. Also,after a decade of uncritical portrayals of the British military,it presented an uncomfortable view of O.R. soldiers under pressure that retired colonels from Cheltenham were extremely unhappy with. Thus its success was ensured by a theatre audience whose make up was for more egalitarian than that of today. When it came to making the film the producers chose "Box Office" actors like Mr R.Todd and Mr L.Harvey for the showy roles where "acting" equated to shouting at the tops of their voices.A close second in terms of sheer volume came Mr R.Harris,with the tragically largely forgotten Mr R.Fraser in third place,several lengths behind. Mr Harvey,possibly the worst "Romeo" in cinema history was unaccountably popular for a brief while,possibly for his profligate use of Brycleem which was obviously hidden somewhere in his kitbag along with eyebrow tweezers and a nailfile. His one golden moment came in "Expresso Bongo" where he was a fast - talking jerk who was not so clever as he thought,a role he was born to play. And not so far removed from Pte Barmforth,whose cockney accent is as transient as his rationality. When the patrol capture the unfortunate Mr K.Takaki, Barmforth takes it upon himself to "civilise" the prisoner by shouting very loudly at him in English - jamais plus change. Mr R.Todd is the "tough" sergeant in charge of the patrol,another whose accent is of the temporary variety,a bit like Mr J.Mills when demoted to the Lower Deck. In real life Mr Todd had led men in battle so he knew at least something about military action which put him in a position of advantage over his fellow thesps,but he was too nice a man to point out their inadequacies,evidently.It's what being British was all about. Viewed from 50 - odd years distance,"The Long and the Short and the Tall"(a quote from the old Soldiers' song "F*** 'em all") may seem quaint and stagey,and,frankly,laughable in the days of sexed - up dossiers,suicide bombers and waterboarding,but it was a pretty big deal in 1961. To be honest I'd forgotten about it until I watched it on television yesterday afternoon. And I was straightaway transported back to the Theatre Royal,smoking My "Gitanes"(pretentious-moi?) with every chance of holding my girlfriend's hand for an hour if I contrived to miss the last bus home . That's worth a "7" in anybody's book.