GusF Richard Attenborough's directorial debut, this brilliant satirical musical is a scathing exploration of the futility of war and a fascinating exploration of the affect that it has on ordinary people, both soldiers and those on the home front. Based on the 1963 stage play of the same name by Joan Littlewood which was itself based on the radio play "The Long Long Trail" by Charles Chilton of "Journey into Space" fame, it is a highly stylised depiction of World War I which uses the extremely catchy music hall songs of the period to great effect. A great contrast between the mostly incompetent officer class and the decent, honest, doomed Tommies is seen throughout the film.In the film, Brighton Pier is Britain in a microcosm and the early enthusiasm with which the war was greeted is conveyed by Field Marshal Haig selling tickets to it on the pier. The relentless slaughter of the war is wonderfully juxtaposed by the relentless jingoism of the songs. This is perhaps best illustrated by the scene of shell shocked soldiers, most of whom are exhibiting the thousand yard stare, set to the tune of "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag". Another great example is the fact that the number of British casualties (1,500,000) can be seen in the background while Haig and his staff sing "Oh! It's a Lovely War". The sheer traumatic effect of the fighting on the Tommies is depicted magnificently. My great-grandfather served in the Connaught Rangers on the Western Front and received two Distinguished Conduct Medals. He and his two brothers were all lucky enough to survive but he never recovered from his experiences. At night, he would often sit by the fire with his head in his hands. Like many of his fellow soldiers, he would probably be diagnosed with PTSD today.Towards the end of the film when the Armistice is signed in the Brighton Pier fantasy world, the dignitaries are unable to see Jack Smith. While he is later revealed to be a ghost, I took this as being representative of the elite being blind to the effect that the war had on the people. What is really interesting about the film is that, while millions of deaths are described or implied, we never actually see anyone die on screen. The closest that we come to it is near the beginning when the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie fall over after they get their photograph taken, which represents their assassination. Throughout the film, the appearance of poppies foreshadows death. The most powerful shot in the film is the final one featuring thousands of white crosses. It manages to be both beautiful and heartbreaking.The cast list of the film reads like a Who's Who of British cinema. John Mills was cast against type as the extremely unsympathetic Field Marshal Haig, the film's most memorable character and the closest thing that it has to a villain. He plays him brilliantly as an obstinate fool who cares little for human life. Dirk Bogarde and Susannah York are perfectly cast as a pair of toffs who believe that the war is a great game which the soldiers love. Vanessa Redgrave has a great cameo as the suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst who, interestingly, is the only character in the film who directly says anything against the war itself as opposed to its mismanagement. The role was not exactly a stretch for her as she was and is well known for her activism. At the time that the film was made, she was an active campaigner against the Vietnam War. Her father Michael plays General Sir Henry Wilson, one of the more sensible members of the general staff, while her younger brother Corin plays Bertie Smith but none of them have any scenes together. Laurence Olivier has a very entertaining cameo as Haig's predecessor Sir John French, who cannot remember the name of the woman who has accompanied him to the ball. It also features great appearances from John Gielgud, Kenneth More, Ian Holm and Maggie Smith, among many others.Overall, this is one of the best anti-war films and best musicals that I have ever seen. I think the reason that it was ignored by the Oscars was that it could easily be seen and was almost certainly intended as an indictment of not only World War I but the Vietnam War as well.

toonnnnn The first film directed by Sir Richard Attenborough tells the story of world war one,in a most unusual way,based on a stage play by Joan Littlewood.The story of the war is told through music hall songs and hymns of the period.The politics of the war all take place on Brighton pier.The film is full of the best British actors and actress's of the period Laurence Olivier,John Mills and Maggie Smith to name a few.The film introduces a mythical "Smith family" whoose males join up King and country.The trench scenes are well done,the flea bitten soldiers drinking tea,and talking,showing how comradeship can unite the men.The Christmas truce of 1915 where unofficially troops of both sides meet in no mans land exchange cigarettes and a drop of the hard stuff is touching.Memorable too is Maggie Smith encouraging volunteers to enlist is excellently done.The two scenes that stand out for me is the church service where the officers sing the right words to the hymn,"What a friend we have in Jesus" whilst a solo singer sings his own words amusing and bitter at the same time.The ending is simply overwhelming,showing the true cost of the war to end all wars.A film for the serious film fan,a gem of a film that makes you think,and tests your emotions.

CitizenCaine Richard Attenborough's directorial debut is not an anti-war film as much as it's an anti-World War One film. The film attempts to tell the horrendous story of how World War One unfolded with biting satire and through staging a series of musical numbers with their origins in British history at the time. Sometimes the lyrics are changed to fit the intent of the filmmaker, which is to clearly point out the absurdity of the war. Attenborough combines cinematic ideas with the theatrical origins of the piece in a way that does not completely satisfy the viewer. Instead of a cohesive narrative, we get a series of music hall sketches strung together, some which have retained their theatrical roots and others which have been relegated to the outdoors. At well over two hours, it is easy to understand why the film is rarely screened on television. To cut even one or two musical numbers to fit a particular time slot would create a gaping hole in the film, more so than in others. The first song in the film,"Oh you beautiful doll", is a curious choice though, as it was written three years before the outbreak of the war. There are several isolated scenes in the film that are grand and poignant: the scene with Maggie Smith as a brash aide for recruitment of soldiers, the soldiers from both sides meeting on the battle field, and of course the terrific ending. However, in between are scenes which are tedious and do not always work, like the churchyard scene. There are several moments evocative of the times the film was made in, coincidental or not, which detract from the film. One gets the notion while watching that the intended impact of the film was probably better suited to the more intimate confines of the theater than the big screen. The film features a who's who of British cinema: Olivier, Mills, Gielgud, Richardson, Bogarde, etc. and look for Jane Seymour as one of the chorus girls backing Maggie Smith during her number. **1/2 of 4 stars.

gws-2 As others have said, I first saw this film in the theater in 1969 and loved it. The marvelous Maggie Smith was at the top of her game and Juliet Mills was never more beautiful or appealing. I have been waiting for "Oh, What a Lovely War" to be re-released on DVD ever since there was a DVD, so it's a treat for me that the day has finally arrived. This great film dramatizes in song and dance the events leading up to World War I and the human tragedy that resulted. It is based on a British musical of the same name. Despite its sometimes antic tone, it conveys an underlying sense of dread and sadness during a time when nearly a whole generation of young British men died. I suspect that its tragic tone is the reason many IMDb voters haven't rate it higher than they have. I have had the original cast recording of the stage musical upon which the movie is based since the '70s and this film does it justice. It is beautiful and it is moving. Not to be missed, 10 out of 10.