Written by James Kennaway, from his novel. A larger-than-life Scottish general (Alec Guinness) in command of a regiment is out-ranked by a new British general (John Mills) who insists upon stricter discipline and behaviour, and the two fall out badly. In fact, they're both slightly crazy. What is this film about? The corruption of power? The acting's good, Guinness particularly, and Ronnie likes to keep things in long takes, giving Anne Coates less to cut.
There's certainly a political slant to all this - Dennis Price seems a friend of Guinness but then tries to manoeuvre him out, sticks the knife in to Mills too. There's also a transparent Scottish-English divide.
Nice rich cinematography by Arthur Ibbetson, with many a bagpipe on the soundtrack.
Good cast includes Gordon Jackson, Dennis Price, Susannah York, Kay Walsh, John Fraser, Duncan Macrae, Percy Herbert, Allan Cuthbertson.
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| "Whisky doesn't agree with me I'm afraid." |
Mills, Guinness, Neame and Kennaway were Bafta nominated, the latter Oscar nominated too.
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