ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THEY WERE NOT DIVIDED (1950)

 

“They Were Not Divided” is a World War II drama, written and Directed by Terence Young.

The movie begins in a World War II at Caterham Barracks training depot of a British Guards Armoured Regiment where recruits from many walks of life learn to survive the strict discipline and training before going into battle in tanks.

The story features Philip Hamilton (Edward Underdown) and David Morgan (Ralph Clanton) in their interactions with their comrades like Smoke O'Connor (Michael Brennan) and Major “Bushey” Noble (Michael Trubshawe) and their respective personal relationships, Wilhelmina (Helen Cherry) and Jane (Stella Andrew).

Once the training is over the film follows the Guards as they leave England on D-Day and follows them as the Allied front progress’s deeper into Europe.

There is a cameo appearance by the real Regimental Sergeant Major Brittain, who was famous in the British Guards Regiments.

 

This film particular significance for me as my father was a Sherman Tank Driver with the Guards Armoured Division and “They Were Not Divided” mirrored the path he took into Europe.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – IN WHICH WE SERVE (1942)

“In Which We Serve” is a World War II drama, written by Noël Coward   and Directed by Noël Coward and David Lean.

It tells the story of a British Naval Destroyer, H.M.S. Torrin, from its construction on the Clyde to its sinking during action in the Mediterranean Sea in World War II, and is told in flashbacks by the survivors as they cling to a life raft.

Among them are the ship's commanding officer Captain E.V. Kinross (Noël Coward), Ordinary Seaman Shorty Blake (John Mills), Chief Petty Officer Walter Hardy (Bernard Miles), Stoker (Richard Attenborough) and Flags (Michael Wilding).

But although the men have served valiantly and heroically in their time aboard the Torrin we also get to see the stoic and determined women behind them, Alix Kinross (Celia Johnson), Freda Lewis (Kay Walsh), Kath Hardy (Joyce Carey) and Maureen (Penelope Dudley Ward).

 

“In Which We Serve” is a shameless story about naval heroism and was based on Lord Mountbatten's wartime experiences, and is a compelling and highly rated piece of British cinema history. 

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THEY MET IN THE DARK (1943)

“They Met in the Dark” is a World War II romantic drama, written by Miles Malleson from the novel by Anthony Gilbert and Directed by Karel Lamac.

The story is set during World War II when, a Royal Navy Commander, Richard Francis Heritage (James Mason) is tricked by a pretty girl who unbeknown to him is working for the Nazis and, although he is unaware of it at the time, he reveals military secrets which leads to the loss of a Ship to a U-Boat, and he is court-martialed as a result, but he vows to track the girl and her accomplices down.

But when he seeks out the girl he is directed to cottage where he stumbles upon her murdered body, then as he is leaving he bumps into another woman Laura Verity (Joyce Howard) and after a shaky start they set off together to discover a network of Nazi spies and Fifth-Columnists. 

JULIUS CAESAR

 Julius Caesar

Julius deflowers her

Julius dumps her

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THE WAY AHEAD (1944)

 “The Way Ahead” is a World War II drama, written by Eric Ambler and Peter Ustinov and Directed by Carol Reed.

The movie begins with a number of British recruits being plucked from various walks of life on civvie street, Ted Brewer (Stanley Holloway), Evan Lloyd (James Donald), Luke (John Laurie), Sid Beck (Leslie Dwyer), Herbert Davenport (Raymond Huntley, (Bill Parsons (Hugh Burden) and Geoffrey Stainer (Jimmy Hanley) and we see them as they struggle to adjust to military life under sergeant Ned Fletcher (William Hartnell) and Lt. Jim Perry (David Niven).

Once the troopers are whipped into shape they are slated to sail to French North Africa to participate in Operation Torch, the invasion of Vichy France's colonies Algeria and Tunisia.

So they have to say goodbye to family and friends but a group of wives form a support group, Mrs. Perry (Penelope Dudley-Ward), Mrs. Brewer (Esma Cannon), Mrs. Hilda Parsons (Eileen Erskine) and Mrs. Fletcher (Grace Arnold) and track the progress of their loved ones from the moment they embarked, especially the sinking of the troop ship by a German U-boat, with half the battalion lost in the Mediterranean Sea.

As a result the men miss the invasion and from then on seem to be one step behind the action all the way and it's not until the battle of El Alamein starts to turn against the British Eight Arm that Perry's men are immediately sent to the front lines to stop the German Afrika Corps advance.

Apart from the principles there is also a strong supporting cast, Reginald Tate, Leo Genn, Renée Asherson, Tessie O'Shea, A.E. Matthews, Jack Watling and Peter Ustinov is excellent as Rispoli the Cafe Owner.

CROMWELL AND THE KING

 

“I do apologize” Cromwell said

To King Charles the first, before

Having him beheaded on the block

“Don’t mention it” the King replied

“I regret I’m the cause of this chore

Then both men bowed to the other

But it was after all, the Civil War

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THE EAGLE HAS LANDED (1976)

 

“The Eagle Has Landed” is a World War II drama, screenplay by Tom Mankiewicz based on the novel by Jack Higgins and Directed by John Sturges.

The movie of Higgins' bestselling debut book, in my opinion by far the best book he wrote, unfolds at the height of World War II when a German plot to kidnap Sir Winston Churchill in 1943 is proposed, at a time when the war is entering its final stages and Germany is teetering on the brink of defeat.

So an increasingly unhinged Hitler, orders a mission to have British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill kidnapped and brought to Germany.

The plan seems ludicrous in the extreme, but Himmler (Donald Pleasence) tasks Admiral Canaris (Anthony Quayle) and Colonel Radl (Robert Duvall) to put a plan together just to keep Himler happy, but a message sent from a German spy in the Norfolk countryside Joanna Grey (Jean Marsh) makes Radl believe that such a mission might just succeed.

So Oberst Kurt Steiner (Michael Caine) and his rapidly dwindling command land in East Anglia posing as Polish Soldiers on manoeuvres.  

They are aided by Irish nationalist Liam Devlin (Donald Sutherland) though not a Nazi sympathiser assists the Germans after being offered money for the cause, but he is distracted by a local young girl Molly (Jenny Agutter) who is fixated on him, and might derail the whole enterprise before the goal is achieved.

 

It’s a very enjoyable movie with a good story, strong characters and an able supporting cast, including Sven-Bertil Taube as Steiner’s second in command Captain von Neustadt, John Standing as Father Verecker, Judy Geeson as his sister Pamela, Treat Williams as Captain Clark and Larry Hagman as Colonel Pitts.