Oh! What a Lovely War (1969)
- Directed by
- Richard Attenborough
- Genre
- musical film, satirical film, anti-war film
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Runtime
- 1h 56m
- Rated
- G
- Rating
- 6.6 of 10 from 51 voters
- Elsewhere
- IMDb
The catalogue in 3D
The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.
How it feels
This film satirizes the First World War by presenting it through music hall songs and allegorical scenes. A large ensemble cast portrays generals, politicians, and soldiers, contrasting the cheery tunes with the horrors of the conflict.
satiricalmusicalbittersweetironictheatricalcausticmelancholicensemble-driven
What happens
Oh! What a Lovely War is a 1969 British satirical film directed by Richard Attenborough (in his directorial debut), with an ensemble cast, including Maggie Smith, Dirk Bogarde, John Gielgud, John Mills, Kenneth More, Laurence Olivier, Jack Hawkins, Corin Redgrave, Michael Redgrave, Vanessa Redgrave, Ralph Richardson, Ian Holm, Paul Shelley, Malcolm McFee, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Nanette Newman, Edward Fox, Susannah York, John Clements, Phyllis Calvert and Maurice Roëves. The film is based on the stage musical Oh, What a Lovely War!, originated by Charles Chilton as the radio play The Long Long Trail in December 1961, and transferred to stage by Gerry Raffles in partnership with Joan Littlewood and her Theatre Workshop in 1963. The title is derived from the music hall song "Oh! It's a Lovely War", which is one of the major numbers in the film. The film uses contemporary songs and allegorical settings to criticise the conduct of the First World War. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)
More like this
Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers (1969)
Dance of Death (1969)
The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968)
The Bed Sitting Room (1969)
Before Winter Comes (1969)
The Fall (1969)
The Virgin Soldiers (1969)
Splinters (1929)- More like this film, on a shelf you can walk up to.It's the lit case on the top shelf.