How I Won the War

Symbolism abounds in the film, and in alternating instances, its overtness and its subtlety can prove confusing. For this reason, the film needs to be viewed more than once.

The blatant attack on the military mindset is brilliantly executed. In swift strokes he makes a mockery of military officers and warmongers; one scene in particular has two British officers exchanging bubble gum cards of war scenes, with one insisting in a haughty accent "I want school bombing ... I do."

Michael Crawford and John Lennon are joined by an excellent supporting cast, including Victor Spinetti the brilliant (but unfortunately "late") Leo McKern. Crawford plays the role with just the right amount of smarminess, egoism and overt stupidity that it calls for. Lennon and McKern's innocence causes the closing segment to be doubly powerful.

Overall ... a fine film worth seeing, especially for any fans of social commentary.


Another disappointed Lester/Beatles fan   April 30, 2002
Robert Schell (Townsville, Texas)
15 out of 23 found this review helpful

First of all, I have to say that my review is colored by the fact that I read the book (which is apparently and unfortunately not in print) first. The book is a hilarious story of a bumbling, Clouseau-esque British military commander (I forget his rank) and his misadventures in World War II, told in a series of episodes. The book's humor derives from the absurd situations (in one chapter, the British and Germans fight "The Battle of the Booze," attempting to loot high-quality wine from an Italian village) as well as the commander's inability to perceive his troops' contempt for him, not to mention his failure to perceive his own idiocy. There is nothing specifically anti-war in the book, it's just a funny book set in war-time. Given the time and circumstances of the movie version (Vietnam war, hip young director, and participating Beatle), it's not surprising that Lester tried to inject a strong anti-war sentiment. In a daring move, amidst the (attempted) comedy, there are graphic scenes of wounded, as in M.A.S.H. However, unlike M.A.S.H., there's nothing really funny in the movie. Almost every humorous episode from the book is cut out. Instead, in Lester's attempt to make a statement about the nonsense of war, you get a lot of nonsense on the screen. Lester's attempts to be cutting-edge in his direction seem way too self-conscious and smugly sardonic. At one point, you see two old ladies watching the movie in a theater and commenting on it, like a bad Monty Python skit. Also, if you're American, the dialogue is so thickly British, it's incomprehensible at times. I guess you could, as one reviewer suggested, use headphones, but I suspect that it would hardly be worth it, as this movie is so disappointing otherwise. I have a strong suspicion that the people who give this movie high ratings just want it to be good, since it's a Lester movie with John Lennon in it. I frankly cannot recommend it to a fan of either Lester or the Beatles. However, I highly recommend Lester's "The Knack and how to get it," which is only available on VHS at the present, so far as I know.


This is my second review   December 17, 1999
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

Rented it AGAIN and watched it wearing headphones. I understood every word and loved it. I will now spring for the the big bucks to buy it. This movie is a classic...still Richard Lester madness but that is part of its message. War is madness.I recommend this movie...with headphones.