“We’ll never tell them” - my parents often told me how neither of their fathers would ever talk to anyone about their experiences, except to each other. My two grandfathers would apparently spend time talking alone in a room and then clam up when someone else entered.
As Harry Patch said ( the last living WW1 Tommy, just before he died age 111 ) ''We were all conned, the Germans too''. ''Why couldn't they have got round the table and talked through all their differences first ,instead of all that waste of human lives''. Watching that scene near the end, where all the heads of state ,sign the declarations of peace---brings back Harry's words. I attended his funeral service at Wells Cathedral--he had insisted that NO arms be worn by the young military men, who came from all the countries of that terrible war ( including a young German soldier, it was a very moving service.
Albert Pike in his book "Morals and Dogma ' conveyed in 1873 that there would be three wars and he would know, being that he was the Grand Master of Scottish Rite Freemasonry.
World War One was crazy! It was insane! European civilization committed suicide for no other reason other than stupid, juvenile pride! Imagine how much better the world might be today had they just sat down and calmly worked it all out instead?
The poor fools of all the countries really believed it would all be over in six weeks! Just like we did in our American Civil War. As with us, six "glorious" weeks became four devastating years. :(
0:15 i think when the explosion sound came up and there wasn't any sounds of fighting anymore, then a poppy was showed to the screen.... he actually just died there.
This ending always brings me to tears. The final scene of ‘Black Adder Goes Forth’ does the same thing. Young men killing other young men at the behest of corrupt and cynical old men hundreds of miles away - and it’s still going on.
@@mcpartridgeboy - calm down. I didn’t say the Army is corrupt. What I said was that young men kill other young men at the behest (check the OED for the meaning of behest) of cynical old men . . . Politicians and the military industrial complex. And FWIW I served in the Army in two theatres of operations in the 1970s. What have you done?
@@mcpartridgeboyhey knuckle. Corrupt. We were in Jo danger of being invaded and it was a group of elite whose egos are bruised that got us in to WW1 without a single thought of the payment that would be made by others. That’s corrupt. Just as we should never be sending our young men to die for a fight between Ukraine and Russia - both dysfunctional nations.
Having watched this ending again, decades later I now see that the soldier/officer who tells him to follow the red tape is literally Charon, guiding the dead souls to the afterlife.
It was played by Joe Melia, a hugely talented actor IMO who died in 2012. He was the son of Italian immigrants, born in London. I believe he was perfect for the role. But the greatest gut-wrenching moment for me was when the soldier looks down at the dignitaries, who turn round to gaze in his direction, but no-one is there; haunting and unforgettable.
They've all passed now. May it be to eternal peace. St Peter asks every soul what they did, and those who answered, "I was a soldier of the Great War", he admitted at once, for God knows they'd seen enough of hell.
My parents took me to see this. I remember my Father having tears rolling down his cheeks (My Grandfather fought in WW1 and my Great Uncle died in that War). So powerful!
What bothers me is how the sacrifice of all these soldiers were all for nothing. The peace treaties of 1919-1920 were so bad that they've assured the outbreak of World War II.
Unfortunately we haven't, I speak from experience in the Gulf War, Northern Ireland, and Bosnia! when your young you believe your doing the right thing at the time?, when you grow older, you look at life a lot differently, then you realise people will never change!, so sad.
Today is the centenary of the Armistice. All the Tommies, Fritzes, Pierres, and the others are gone now. Yet this film remains, and always will, as a testament to the greed and ambition, the ignorance and hate, of the grey=eyed strategists, but more, to the waste and sacrifice, and to the love (yes!) of those who fell and of those who survived. Growing up, I saw those old, hollowed-out men and laughed and didn't understand. Now, with the passage of time, I can see. May you all rest...in Peace.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields. What if there was a war and nobody came?
When sub-human monster's like Adolph Hitler ,Grab Power, who once stated, '' The individual does not count, it's the survival of the State that matter's''. he dismissed any reason to be concerned with human losses, no matter how many. eg It justifies the means ?
People talk about how the ending is powerful because of the visuals, but honestly I am in love with the song. When he says "ask us", that note plus the horn playing the two notes after that for some reason is really powerful. I absolutely love the arrangement they used here.
The Films version is taken from the original Song ''They didn't beleive me''. written by Jerome Kern, just befor the war began. It was one of many popular songs that the troops parodied. Frank Sinatra recorded a nice version, ( with original lyrics, of course)
The richness of the added harmony makes it magical. You are quite right. I wonder if we hear something of miners' brass bands in the sound of the horns ..poignantly calling to their boys from the valleys and the pit villages. Of course, Jerome Kern wrote a wonderful, conversational melody in the first place.
Such a brilliant movie. It demonstrates that viewers can be moved by imagery and an intelligent script. No one can watch this without absorbing the mindlessness of that war.
It was such an effective anti-war film, and so impactful because of it's blunt criticism. it was delayed it's release in America. They feared the Anti Vietnam War protests everywhere at that time, would be made worse by this film. Eventually, it was released in small side street Cinemas there, and not advertised. Only one newspaper review. It took till the late 1990's, for a dvd version to be issued. The delay was never explained. Even Richard Attenborough didn't know why---not publicly anyway.
Brings tears to the eyes. seeing the West pier in it's glory upsets me as well. Attenborough, who became the University Chancellor, used a lot of students from Brighton as extras.
I'm not from the Brighton area, but I was gutted to learn, that that beautiful Victorian Pier, had been destroyed by fire There has been well over 30 piers, burned down in Britain in 100 years. WHY ??
It's one of the two times I've ever had full body sobs. Maybe its just because my ancestry comes from both opposing sides, but all I could think of was brothers being fooled into killing each other, and by the ending I was a fucking wreck.
"Granny, what did Daddy do in the War ?" Well worth listening to the Director's Commentary on the DVD, Richard Attenborough breaks down describing why he made the film. An essential British film of the 1960s, and unusually retaining its power.
Anne Rogers it wasn’t a waste. They did their duty and many were pleased to do so and their families were proud of them. Stop trying to impose modern liberal values on people who had very different attitudes.
Alex Amerling It is for their generation and their families and those individuals themselves to decide whether their lives were wasted. Many felt that to die for your country was a fitting way to die. I’m just suggesting that imposing our modern values on a different world has its difficulties.
@@MarlboroughBlenheim1 In 2014, there was a one hour discussion on Live TV, by military Historians, and that question of, from Britains point of view--was it worth it, need we have got involved? they were split right down the middle. I repeat--watch ''37 DAYs'' on DVD, for the right answer--which was YES, and see why.
A most moving sequence, and long before CGI could make it all so much simpler. A lot of the battle field scenes were made on a council rubbish tip in Brighton in 1967 or perhaps a bit earlier. Many students at Sussex University were extras.
This is arguably the most powerful ending to any film in history...it shows the cruelty of the war, and also the huge scale of it - thousands and thousands of crosses in a peaceful field in France, where millions of men gave their lives, so that I am now typing in English! God Bless them all!! R.I.P ;(
reduolf BTW, the five men lying in tge field, before the crosses, is based on five brothers killed in the war. They were killed in different locations, if my memory serves me correctly.
Hi Reduolf I saw your post it's not that hard to imagine let alone see what a huge cost that comes from war (my mum's cousin Leslie Charles roach is on the wall of the after triumph) in France
Heart-breaking, haunting, and unforgettable. The History channel is currently hashing over the so-called war to end all wars, and it always strikes me that we never learn a thing, no matter how awful the slaughter, the damage to ecosystems, the agony of bereaved families....there is always going to be more of it.
Because every time most people will simply shrug their shoulders and say, "Sure, the last war was bad, but this war is different and the old lesson doesn't apply in this case". Movies like this, I sorry to say, will not make a difference for a certain large percentage of the population.
Yes, but there are masses of Cults out there, that only want to neutralise all others who disagree with them, and heavily TAX those who join them that are not of their own people. SO, what can we do except defend ourselves? They have though, done what their later "prophet" told them to do, which is sneak in quietly and then strike with extreme viloence. I have read their "Holy" book.
@@dennismiddlebrooks7027 I'm surprised to hear that the film was shown in such a large and central theatre. I say this because, due to the very strong anti war sentiment of this film, the Power's That Be, in the U.S, did all they could, to delay the release, and suppress advertising of this film, WHY ? because the Anti Vietnam WAR Movement, was causing great problems in the states then, and obviously a film promoting pacisfism was not good for the government. I read that the film was more or less literally, 'SIDE LINED into side street theaters only ?? Did you know, that there was no DVD conversion made, till 2008, and even VHS was extremely difficult to find. When Dickie Attenborough was asked why the conversion to DVD had taken so long, he said he had no idea. I doubt that.
RIP to all those brave young men on both sides who died in the trenches and to hell with the selfish politicians that caused this tragedy. What a waste of life.
@@MarlboroughBlenheim1 That's correct, but it was a totally different era from today, , where ''king, Country and Empire' was part of the natural state of mind. We were taught that the British Empire was not only the greatest in History, but was invincible. And this was reinforced through Schooling, the church, and the Gung-Ho right-wing media etc.It was much the same all over Europe. Contrast that to the lack of celebration and anxiety of 1939.
Saying these men wasted their lives is extremely disrespectful to their memory. Do them the courtesy of at least giving them the benefit of the doubt that they died for something they believed in, even if that was just societal duty. If you think Britain’s involvement in the war was pointless then you’re historically illiterate.
@@MarlboroughBlenheim1 Yes I agree, which is exactly what is being taught within our so-called education system., a left wing idiology, promoting hatred for our historic actions, by overlaying 21st century sensitivities and morallity on the past. A pointless excersise, as it cannot be altered anyway.
I hope you are resting in peace Great-Uncle. My late grandmother told me those who knew him when he was still alive said he was a handsome fellow and a bit of a dandy. Died a mere week before Armistice Day. He almost made it. Almost.
@@MrDaiseymay I recently heard that if they'd stopped the fighting when the treaty was signed, rather than waiting until 11am ('the 11th of the 11th') it would have saved around 3,000 lives. That's 3,000 lives lost just so they could have a nice catchy number for the time of the ceasefire.
I remember seeing an estimate that about 14,000 people died each day statistically speaking. I don't even think that there are five thousand crosses at the end of this film. Imagine seeing three different scenes exactly like this one each day with different occupants. Quite a sad thought.
1 great grandad was a old professional soldier , fought in the boer wars South Africa, then ww1 , survived that , my other great grandad lied his age went to war when he was 16 , happy to say he survived, both grandads survived were and are my heroes
I’m old enough to remember 1 of my great grandads , 1 of my great grandads in the years after the war suffered from wounds he received plus gassed twice, died prematurely, never got to meet him , my other great grandad ,who I remember as a child was a loving humble quiet man , who was a boy soldier who lied his age to serve this country, I was only a kid but will remember that man , to me a true hero
One of my uncles fought in WWI, but it was never mentioned until someone in the village built a monument to those who fought in WWII and his name was mistakenly included and my cousin informed them of the error.
Thank you for uploading this. Bravo to Sir Richard Attenborough, Dirk Bogarde, and all others who made this film which is a compelling indictment of war.
This movie means more to me than all the american world war two movies put together its over a hundred years now but its message is more prescient than ever.
First time i saw this was sitting at an outdoor theatre in Cam Ranh Ba Viet Nam. While we were a Navy base, we got our films through the Army {which explains why thos aboard carriers and other ships got to see MASH but we didn't} and i am AMAZED that they showed us this film
‘Who are you, the Unknown Soldier?’ What a stunningly bleak quip. The concept of the Unknown Soldier was thought up after the end of the Great War by the British, to give the families of soldiers who had no known grave, a gravestone in Westminster Abbey to pay their respects to, with the possibility that it was their missing son/husband/father buried beneath it. Many other nations quickly followed. The dead soldier in this scene - the last British soldier killed before the armistice - would not have had a clue what the other soldier/angel was talking about, as the concept was created post war. In the logic of the film, this poor sod was the Unknown Soldier buried in Westminster Abbey.
The tomb in Westminster Abbey is actually that of the Unknown Warrior. It may not be a soldier, don't forget there were members of the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines serving on the Western Front.
The rivetting moment here is not so much the crosses reveal; that's heartbreaking............it's the Last Soldier spirit going past the family motif, to join his pals in death....." no greater love hath a man...' THAT's the heart of WW1, and WW2 for that matter.
@@andrewmiddleton25 To some extent that's true, but on all sides involved, they were whipped up with national fervour by the press, and believing ''It would all be over by Christmas ' Which one, was never discussed. Also, the massess of poor working class men, had never even left their Village or town before, never mind a foreign country. It didn't sound so bad, and all your mates were going --so?
This was the school play at Ryhope Grammar some 55 years ago, performed as an "end of the pier" show with the cast in pierrot costumes, playing multiple parts. A few years ago we went to a small theatre in Stratford, London to see this play, as we performed it at school. Quite emotional.
The trouble was as soon as WW2 happened it made the sacrifice of all those young men and women pointless, that included my Great Uncle Frank Evans killed at Ypres in February 1915. My Nan never got over it.
This was the movie that made be realize what evil people Churchill, the ladies with their white feathers and all those post-War "Dear Courageous Aunt Agathas" were.
it is a so moving scene at the end telling kids to get on with life don't worry what we did for you. let's not forget the German lads didn't want to be there either i am sure they would rather be drinking steins of Bier watching Bayern Munchen playing football rather than in a trench facing British or French troops. why oh why do we fall into this trap of politicians wills to kill each other?
Katrina, may thanks for posting that clip of the last few minutes of 'Oh, What A Lovely War'. As other folks have pointed out in their posts, it is one of the most poignant scenes and hits home with such a strong anti-war message. That so-called 'Great War' culled over 12 million fine young men from all around the world into the mud of Flanders, and you have to ask yourselves, all for what purpose? Just so much more pointless flag-waving, as I see things. If a few wiser heads had got around a table to discuss peaceful solutions after Arch-Duke Ferdinand and his wife were tragically assassinated in Sarajevo rather than rush off into flag-waving mode, well, the world today might be considerable more different than it is. PN
Instead of 'IF ONLY' which has no influence on what has gone before. For enlightenment reasons--watch the 2014 BBC TV 3 part 3 hour reconstruction--using previously unseen documents, Diaries, personal letter's, and government Official order's, that is, ''37 Days''. Superb actors portray and recreate, the rolls of ALL main figures concerned, of both sides, Military and Political. in this historic build-up to WW1. Marvelous.
That's how I first saw this film, on a big screen. It was a totally crushing experience for me. As you say, the crosses just seemed endless and unavoidable (although, apparently, they represent less than the number of Tommies killed on the first day of the Somme).
I've watched this movie a dozen times since I was a kid, it's one of my all-time favourites...and yet, I'm only noticing now the figure in the background at 2:05 - is that Lenin?!
Today is remembrance day in the UK. Back in past it was a more sombre time were we remember all aspects of war and how WW1 was a pointless thing and that those that died were real men and women who deserve to be remembered. Now it is the single largest recruiting day for the UK army other than the day after UK children get there exam results.
In a TV Documentary, on the 100th anniversary, they discovered that hundreds of troops (mostly American ) were killed, in the last hour before the 11 am armistice.
I read somewheret that the combined deaths that morning were 3000+ they signed the Armistice in that train carriage at 4am...What sort of mentallity sets a schedule 7 hrs later FFS?. That whole war was FUBAR.
@@bradcobb3418 I suppose they would have to allow time for the information to be circulated. They didn't have the communications facilities we have now.
And many never did tell us, only in their twilight years when it all came flooding back did it finally get told to those who were at last prepared to listen....
@@swaldron5558 Why would you say that? Anyone who gave the film a thumbs down simply doesnt understand the film. It is a pacifist film. It is a leftist film. It is not remotely patriotic. Attenbough (and Joan Littlewood - the socalist theatre director who concieved it) would not understand your comment.
I can remember the BBC banning Harvey Andrews song “hello Hans” which was about children playing in the local German POW cemetery because it was “inappropriate “, what ever that means.
One of the best anti war films ever, and one of the reasons i read so many books about the conflict, such a stupid tragic waste of life, like all wars, and the sad fact is that we will never learn, war is what our species is best at
our forefathers would cry to see it happen not only in 39 but again in todays world, "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. We will remember them."
This film I saw as a very young man, the effect of it made me, an atheist, a pacifist, and a republican. The waste of so many innocent lives, because of greedy, power hungry royal families. After this war many European countries had the good sense to rid themselves of these vile dynasties.
As a Yank let me just point (for the benefit of my countryman) that "republican" for Brits means no Monarchy, not the American political party called Republicans.
It's odd then that an even more terrible conflict arose less than twenty years later WITHOIUT those "vile dynasties". That even Churchill said that if they had never removed the Hohenzollerns or the Habsburgs, there would never have been chance for a Hitler to emerge
@@adam4842 Hard to tell. Hereditary monarchy didn't stop Italy to fall into fascism, though. And the neutered monarchy in UK could not have prevented Oswald Mosley and his British Union of Fascists if they had won an election.
As a Hearts FC fan it’s terrible being remembered that most of the team gave up playing there favourite game to fight to keep there family and friends safe. And even worse when you think Britain shouldn’t even have been in the War we should’ve just let Europe do there own thing
“We’ll never tell them” - my parents often told me how neither of their fathers would ever talk to anyone about their experiences, except to each other. My two grandfathers would apparently spend time talking alone in a room and then clam up when someone else entered.
That final shot is genius. Its length, and its subject matter, really put the entire war into perspective.
And yet, it's a small perentage of the real causalities of that war...
Yep--no CGI then, all the crosses were positioned manually on the Downs above Brighton
I just noticed that the photographer in the beginning of the movie is the soldier that tells the soldier to follow the tape.
@@HVACSoldier Yes, actor Joe Mealier, he represents us--everyman. He pops up everywhere at all the important points in the story.
As Harry Patch said ( the last living WW1 Tommy, just before he died age 111 ) ''We were all conned, the Germans too''. ''Why couldn't they have got round the table and talked through all their differences first ,instead of all that waste of human lives''. Watching that scene near the end, where all the heads of state ,sign the declarations of peace---brings back Harry's words. I attended his funeral service at Wells Cathedral--he had insisted that NO arms be worn by the young military men, who came from all the countries of that terrible war ( including a young German soldier, it was a very moving service.
Philip Croft god bless them all , lions led by donkeys, may they all rest in peace , including my great grandads
Albert Pike in his book "Morals and Dogma ' conveyed in 1873 that there would be three wars and he would know, being that he was the Grand Master of Scottish Rite Freemasonry.
Thank you for this beautiful comment
World War One was crazy! It was insane! European civilization committed suicide for no other reason other than stupid, juvenile pride! Imagine how much better the world might be today had they just sat down and calmly worked it all out instead?
The poor fools of all the countries really believed it would all be over in six weeks! Just like we did in our American Civil War. As with us, six "glorious" weeks became four devastating years. :(
0:15 i think when the explosion sound came up and there wasn't any sounds of fighting anymore, then a poppy was showed to the screen.... he actually just died there.
Whoa...
Genious
Fantastic filmmaking. No cgi, every cross placed in the ground by hand giving perspective to the shear number of casualties.
This ending always brings me to tears. The final scene of ‘Black Adder Goes Forth’ does the same thing.
Young men killing other young men at the behest of corrupt and cynical old men hundreds of miles away - and it’s still going on.
Too true
Are you crazy the British army isnt corrupt at all, neither cynical, and most of the people high up served themselves so dont be so bloody rude.
@@mcpartridgeboy - calm down. I didn’t say the Army is corrupt. What I said was that young men kill other young men at the behest (check the OED for the meaning of behest) of cynical old men . . . Politicians and the military industrial complex. And FWIW I served in the Army in two theatres of operations in the 1970s. What have you done?
@@mcpartridgeboyhey knuckle. Corrupt. We were in Jo danger of being invaded and it was a group of elite whose egos are bruised that got us in to WW1 without a single thought of the payment that would be made by others. That’s corrupt. Just as we should never be sending our young men to die for a fight between Ukraine and Russia - both dysfunctional nations.
Having watched this ending again, decades later I now see that the soldier/officer who tells him to follow the red tape is literally Charon, guiding the dead souls to the afterlife.
Thanks, I did not Know that.
It was played by Joe Melia, a hugely talented actor IMO who died in 2012. He was the son of Italian immigrants, born in London. I believe he was perfect for the role. But the greatest gut-wrenching moment for me was when the soldier looks down at the dignitaries, who turn round to gaze in his direction, but no-one is there; haunting and unforgettable.
I thought of him as St. Peter, the gatekeeper to the afterlife. Charon is a better fit I think though.
This final scene sends shivers down my spine. Utterly brilliant.
AND NOT---CGI
They've all passed now. May it be to eternal peace. St Peter asks every soul what they did, and those who answered, "I was a soldier of the Great War", he admitted at once, for God knows they'd seen enough of hell.
This scene moves me to tears every time
My parents took me to see this. I remember my Father having tears rolling down his cheeks (My Grandfather fought in WW1 and my Great Uncle died in that War). So powerful!
If your grand father fought in ww1 how come your dad didnt in ww2 ?
@@mcpartridgeboy Perhaps, like my father, he was too young for the first and too old for the second.
@@mcpartridgeboy They were 21 years apart. Many men were too young for the First and too old for the Second.
The flower of Britain and other continents sacrificed at the alter of Feuding Cousins.
Sir Richard Attenbourgh. What a vision that man had
What bothers me is how the sacrifice of all these soldiers were all for nothing. The peace treaties of 1919-1920 were so bad that they've assured the outbreak of World War II.
A twenty year armistice.
TPTB: We had such a good time
We should do this again soon
And it has been 100 years. Still I don’t think we’ve learned much nor come very far. We will remember them.
Unfortunately we haven't, I speak from experience in the Gulf War, Northern Ireland, and Bosnia! when your young you believe your doing the right thing at the time?, when you grow older, you look at life a lot differently, then you realise people will never change!, so sad.
War never changes . And while we have fools who lead we’ll never learn from the lessons of the past.
Breaks ya bloody heart doesn't it?
Bless `em all. RIP.
Absolutely.
Today is the centenary of the Armistice. All the Tommies, Fritzes, Pierres, and the others are gone now. Yet this film remains, and always will, as a testament to the greed and ambition, the ignorance and hate, of the grey=eyed strategists, but more, to the waste and sacrifice, and to the love (yes!) of those who fell and of those who survived. Growing up, I saw those old, hollowed-out men and laughed and didn't understand. Now, with the passage of time, I can see. May you all rest...in Peace.
"What did you do in the war Daddy?" ; best answer " I survived".
he died though
My own grandfather survived ( Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders). Got his war records from Stirling castle.. I couldn't do what they did....
@@georgejob2156 I WOULDN'T.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
What if there was a war and nobody came?
When sub-human monster's like Adolph Hitler ,Grab Power, who once stated, '' The individual does not count, it's the survival of the State that matter's''. he dismissed any reason to be concerned with human losses, no matter how many. eg It justifies the means ?
People talk about how the ending is powerful because of the visuals, but honestly I am in love with the song. When he says "ask us", that note plus the horn playing the two notes after that for some reason is really powerful. I absolutely love the arrangement they used here.
YES IT'S DELIBERATE IRONY. AS ALL THE MUSIC IS. THE TROOPS ALWAYS MADE-UP THEIR OWN RUDE AND DELIBERATELY SATYRICAL WORDS TO SONGS OF THE PERIOD.
The Films version is taken from the original Song ''They didn't beleive me''. written by Jerome Kern, just befor the war began. It was one of many popular songs that the troops parodied.
Frank Sinatra recorded a nice version, ( with original lyrics, of course)
The richness of the added harmony makes it magical. You are quite right. I wonder if we hear something of miners' brass bands in the sound of the horns ..poignantly calling to their boys from the valleys and the pit villages. Of course, Jerome Kern wrote a wonderful, conversational melody in the first place.
Just realised he say "it's 2 minutes too 11" 1918 November the 11th at 11 the war was over, he was 2 minutes away from see the war come to an end.
Meaning he was KIA a few minutes before the signing of the Armistice.
Such a brilliant movie. It demonstrates that viewers can be moved by imagery and an intelligent script. No one can watch this without absorbing the mindlessness of that war.
It was such an effective anti-war film, and so impactful because of it's blunt criticism. it was delayed it's release in America. They feared the Anti Vietnam War protests everywhere at that time, would be made worse by this film. Eventually, it was released in small side street Cinemas there, and not advertised. Only one newspaper review. It took till the late 1990's, for a dvd version to be issued. The delay was never explained. Even Richard Attenborough didn't know why---not publicly anyway.
Brings tears to the eyes.
seeing the West pier in it's glory upsets me as well.
Attenborough, who became the University Chancellor, used a lot of students from Brighton as extras.
I'm not from the Brighton area, but I was gutted to learn, that that beautiful Victorian Pier, had been destroyed by fire There has been well over 30 piers, burned down in Britain in 100 years. WHY ??
Once, years ago, I saw this part of this film I didn't konw. I'm glad I found it now.
I am a man, and this made me cry.
It's one of the two times I've ever had full body sobs.
Maybe its just because my ancestry comes from both opposing sides, but all I could think of was brothers being fooled into killing each other, and by the ending I was a fucking wreck.
"Granny, what did Daddy do in the War ?" Well worth listening to the Director's Commentary on the DVD, Richard Attenborough breaks down describing why he made the film. An essential British film of the 1960s, and unusually retaining its power.
Because it stands the test of time, despite being satirycal. Even the humour and jokes are accurate.
I never knew there was a directors commentary version too
@@MrDaiseymay and the songs are geniunely moving. "When the sergeant major..." puts something in my eye every time.
@@GothiicAngels amazing how they made it
There should have been a contribution from the producer, Len Deighton, but somehow this didn't happen. No doubt Attenborough knew the reason why.
Exquisite. Those poor young men; those poor boys. What a terrible waste.
Anne Rogers it wasn’t a waste. They did their duty and many were pleased to do so and their families were proud of them. Stop trying to impose modern liberal values on people who had very different attitudes.
It really was a waste, though.
+Hoho Hoho So you don't think that all those lives lost was a big deal?
Alex Amerling It is for their generation and their families and those individuals themselves to decide whether their lives were wasted. Many felt that to die for your country was a fitting way to die. I’m just suggesting that imposing our modern values on a different world has its difficulties.
@@MarlboroughBlenheim1 In 2014, there was a one hour discussion on Live TV, by military Historians, and that question of, from Britains point of view--was it worth it, need we have got involved? they were split right down the middle. I repeat--watch ''37 DAYs'' on DVD, for the right answer--which was YES, and see why.
A most moving sequence, and long before CGI could make it all so much simpler.
A lot of the battle field scenes were made on a council rubbish tip in Brighton in 1967 or perhaps a bit earlier. Many students at Sussex University were extras.
THE FILMING WAS DONE IN 1968. AND RELEASED IN '69.
This is arguably the most powerful ending to any film in history...it shows the cruelty of the war, and also the huge scale of it - thousands and thousands of crosses in a peaceful field in France, where millions of men gave their lives, so that I am now typing in English!
God Bless them all!! R.I.P ;(
reduolf BTW, the five men lying in tge field, before the crosses, is based on five brothers killed in the war. They were killed in different locations, if my memory serves me correctly.
Hi Reduolf I saw your post it's not that hard to imagine let alone see what a huge cost that comes from war (my mum's cousin Leslie Charles roach is on the wall of the after triumph) in France
It certainly makes me teary every time i see it. Simple by oh so effective.
AND it's just a fraction. More wars have been fought on French soil than any other, besides the two world wars.
“In Flander’s Feilds, the Poppies blow/Between the Crosses, row on row.”
Heart-breaking, haunting, and unforgettable. The History channel is currently hashing over the so-called war to end all wars, and it always strikes me that we never learn a thing, no matter how awful the slaughter, the damage to ecosystems, the agony of bereaved families....there is always going to be more of it.
Because every time most people will simply shrug their shoulders and say, "Sure, the last war was bad, but this war is different and the old lesson doesn't apply in this case". Movies like this, I sorry to say, will not make a difference for a certain large percentage of the population.
The most intelligent, most powerful anti-war movie ever made.
Yes, but there are masses of Cults out there, that only want to neutralise all others who disagree with them, and heavily TAX those who join them that are not of their own people. SO, what can we do except defend ourselves? They have though, done what their later "prophet" told them to do, which is sneak in quietly and then strike with extreme viloence. I have read their "Holy" book.
@@bobkoomans3490 Deus Vult
@Martin 99 Hands down. I saw it when it came out at the Carnegie Hall Cinema in NYC. It bowled me over.
@@bobkoomans3490 Yeah we know right winger it's all the Jews fault.
@@dennismiddlebrooks7027 I'm surprised to hear that the film was shown in such a large and central theatre. I say this because, due to the very strong anti war sentiment of this film, the Power's That Be, in the U.S, did all they could, to delay the release, and suppress advertising of this film, WHY ? because the Anti Vietnam WAR Movement, was causing great problems in the states then, and obviously a film promoting pacisfism was not good for the government. I read that the film was more or less literally, 'SIDE LINED into side street theaters only ?? Did you know, that there was no DVD conversion made, till 2008, and even VHS was extremely difficult to find. When Dickie Attenborough was asked why the conversion to DVD had taken so long, he said he had no idea. I doubt that.
RIP to all those brave young men on both sides who died in the trenches and to hell with the selfish politicians that caused this tragedy. What a waste of life.
Alex Amerling I think you’ll find that that there was huge national support and jingoism for the war.
@@MarlboroughBlenheim1 That's correct, but it was a totally different era from today, , where ''king, Country and Empire' was part of the natural state of mind. We were taught that the British Empire was not only the greatest in History, but was invincible. And this was reinforced through Schooling, the church, and the Gung-Ho right-wing media etc.It was much the same all over Europe. Contrast that to the lack of celebration and anxiety of 1939.
Philip Croft The danger is applying our moral standards and societal norms on the past.
Saying these men wasted their lives is extremely disrespectful to their memory. Do them the courtesy of at least giving them the benefit of the doubt that they died for something they believed in, even if that was just societal duty.
If you think Britain’s involvement in the war was pointless then you’re historically illiterate.
@@MarlboroughBlenheim1 Yes I agree, which is exactly what is being taught within our so-called education system., a left wing idiology, promoting hatred for our historic actions, by overlaying 21st century sensitivities and morallity on the past. A pointless excersise, as it cannot be altered anyway.
It is impossible not to cry at this. For my great uncles who died in the War to end all Wars.
All those great-uncles never had a chance to be a grand father
no it is possible, i didnt, but i enjoyed it a lot and the film maker is very good at his job.
@@mcpartridgeboy It was an incredibly clever ending.
@@busterdog321 Just like me but what stopped me was autism, not quite as romantic, at least i get to live my life alone !
Really powerful ending. Had me in tears x
I hope you are resting in peace Great-Uncle. My late grandmother told me those who knew him when he was still alive said he was a handsome fellow and a bit of a dandy. Died a mere week before Armistice Day. He almost made it. Almost.
My half brother was killed on the last bombing raid of WW2. 3 days from Wars end. May 1945 he had joined in 1940 age 18.
@@MrDaiseymay I recently heard that if they'd stopped the fighting when the treaty was signed, rather than waiting until 11am ('the 11th of the 11th') it would have saved around 3,000 lives. That's 3,000 lives lost just so they could have a nice catchy number for the time of the ceasefire.
@@peterswires8439 Harry Truman sent men out to fight only a couple hours before the official end.
I remember seeing an estimate that about 14,000 people died each day statistically speaking. I don't even think that there are five thousand crosses at the end of this film. Imagine seeing three different scenes exactly like this one each day with different occupants. Quite a sad thought.
One-Hundred years ago to the day. R.I.P.
1 great grandad was a old professional soldier , fought in the boer wars South Africa, then ww1 , survived that , my other great grandad lied his age went to war when he was 16 , happy to say he survived, both grandads survived were and are my heroes
One of the few, so many comments here about great-uncles who were 20 forever
I’m old enough to remember 1 of my great grandads , 1 of my great grandads in the years after the war suffered from wounds he received plus gassed twice, died prematurely, never got to meet him , my other great grandad ,who I remember as a child was a loving humble quiet man , who was a boy soldier who lied his age to serve this country, I was only a kid but will remember that man , to me a true hero
One of my uncles fought in WWI, but it was never mentioned until someone in the village built a monument to those who fought in WWII and his name was mistakenly included and my cousin informed them of the error.
My 2 great grandads fought in the war to end wars god bless you and who that fell never forgotten ❤️
Thank you for uploading this. Bravo to Sir Richard Attenborough, Dirk Bogarde, and all others who made this film which is a compelling indictment of war.
A truly masterpiece of film making to a lost generation that were nearly wiped out
This movie means more to me than all the american world war two movies put together its over a hundred years now but its message is more prescient than ever.
The movie only came out in 69
@@busterdog321 I think he refers to the War's ending
First time i saw this was sitting at an outdoor theatre in Cam Ranh Ba Viet Nam.
While we were a Navy base, we got our films through the Army {which explains why thos aboard carriers and other ships got to see MASH but we didn't} and i am AMAZED that they showed us this film
‘Who are you, the Unknown Soldier?’
What a stunningly bleak quip. The concept of the Unknown Soldier was thought up after the end of the Great War by the British, to give the families of soldiers who had no known grave, a gravestone in Westminster Abbey to pay their respects to, with the possibility that it was their missing son/husband/father buried beneath it. Many other nations quickly followed.
The dead soldier in this scene - the last British soldier killed before the armistice - would not have had a clue what the other soldier/angel was talking about, as the concept was created post war. In the logic of the film, this poor sod was the Unknown Soldier buried in Westminster Abbey.
The tomb in Westminster Abbey is actually that of the Unknown Warrior. It may not be a soldier, don't forget there were members of the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines serving on the Western Front.
Always brings emotion and tears to my eyes .this One last scene sums up EVERYTHING.
Together with 'The Long Good Friday' this has to be one of the most poignant endings to any film.
I have just finished performing the stage version of this and it is absolutely amazing.
it all began on the East London stage, produced by Joan Littlewood. She never approved of the film version.
Still valid in 2022
such a powerful ending
Always makes me cry watching this sequence
The rivetting moment here is not so much the crosses reveal; that's heartbreaking............it's the Last Soldier spirit going past the family motif, to join his pals in death....." no greater love hath a man...' THAT's the heart of WW1, and WW2 for that matter.
the pals, were his relations, 'The Smith family, a representation of any average family, quite brilliant.
That sounds a bit too close to 'Dulce Et Decorum Est'. It wasn't love of country that got these people killed.
@@andrewmiddleton25 To some extent that's true, but on all sides involved, they were whipped up with national fervour by the press, and believing ''It would all be over by Christmas ' Which one, was never discussed. Also, the massess of poor working class men, had never even left their Village or town before, never mind a foreign country. It didn't sound so bad, and all your mates were going --so?
This was the school play at Ryhope Grammar some 55 years ago, performed as an "end of the pier" show with the cast in pierrot costumes, playing multiple parts. A few years ago we went to a small theatre in Stratford, London to see this play, as we performed it at school. Quite emotional.
Such a brilliant film !! ☘️☘️
The trouble was as soon as WW2 happened it made the sacrifice of all those young men and women pointless, that included my Great Uncle Frank Evans killed at Ypres in February 1915. My Nan never got over it.
This was the movie that made be realize what evil people Churchill, the ladies with their white feathers and all those post-War "Dear Courageous Aunt Agathas" were.
Gets me every time.
El final de este filme antibélico es impresionante y conmovedor.
it is a so moving scene at the end telling kids to get on with life don't worry what we did for you. let's not forget the German lads didn't want to be there either i am sure they would rather be drinking steins of Bier watching Bayern Munchen playing football rather than in a trench facing British or French troops. why oh why do we fall into this trap of politicians wills to kill each other?
Katrina, may thanks for posting that clip of the last few minutes of 'Oh, What A Lovely War'. As other folks have pointed out in their posts, it is one of the most poignant scenes and hits home with such a strong anti-war message. That so-called 'Great War' culled over 12 million fine young men from all around the world into the mud of Flanders, and you have to ask yourselves, all for what purpose? Just so much more pointless flag-waving, as I see things. If a few wiser heads had got around a table to discuss peaceful solutions after Arch-Duke Ferdinand and his wife were tragically assassinated in Sarajevo rather than rush off into flag-waving mode, well, the world today might be considerable more different than it is. PN
Instead of 'IF ONLY' which has no influence on what has gone before. For enlightenment reasons--watch the 2014 BBC TV 3 part 3 hour reconstruction--using previously unseen documents, Diaries, personal letter's, and government Official order's, that is, ''37 Days''. Superb actors portray and recreate, the rolls of ALL main figures concerned, of both sides, Military and Political. in this historic build-up to WW1. Marvelous.
Might be different? It bloody well absolutely would be utterly different and much better than now.
Here for the Armistice
No CGI at all. Incredible.
Seen on a big screen if began to look as if the whole world was covered with those crosses.
That's how I first saw this film, on a big screen. It was a totally crushing experience for me. As you say, the crosses just seemed endless and unavoidable (although, apparently, they represent less than the number of Tommies killed on the first day of the Somme).
@@MDBellamy Some of the largest Cemetary's, which are in France, can be seen from Space.
Damned to all the present Day's Warmongers, who forgot how much bloodshed we had in the 20th Century and today as well.
hey if you say Churchill is a warmonger, he had to do what he had to do, it was hitlers fault
I said present day, which means the past 15-20 years.
this is truelly an amazing film it inspired my school for our thearter production and in 10 days our class is going to belgium YAY
This scene was filmed on the South Downs, on Whitehawk Hill between Brighton and Rottingdean.
A powerful, sad, and haunting ending! :(
I've watched this movie a dozen times since I was a kid, it's one of my all-time favourites...and yet, I'm only noticing now the figure in the background at 2:05 - is that Lenin?!
I believe it may be.
@@evanwelch9231 Definitely - standing apart from the others at the table and peering off to the left.
Today is remembrance day in the UK. Back in past it was a more sombre time were we remember all aspects of war and how WW1 was a pointless thing and that those that died were real men and women who deserve to be remembered. Now it is the single largest recruiting day for the UK army other than the day after UK children get there exam results.
brilliant.
Magnificent.
You have to feel sorry for that guy. He went through the entire war and gets killed a couple of minutes before the end.
well over a thousand did, within 5 hours before 11am ceasefire
In a TV Documentary, on the 100th anniversary, they discovered that hundreds of troops (mostly American ) were killed, in the last hour before the 11 am armistice.
I read somewheret that the combined deaths that morning were 3000+ they signed the Armistice in that train carriage at 4am...What sort of mentallity sets a schedule 7 hrs later FFS?. That whole war was FUBAR.
@@bradcobb3418 I suppose they would have to allow time for the information to be circulated. They didn't have the communications facilities we have now.
@@MrDaiseymay Some thanks to Harry Truman, who sent men into battle just hours before the official end . . . which he knew about.
To my grandad......
We will remember
And many never did tell us, only in their twilight years when it all came flooding back did it finally get told to those who were at last prepared to listen....
If you are thinking of putting on a uniform for money watch this film first
Cracking film
How on earth can you give this clip a thumbs down ?????????????
Must be Leftists
@@swaldron5558 "Must be"? are these some fantasy monsters that exist only in your mind?
@@swaldron5558 Why would you say that? Anyone who gave the film a thumbs down simply doesnt understand the film. It is a pacifist film. It is a leftist film. It is not remotely patriotic. Attenbough (and Joan Littlewood - the socalist theatre director who concieved it) would not understand your comment.
No CGI on the crosses
no computers, but cinema tricks
I can remember the BBC banning Harvey Andrews song “hello Hans” which was about children playing in the local German POW cemetery because it was “inappropriate “, what ever that means.
it is a masterpiece of a movie ?
yes.
English films, writing and art in general where such a class above the rest at this time.
Used to be, but not anymore..
One of the best anti war films ever, and one of the reasons i read so many books about the conflict, such a stupid tragic waste of life, like all wars, and the sad fact is that we will never learn, war is what our species is best at
No CGI was harmed in the making of this film.
Lest we forget
No CGI, some poor sods had to plant all those crosses. Required viewing on the sly recruitment drive that is 'Armed Forces Day'.
Even better, they couldn't be set too deep, and the helicopter for the overhead shots kept blowing them over.
All though I bet it beat the hell out of setting the real ones over graves.
and the rulers learnt nothing
"Granny what did daddy do in the war?" We all know the answer. But we'll never tell them. We can't ever tell them. it is too late. Never forget.
please remember them
😢❤
I dont care if this movie is going on 60, banger either way.
our forefathers would cry to see it happen not only in 39 but again in todays world, "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. We will remember them."
4:45 He died, dear. He died. One of the most underrated scenes in movie history.
No CGI then so all thousands crosses at end were planted on those hill sides.
Its 1969 and i'm in the cinema......
This and the final sequence in Blackadder goes Forth are, in my opinion, the two of the most poignant bits of cinematography ever recorded
This film I saw as a very young man, the effect of it made me, an atheist, a pacifist, and a republican. The waste of so many innocent lives, because of greedy, power hungry royal families. After this war many European countries had the good sense to rid themselves of these vile dynasties.
As a Yank let me just point (for the benefit of my countryman) that "republican" for Brits means no Monarchy, not the American political party called Republicans.
@@christophermacintyre5890 understood chris
It's odd then that an even more terrible conflict arose less than twenty years later WITHOIUT those "vile dynasties". That even Churchill said that if they had never removed the Hohenzollerns or the Habsburgs, there would never have been chance for a Hitler to emerge
@@adam4842 Thought provoking.
@@adam4842 Hard to tell. Hereditary monarchy didn't stop Italy to fall into fascism, though. And the neutered monarchy in UK could not have prevented Oswald Mosley and his British Union of Fascists if they had won an election.
Doing this for are school play I got a part!!!
As a Hearts FC fan it’s terrible being remembered that most of the team gave up playing there favourite game to fight to keep there family and friends safe. And even worse when you think Britain shouldn’t even have been in the War we should’ve just let Europe do there own thing
pathetic.
And for what....