PlatinumRead Just so...so bad

Mjeteconer Just perfect...

ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Zandra The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Jennifer Hawkins American director Richard Lester's film How I Won the War is a bizarre, anti-war satire, set in the thick of World War Two. It does not only look at aspects of the ridiculousness of war, and the stereotypes of the war films, but also the ridiculousness of the British. Having been made by an American, the film takes a look at 'Britishness' from an objective view - as an outsider. Consequently, under close scrutiny it becomes apparent that this is not merely an anti-war film, it is an anti-British film, and, ironically an anti-war-film film.But this film is more than a satirical plot with farcical characters. There is a very serious element. Lester integrates morbid battle-scenes into the plot, spliced in amongst the comedic genius of the cast, whilst simultaneously claiming the soldiers as no more than actors playing a game, commenting on the way the war is often represented in cinema - with glory and heroism. This is the main point of the film. As Richard Lester himself said, "It does reflect a desperately sincere attitude towards the glorification of war by show business... One of the gross obscenities about the war is the war film itself ... like a big adventure with extras being killed in the way of a Western." This film is clever - very clever - funny and bitter. A gem in the archives of the Cinematic Rennaissance. I doubt such uniqueness could ever be replicated.

classicsoncall I'm sure I missed a lot of the nuance of this film because of the language barrier - it was in English, without subtitles. I picked it up in a dollar bargain bin almost a year ago because John Lennon's picture was on the video sleeve. Though others on this board state that he stole the show, I came away with the impression that his supporting role was more in the way of capitalizing on his Beatles celebrity. Yet his death scene turns out to be unusually prophetic and surreal, and one of the ironic twists of the story.I don't know anything about the other principals involved in the movie, including director Richard Lester. However there's no denying that the absurdity of war theme comes through in virtually every scene. I would liked to have been 'in' on more of the Brit humor involved, and perhaps a second viewing might help fill in some of the blanks. I'd like to thank poster 'Phlicker' for explaining the symbolism of the pastel soldiers who kept popping up, even though it should have been readily apparent. I guess even the British visuals are difficult to understand.You know what really blew me away though? Doing the math on the film's release, it's forty years old this year! FORTY YEARS! For me, that might be the most surreal aspect of the picture, having grown up as a teenager with the Beatles and John Lennon. Just as surreal is the fact that Lennon was shot to death almost twenty seven years ago as I write this. The insanity and absurdity of war and death continues every day, and humanity learns nothing from it.

editor-133 It has been reviewed; it has been explained. For almost forty years now this movie has been a mystery to a vast audience because the viewers and reviewers miss the obvious: "How I Won The Won" is comedy. When one has the opportunity to enjoy this movie one will find that the director and writer worked well together to bring us a movie that one can enjoy again and again. Much like "Duck Soup" thirty-four years earlier made a mockery of the Great War, "How I Won The War" mocks the "good" War (The Second World War.) Richard Lester's directing style brings this movie to his audience in a similar way that Brecht brought "The Three Penny Opera" to his stage audience. Lester has an ability to force you to laugh at times when you wished you hadn't laughed. Now circa 2005, it is a movie that has been re-discovered for its vitality and its humor. Let yourself go, relax and enjoy a classic movie experience.

Patrick King Maybe true heroism is less than heroic. "How I Won the War" is a very funny movie that in its own surreal way depicts very real and less than heroic motivations for war. The setting is North Africa and Europe during WWII. The insinuations of absurdity could be any place and any time. Aptly portraying the soldiers is a cast that includes a young Michael Crawford playing the group leader -- bumbling, patriotic, and self-possessed of a desire to be rewarded. Roy Kinnear competently plays the jolly and slightly addled, clear-thinking (albeit mumbling) realist. Michael Hordern is the Blimpo commander with the proverbial blinkers on, never letting his men down when it comes to providing them with exhortation. There is also John Lennon who renders a very capable job of portraying a naive pessimist (perhaps a reflection of his feelings at the time about his role as a member of another group). No one ever really dies in this movie; they merely change colors. And in the end, the entire experience of war is capsulated into a home movie. Look for Alexander Knox playing an American general.