Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | 1967 | 111 mins. | NR
John Lennon’s only non-Beatles dramatic performance, How I Won the War will likely be of interest to only his most ardent fans. Directed by Richard Lester, who guided The Fab Four through A Hard Day’s Night and Help!, this anti-war comedy is not funny and uneven.
Though Lennon is second-billed, he has a surprisingly minor role. The story focuses on Lt. Ernest Goodbody (Michael Crawford), an inept, xenophobic upper-class jerk who leads his WWII company (Third troop, Fourth Musketeers), through various battles and ridiculous mistakes. In the process, he gets almost everyone killed, and his men repeatedly fail in their attempts to kill him. He relates his “memoirs” orally, after he is captured by German troops; he frequently breaks the fourth wall, even referencing the film itself (“Every word of this film is written in pencil…in my own handwriting”), as do several other characters, including Gripweed (Lennon) and Clapper (Roy Kinear).
Lester’s decidedly frenetic style, which worked so well in the Beatles films, falls flat. Following the Beatles around was just a fun lark. However, traipsing around after a bunch of soldiers as they go through North Africa just doesn’t have the same effect. The story is told in a jumble of flashbacks, flashbacks within the flashbacks, asides, fourth-wall breaking, and sight gags. Much of is specific to the British military, so an awful lot is lost. The film ends up being less about the absurdity of war and more about the absurdity of Goodbody and his men.
Michael Crawford clearly gives his all here, and delivers a few funny moments. Lennon is underused, but funny; his best moments are tossed-off side gags, like the wonderfully childish moment where he steals a bottle of milk, or the way he spoons sand into Crawford’s tea (“This damn sand!” the lieutenant despairs. “When will it end?”)
Unfortunately though, those moments are few and far between. As a whole, How I Won the War just doesn’t come together. The narrative is fractured, and it often feels as though the filmmakers weren’t completely sure where they wanted to go with the movie.
How I Won The War is available via MGM’s “Limited Edition Collection” line of burned-on-demand DVD-Rs. It’s a pretty good anamorphic transfer; though occasional dirt and other minor print damage can seen, the image is fairly decent, with good color and contrast and no compression artifacts of note.
The mono audio mix is acceptable if not great; it’s a fairly clean track, though the thickly-accented dialogue is occasionally difficult to understand. Music and effects are heavy and don’t interfere with the mix.
English subtitles are also available.
The only special feature available is the film’s original Trailer (1:11).
