Murphy's War (1971)

GP   |    |  Drama, War

Murphy's War (1971) Poster

A lone survivor from a British naval ship is obsessed with getting revenge on a German U-boat crew that massacred his shipmates in the water.

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Photos

  • Siân Phillips in Murphy's War (1971)
  • Horst Janson in Murphy's War (1971)
  • Murphy's War (1971)
  • Peter O'Toole and Philippe Noiret in Murphy's War (1971)
  • Peter O'Toole and Siân Phillips in Murphy's War (1971)
  • Peter O'Toole and Philippe Noiret in Murphy's War (1971)

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Reviews & Commentary

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User Reviews
6 May 2013 | philipjcowan
8
| Glad so many people like it
I saw this film first time round and, going by the date is was made, I must have been about seven years old. Our cinema in Lochgelly was rather lax about age restrictions.

Scenes still stick in my mind and its themes are still very much with me — the horror and dehumanizing impact of war and the futility of revenge.

I have since seen the film again and I was glad not to be disappointed. Being older and wiser, one is inevitably more critical, but there is so much to enjoy in this film. The performances, setting and story all work together to draw you into its dark and dangerous world.

Most notably of all, the U-boat commander and his men are portrayed as human beings. Efficient, determined, ruthless, but they too have feelings and hate the whole damn war just as much as Murphy. This was unusual in war films up until then, and its progressive, enlightened approach to the war enhances the story. We understand and even feel for Murphy, but we too must understand that sometimes we need to let go, accept our losses, be glad we survived and realise that our enemies are human too.

Critic Reviews

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Did You Know?

Trivia

In 1969, Frank Sinatra and director Burt Kennedy were planning this as Frank's next starring vehicle. They settled on " Dirty Dingus Magee " instead.

Quotes

Murphy: There's nothin' wrong with my f... language!

Goofs

When charging the dredger towards the submarine and trying to manoeuvre, Murphy hollers "hard to port" then immediately spins the wheel to the right, which is starboard.

Alternate Versions

The original UK cinema version was cut by the BBFC to remove 2 uses of the word 'fuck' and to edit shots of bloody shootings and dead bodies for an 'A' (PG) certificate. The 12-rated UK DVD release restores the gunshot scenes but also has the swear words blanked out, and an inferior 4:3 transfer.

Soundtracks

Onward Christian Soldiers
(uncredited)
Music by Arthur Sullivan and lyrics by Sabine Baring-Gould
Sung by Peter O'Toole

Storyline

Plot Summary

Genres

Drama | War

Details

Release Date:

14 January 1971

Language

English, German

Country of Origin

UK

Filming Locations

Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

User Polls

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