The Long And The Short And The Tall.

[feldpost 58]

Hi,

Just watched this movie tonight, which I have not seen since the 1970's, when I saw it on British TV on a Sunday afternoon at my grandmother's house.
Picked it up at a market for £1:00, as a double bill newspaper give-away with the classic "Ice Cold In Alex".
What a great movie!
Released in 1961 in black and white, starring Richard Todd and a young Richard Harris; it concerns a group of British squaddies in the jungle who capture a Japanese soldier.
Very challenging on some of the more uncomfortable aspects of war, it certainly meant more to me on this viewing than it did when I originally watched it in my youth.
There are so many classic British movies from this period, which have been given away in newspaper promotions over the past several years.
Have also obtained excellent movies such as "The Cruel Sea", "The First Of The Few", "Above Us The Waves" "Aces High", "Ill Met By Moonlight", "Too Late The Hero", "The Heroes Of Telemark" "Zulu Dawn" and many others on free DVD's from newspaper promotions over the last few years.
I cannot complain; they are free, but it seems to denigrate the efforts of all the artists and film studios involved just to give these good movies away.

Best regards,

John

[Mike Davis]

I too am a fan of British films of the early postwar era, particularly liking pictures like Ice Cold in Alex, The Cruel Sea, The Hill, etc. By contrast, films made today seem intended for children. But such are modern tastes I suppose.

[feldpost 58]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your reply and the still from "Ice Cold In Alex"!
This reminded me of the clever Carlsberg beer adverts which were shown in the UK several years ago, where this scene from the film was shown.
I do not think a better advert for beer could have been devised by a modern promotions expert.
Were these commercials shown in the US as well?

Cheers!

John.

[Mike Davis]

If they were, I did not see them....

[tintin]

long

I remember doing the play 'the long, the short and the tall' as a study for english at school, it was good for me as I was interested in wwII, we watched the film once we had finished the essays, very enjoyable from what I remember.
Dave