Screened at the Hollywood International Film Festival
Purportedly based on actual events, Guerilla Films' "Two Men Went to War" is a wobbly comedy-drama about two misfit members of England's World War II Army Dental Corps on an unconventional mission to take on the enemy.
Although the performances are solid enough, the direction (by John Henderson) and script (credited to Richard Everett, Christopher Villiers and Raymond Foxall, from Foxall's book "Amateur Commandos") are engaged in an ongoing tonal battle, with the upshot being that the film can never decide if it wants to be "Kelly's Heroes" or "Hogan's Heroes".
Deemed too old for active duty, a crusty sergeant (Kenneth Cranham) recruits a wet-behind-the-ears private (Leo Bill) to join him on an unsanctioned mission into occupied France.
Nothing goes as planned, but somehow the bumbling duo ends up stumbling across a German radar station and saving the day for the good guys, despite having gone AWOL in the process.
It's all quite inoffensive, and the rest of the cast -- including old pros Derek Jacobi, Phyllida Law (Emma Thompson's mum) and David Ryall as an amusing Winston Churchill -- are their usual capable selves. But in the end, the picture comes up sufficiently short on both the wit and action fronts to be declared a keeper.
Purportedly based on actual events, Guerilla Films' "Two Men Went to War" is a wobbly comedy-drama about two misfit members of England's World War II Army Dental Corps on an unconventional mission to take on the enemy.
Although the performances are solid enough, the direction (by John Henderson) and script (credited to Richard Everett, Christopher Villiers and Raymond Foxall, from Foxall's book "Amateur Commandos") are engaged in an ongoing tonal battle, with the upshot being that the film can never decide if it wants to be "Kelly's Heroes" or "Hogan's Heroes".
Deemed too old for active duty, a crusty sergeant (Kenneth Cranham) recruits a wet-behind-the-ears private (Leo Bill) to join him on an unsanctioned mission into occupied France.
Nothing goes as planned, but somehow the bumbling duo ends up stumbling across a German radar station and saving the day for the good guys, despite having gone AWOL in the process.
It's all quite inoffensive, and the rest of the cast -- including old pros Derek Jacobi, Phyllida Law (Emma Thompson's mum) and David Ryall as an amusing Winston Churchill -- are their usual capable selves. But in the end, the picture comes up sufficiently short on both the wit and action fronts to be declared a keeper.
Screened at the Hollywood International Film Festival
Purportedly based on actual events, Guerilla Films' "Two Men Went to War" is a wobbly comedy-drama about two misfit members of England's World War II Army Dental Corps on an unconventional mission to take on the enemy.
Although the performances are solid enough, the direction (by John Henderson) and script (credited to Richard Everett, Christopher Villiers and Raymond Foxall, from Foxall's book "Amateur Commandos") are engaged in an ongoing tonal battle, with the upshot being that the film can never decide if it wants to be "Kelly's Heroes" or "Hogan's Heroes".
Deemed too old for active duty, a crusty sergeant (Kenneth Cranham) recruits a wet-behind-the-ears private (Leo Bill) to join him on an unsanctioned mission into occupied France.
Nothing goes as planned, but somehow the bumbling duo ends up stumbling across a German radar station and saving the day for the good guys, despite having gone AWOL in the process.
It's all quite inoffensive, and the rest of the cast -- including old pros Derek Jacobi, Phyllida Law (Emma Thompson's mum) and David Ryall as an amusing Winston Churchill -- are their usual capable selves. But in the end, the picture comes up sufficiently short on both the wit and action fronts to be declared a keeper.
Purportedly based on actual events, Guerilla Films' "Two Men Went to War" is a wobbly comedy-drama about two misfit members of England's World War II Army Dental Corps on an unconventional mission to take on the enemy.
Although the performances are solid enough, the direction (by John Henderson) and script (credited to Richard Everett, Christopher Villiers and Raymond Foxall, from Foxall's book "Amateur Commandos") are engaged in an ongoing tonal battle, with the upshot being that the film can never decide if it wants to be "Kelly's Heroes" or "Hogan's Heroes".
Deemed too old for active duty, a crusty sergeant (Kenneth Cranham) recruits a wet-behind-the-ears private (Leo Bill) to join him on an unsanctioned mission into occupied France.
Nothing goes as planned, but somehow the bumbling duo ends up stumbling across a German radar station and saving the day for the good guys, despite having gone AWOL in the process.
It's all quite inoffensive, and the rest of the cast -- including old pros Derek Jacobi, Phyllida Law (Emma Thompson's mum) and David Ryall as an amusing Winston Churchill -- are their usual capable selves. But in the end, the picture comes up sufficiently short on both the wit and action fronts to be declared a keeper.
- 10/22/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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