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67% Critic Match
The Long and the Short and the Tall
“Raw emotions bared !”
6.7 / 10• 1961• 1h 50m•NR• English
WarComedyDrama
Storyline
Based on a play by Willis Hall. A troop of British soldiers are out in the jungle to record jungle noises and troop noises in the jungle so that the recordings can be played back by other troops to divert the enemy to their whereabouts. As they progress to what they think is closer to the base camp they find themselves farther and farther from radio range until the only channel they can get clearly is that of a Japanese broadcast. They now realize they are probably only 10 to 15 miles from a Japanese camp! The tension is added to by rowdy and openly admitted "non-hero" Private Bamforth who has nothing good to say about anyone and especially Corporal Johnstone (who holds an equal dislike for Bamforth). When a Japanese soldier is taken as their prisoner, the true colours of each man comes to the surface
Cast & Crew
Laurence Harvey
Pvt. 'Bammo' Bamforth
Lead
Richard Todd
Sgt. 'Mitch' Mitchem
Richard Harris
Cpl. Johnstone
David McCallum
Pvt. Sammy Whitaker
Ronald Fraser
L / Cpl. Macleish
John Meillon
Pte. Smith
JR
John Rees
Pte. Evans
Kenji Takaki
Tojo
What People Are Saying
4.0
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Leslie Norman's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
3.0
“Every frame feels alive. The Long and the Short and the Tall is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”
