One of the best anti-war films ever made, next only to Malick's "The Thin Red Line." Losey loved to film plays and did it well: and this is one of them. Losey loved to underscore social disparity among his films' characters--this film makes that more than obvious, The film begins with the camera slowly examining details of a public statue about soldiers dead in the war, dying for their country with the inscription "A Royal Fellowship of Death." That opening sequence is spellbinding (a great idea of Losey, his cinematographer Denys N Coop, and the screenplay writer Evan Jones. It prepares the viewer for what is to follow as the stone images merge with images of dead solders with their bones under their helmets and uniforms. Another major contributor to the film is the production design by Richard Macdonald--which should serve as an example for students of production design. Finally, the film belongs to actor Tom Courtenay, who was recognized at the Venice Film Festival for this role winning the Best Actor Award but not so at the BAFTAs, and to Dirk Bogarde giving one of his best performances while also contributing to the script (uncredited contribution.) A major part of the play and screenplay was the young soldiers doing mock court-martial of a rat procured from the carcass of a dead horse--what a bizarre but powerful idea mocking the actual human court-martial. One of the best films of Losey.
Review of King & Country
