Most films made in the years after the Second World War focus on the heroism of the Allies as they battle against the odds; always united. This is different; set in the Burmese jungle it follows a patrol were insubordination is rife and there is constant arguing; largely due to Pvt. 'Bammo' Bamforth constantly questioning orders and having a go at the other members of the patrol. They are working with experimental psychological warfare equipment in an area they believe to be far from the Japanese but while sheltering from a shower they capture a Japanese soldier who has become separated from his unit. Now they have a dilemma; do they kill him or risk taking him with them as they try to return to base? Opinions are divided but the Sergeant decides the prisoner will be more useful alive. The situation changes after it becomes clear that the Japanese know where they are. Now the sergeant decides he will have to kill the prisoner who they have dubbed 'Tojo', although he will do it when they get to a more suitable location. The strongest voice against killing Tojo comes from Bamforth and he is determined to protect him; even when it is suggested he may have looted the bodies of British soldiers because he has a cigarette case marked 'Made in Birmingham'. As the film reaches its conclusion the patrol finds itself pinned down by the Japanese; an encounter not all of them will survive.

While I think this was a good film I wouldn't say that I enjoyed it; few of the characters are particularly sympathetic, in fact the only one without obvious character flaws is the prisoner... and he doesn't speak a work of English. The acting was solid and features several well known actors including Richard Todd, Richard Harris and David McCallum. The jungle scenes were more believable than one might expect given that it was filmed at Elstree Studios; I suspect the fact that it is in black and white might help there. With its small cast the claustrophobia of the situation is obvious; it also means everybody is a 'main character' who is there for a reason; we have the bolshie Bamforth, frightened radio operator Whitaker and a corporal who is not only keen that Tojo should be killed but he is determined that he should be the man to do it. If you want to watch a war film that isn't the clichéd group of heroes fighting against the odds then I'd recommend checking this out; just don't expect a feel good ending.

Looking at this bunch out on patrol in the China/Burma/India theater of World War II I was reminded of what Clark Gable said to Charles Laughton about the impressed seaman on the Bounty, them not being king and country volunteers. Sergeant Richard Todd has his hands full keeping good discipline and order with crew in The Long And The Short And The Tall. Using that British wartime ballad as a title tells about all the different types one gets in the Armed Services.

So it is in this film where Sergeant Richard Todd has a mission which he figures is a light one. Just go out to get background recordings of jungle sounds to be played in real battle to confuse the enemy. But the Japanese are also full of tricks. This patrol is drawn into enemy held area and then the idea is for the British soldiers to get out alive.

Based on a stage play and the stage roots of his project aren't all that well concealed, the patrol captures a Japanese scout. Just his presence among them brings a breakdown in discipline that spells disaster. It is inevitable in war that one does not see the enemy as human. If you did you couldn't kill them. The more popular the war, the more that spreads to the civilian sector.

Standing out among the patrol members are Richard Harris and Laurence Harvey who would dislike each other intensely in civilian life in any event. Harvey in fact has no kind words for anybody. With him it's like is Joe Lampton character from Room At The Top went off to war, most likely drafted.

The Britsh whose island nation was threatened far worse than continental USA have this film as being the first at least I know of to show their fighting men as less than heroes. The film's main weakness is not successful transition to the screen from the stage. But the acting is vivid especially from Todd, Harris, and Harvey.

What at first seems to be your typical British war film about a squad of soldiers behind enemy lines in Burma actually turns out to be something far, far different - and better. THE LONG AND THE SHORT AND THE TALL is actually a morality play about the importance of human life, the nature of warfare, and mankind's humanity towards his own kind. It was based on a play and occasionally feels very staged and studio-bound, but it overcomes these flaws to become something very compelling.

What's especially good about this film is that it takes careful time to develop each of the main characters in turn. So we get Richard Todd as the tough, incredibly ruthless sergeant, and Richard Harris as his volatile corporal. Ronald Fraser does well as a man conflicted between kindness and brutality, and David McCallum is a delight as the coward of the group. Best of all is Laurence Harvey, who plays a racist on the outside but at the same time becomes the most humane one of the lot.

THE LNG AND THE SHORT AND THE TALL doesn't pack a great deal of action into the running time, but when it does occur it's incredibly hard-hitting due to the aforementioned characterisation. Kenji Takaki also deserves kudos for playing the Japanese soldier; without a single word of English, he manages to create a thoroughly sympathetic character. Less is more, and this underrated war movie is a great example of that ethos.