Once a hero

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
German title Once a hero
Original title Tunes of Glory
Country of production Great Britain
original language English
Publishing year 1960
length 107 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Ronald Neame
script James Kennaway
production Colin Lesslie
music Malcolm Arnold
camera Arthur Ibbetson
cut Anne V. Coates
occupation
synchronization

Once a hero (Original title: Tunes of Glory ) is a British film drama by director Ronald Neame from 1960 based on the novel of the same name by James Kennaway .

action

An officers mess of a Scottish battalion after World War II : Major (known as Lieutenant Colonel in German dubbing) Sinclair announces that this will be his last day as a commanding officer before Lieutenant Colonel Barrow arrives to take command. Although Sinclair took over and successfully led the battalion during the war after the commander fell, the post is now to be filled regularly. Sinclair himself will take on the role of deputy battalion commander. His successor, Barrow, arrives unexpectedly that evening and sees the officers enjoying themselves. During the provisional greeting, Sinclair and Barrow briefly discuss their military careers. While Sinclair has made a career as a troop officer coming from the NCO and has received multiple awards, Barrow comes from an old officer family, but has a university degree and was an instructor at the Sandhurst Military Academy . Sinclair says he was once arrested for being drunk. Barrow mentions that he too “sat”, but leaves it at hints of his experiences as a prisoner of war.

The characters of the two officers are fundamentally different: Sinclair is jovial and rough, but is popular with most officers. Barrow is extremely correct in behavior and expression, which is alien to his subordinates, especially since he does not consume alcohol. Right from the start, Sinclair leaves no doubt that he feels downgraded towards Barrow and considers him a desk soldier. Little does he know that Barrow has major mental health problems after being tortured in Japanese captivity and tries to indirectly control "his" battalion. Meanwhile, Sinclair's daughter Morag joins a love that has been hidden from her father with Corporal Fraser, one of the battalion's bagpipers.

Over the next few weeks, Barrow visits the troops intensively, deals with formalities and issues orders that should strengthen the discipline of the troops again, which Sinclair obviously neglected during his command. One of the orders of the new commander is that the officers of the "Highland dancing" class have to undergo so that they dance more disciplined and socially acceptable than before. He encounters increasing open dissatisfaction from his officers, especially at Sinclair. At a cocktail party, to which civil guests are invited, Sinclair and the other officers finally dance again in their old, rough style. Angry at seeing his authority undermined, Barrow loses control and declares the party over. Only after the scandal does he come to his senses and confide in Captain Cairns, the adjutant, the experiences of the prisoner of war and his disaffected life planning.

When Sinclair discovered his daughter with Corporal Fraser in a pub, he confronted her. In affect, he slaps Fraser in the face. Since this represents a serious offense by an officer, tensions threaten to escalate: Barrow is initially unsure how to deal with the incident, but then wants to prepare a report for the higher-level brigade . The consequence would be an indictment against Sinclair in the military court and the certain end of his career. Since Barrow senses a lack of understanding for an official investigation in his battalion, both among officers and non-commissioned officers, and the officers demonstratively profess Sinclair, he decides reluctantly to visit him, possibly to clarify the matter within the battalion. In the course of the conversation, Sinclair soon recognizes the weak point in Barrow's character, namely his pronounced idealism, and suggests to him that if proceedings were initiated, in reality only the integrity of the battalion would be publicly damaged. He urges Barrow not to report the incident and give him a chance. In return, he assures him of his future support. Barrow agrees, albeit with evident doubt.

A boozy evening takes place in the officers' mess just like in the old days: Sinclair is the focus and spokesman and gathers most of the officers around him, while Barrow sits passively at the other end of the table. When he is blatantly excluded from participating in the conversation, he goes into the billiard room. Speaking to Major Scott, who advised him to conduct an official investigation, he realizes that in the officers' minds it was Sinclair who “decided” that there would be no report. In the shocking realization of no longer having any authority, Barrow withdraws and commits suicide.

A few days later, Sinclair, now battalion commander again, officially informs the officers of Barrow's death at a meeting, explains his extensive plans for the dead man's burial and falls into a kind of obsession. When his comrades point out to him that his plans seem a bit aloof, also with regard to the circumstances of the death, he makes it clear to them that it was murder. He was the murderer, she was the accomplice. Barrow deserved such a funeral. With the sound of drums and bagpipes in his head, he continues his planning while the officers quietly leave the room. Ultimately, the emotional burden of his responsibility leads to a nervous breakdown. Captain Cairns and Major Scott escort him out and he will be driven home.

background

Once a Hero was the fourth and final film Alec Guinness made with Kay Walsh, the wife of director David Lean . Susannah York made her screen debut with the film.

The backdrop for the film was Stirling Castle . Oscar-winning Wilfred Shingleton was responsible for the production design. The recording studio was directed by John Cox, who won an Oscar in 1963 for his work on Lawrence of Arabia .

Reviews

"With some breaks in the multi-layered plot, a film with outstanding acting performances, especially in the leading roles," said the film service . Also prism praised the actors: "Alec Guinness and John Mills deliver Ronald Neames Military Drama excellent portraits from."

Awards

At the Academy Awards in 1961 , Once a Hero was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Adapted Screenplay (James Kennaway) category. The film was also nominated in 1961 for the British Academy Film Award in the categories of Best Picture , Best British Film , Best British Actor (John Mills and Alec Guinness) and Best British Screenplay (James Kennaway).

At the Venice International Film Festival , John Mills was awarded the Coppa Volpi for Best Actor in 1960 . Ronald Neames' film also ran in the competition for the Golden Lion .

synchronization

role actor Voice actor
Major Jock Sinclair Alec Guinness Arnold Marquis
Lt. Col. Basil Barrow John Mills Friedrich Schoenfelder
Major Charles Scott Dennis Price Friedrich Joloff
Mary Titterington Kay Walsh Tilly Lauenstein
Morag Sinclair Susannah York Sabine Eggerth
Captain Jimmy Cairns Gordon Jackson Horst Niendorf
Pipe Major MacLean Duncan Macrae Hugo Schrader
RSM Riddick Percy Herbert Benno Hoffmann
Captain Eric Simpson Allan Cuthbertson Gerd Martienzen
Major "Dusty" Miller Paul Whitsun-Jones Alexander Welbat
Captain Alec Rattray Richard Leech Heinz Petruo

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Once a hero. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  2. ↑ See prisma.de
  3. ↑ Once a hero. In: synchronkartei.de. German synchronous index , accessed on June 25, 2017 .